Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy : Manual for Activists

430 Pages·2001·13.19 MB·English

by  Kimberley A. Bobo

ORGANIZING
FOR
SOCIALC HANGE
MIDWESTA CADEMY
MANUAL FORA CTIVISTS
KimB obo JackKiedena ll SteMvaex
SEVELNO CKS PRESS
SanAtnaa C,a lifornia
MinneapMoilninse,s ota
WashingDt.oCn.,
©1991,1 996,0201M idweAscta demy
Firesdti ti1o9n19
Third e2d01i0 tion
Alrli grhetsse rved.
LibraorfyC ongreCsast aloging-in-PuDbaltiac ation
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Letm e givyeo ua w ordo nt hpe hilosoopfrh eyf orThme. w holhei stoorfty h per ogress
ofh umanl ibesrhtoyw tsh aatll c oncessyieotmn asd et oh era ugucslta ihmasv bee ebno rn
ofe arnests trugTghleec .o nflhiacsbt e eenx citaignigt,a talilan bgs,o rbainndgf ,o trh tiem e
beinpgu ttianloglt hetru multtoss i lenIctme u.s td ot hiosri td oes notIfh tihnegri.es n o
strugtghleeri esn op rogreTshso.sw eh op rofetsofs a vofrr eedoanmd, y etd eprecaigait­e
tatioanr,em enw how antc ropwsi thopulto wiunpgt heg rounTdh.e yw antr ainw ithout
thundaenrdl ightninTgh.e yw antth oec eawni thotuhtae wfu l roaorfi tmsa nyw aterTsh.i s
strugglmea yb ea m oraoln eo;ri tm ayb ea p hysiocnaelo; r i tma yb eb otmho raaln dp hys­
icablu;ti tm usbte a s trugPgolwee.cr o ncedneost hingw ithoaud te manIdt.n evedri dan d
itn evewri lFli.n odu tj uswth apte opwliel slu bmtiota, n dy ouh avfeo untdh eex acatm ount
ofi njusatnidcw er onwgh icwhi lblei mposuepdo nt heman;d theswei llc ontinuunet tihle y
arree siswtietdeh i thweorr dosr b lowosr,w itbho tThh.e l imiotfts y raarnetp sr escrbiyb ed
thee nduraonfct eh osweh omt heoyp press.
-FrederiDcoku glass
Lettteora na bolitiaosnsioscti 1a8t4e9,
Dedication
This biosod ke dicattoet dh ef oundoefrt heM idwesAtc ademHye, athBeoro th.
Heathwerro tteh efI rsAtc ademcyu rricuOltuhme.rh sa vce ontribtuott ehdet rainoivnegtr h ey ears,
butt hes ingmloes tu seftuolo hla sb eent heS trateCghyar Bte.c austeh eM idwesAtc ademSyt rategy
Charti ss ou sefaunld s om uchu sedw,e t hougihtit m porttaone tm phasihzeert eh er olHee athBeoro th
playeidnd evelopiitn.g
Int hey earbse fotrheAe c ademsyt arttehdec, o nventioorngaaln izwiinsgd owma st halte adecrosu ld
bee ntrusttope lda tna ctibcusto, v eraclalm paisgtnr atceoguyl cdo meo nlfyr omp rofessioorngaaln iz­
ersT.h idsi visitohned, e velopmoefns tt ratbeygo yr ganizaenrdos f t actbicyls e adehrasd,a basiisn
realiBtyy v.i rtue oefx pleornige mnancye ,o rganizheardgs a ineadni mpliucnidte rstanodfi ntgh e ele­
mentosf s trataengdhy o wt oa ppltyh emb,u tt hey wuenraeb tloem aket hautn derstancdlienaegrn ough
tot ransiftte orl eadeTrhse.S tratCehgayr sto lvtehda ptr obleImtm. a des tratpelgayn nienxgp liTchiet .
stepbse camoeb viouansd, a lclo ulpdar ticipoanat nee quabla siUss.eo ft hceh artn oto nlcyo ntintuoe s
leatdo better bsuttir tia sta e ggrye,ae tq ualiazneddr e mocratwiiztehrci int izoerng anizations.
Thanyko uH,e athefro,yr o uwri sdoml,e adersahnidvp i,s ion.
Contents
Preface ix
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
Acknowledngtm.se. ....................................x.i. .........
ParIt:D irecAtct ioOnr gainzgi n
1. 2001 EditiIonnt roduc. t..i.o..n. . . . . .. . . . .. ... . . .. . . . .... . . .. ... . .. . . 2
2. The FundamentoafDl isr eAcctt ioOnr ganizing. . . . 8
. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
3. ChoosianngI ss.u.e. ... ... . . .. . . . . . . .......... . . . .... . . . . .. . .. . . . .2 2
4. Developai Sntgr at.e.g. y. . .. . . . . . . . .... . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . ..3 0
5. A Guidteo T acti.c.s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . .... 48
6. OrganizMiondge lTsh:e U nderlying SotfrO urcgtaunriez at.i.o.n.s. .........
.
7. DesignAicntgi o.n..s. .. . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . ... . .7 0
ParItIO :r agnizSikinsgl l
8. HoldiAncgc ountabSielsistiyo. n. .s. . . . .. . . . . .. ..... . .. . . . ... . . . . . . .. .82
9. BuildianngdJ oiniCnoga liti. o. n..s. ... . . . . . . ... ... . . . . . ...... . .. ... .1 00
10. Recrui.t.i..n.g. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . ... . . .. . .. . . . . .. . . ... 110
11. DevelopLienagd ers.h.i..p. . . .. . . . ... . . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . ... .. . . . . . . . .1 18
12. PlannianngdF acilitMaeteitnign. g. .s. . .. . . . .... ...... . . . . .. . . . .. . . ...1 28
13. Beinag G reaPtu blSipce ake. r. . ... . . . .. . . . . . .. ..... . . . . . ... .. . . . . . .1 40
14. Usintgh e Me.d.i.a. . . . . . .. . . .. . .... . . . ..... . . ... . . ... ... . . .. . ... 156
15. Designianngd Leadai Wnogr ksh.o.p. . . . . . ... ...... .... . . ....... . . . . .1 72
16. Workinwgi tCho mmunitOyr ganizaBtoiaornd ..s. . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . .1.8 2
17. Working with ROerlgiagniiozuast. i..o.n.s. . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . ........ 192
18. WorkinWgi thL ocaUln ionCse,n trLaalb oCro uncialnsd
BuildianngdC onstrucTtriaodnCe osu nci. l. .s. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . ... . ... 204
19. BuildiLnagb or-CommuPnairttyn er.s.h.i. p. s.. . ... . . . ... .... . . . . . .. . . . .2 20
20. TactiIcnavle stig.a.t.i. o..n.s. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . ... . . . . . .. .. . . . ... . . .2 32
ParItI IS:up porfotrO ragnziation
21. GrassroFoutnsd rais..i.n.g. ... . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... . . .. . . . . . ... . . . . .. . .2 76
22. ControlYloiunWrgo rkA:d ministrSaytsitvee.m. s.. . . .. . ... .... .. . . ...... .2 88
23. Supervision . .. . . . . 298
. . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
24. FinancialL egaanMlda tters. . . 318
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . .
25. Workinfgo trh eL ongH aul . 338
. . . . . . . . . . .... . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .
26. YouM eanY ou'rNeo tG ettiRnigc hE?c onomiicns tNheew Millenniu.m . 346
. . . .. .
ParItV :S eelcteRde suocres
ResourfcoeOsrr ganiz.i.n.g.. .. ........ . ... . ... . .... ...... ... . .. ... . .. . 380
Song.s. . . . .... . . ..' ". ...........................................3.99. ..
Index. ..............................................". ........ ....4.1.0
Preface
Inspibryey de arosfo rganiziintn hges tudent,T odayt,h eA cademcyo ntintuoep sr ovitdrea in­
Labowro,m en'asn,dc ivriilg hmtosv emenatnsd, ingt ot hesmeu lti-issue, osrtgaatneiwziadtei ons
fundedb ya back-paawyar di na nu nfaliarb or (nopwa rotfa n atioonragla nizatioAnc-tUiSo n)
practiscuei tH,e atheBro othf oundetdh e asw elals t on umerouost hegrr ouprsa,n ging
MidwesAtc ademiyn 1 973W.i tSht evMea x,t he froms tudetnots se nicoirt izaenndsf romn eigh­
Academyfi'rss ttr ainaenrd c urreTnrta iningb orhootodn atioonragla nizations.
Direc,tH oerathdeerv eloapc eudr ricutlopu ams s Thec ommont hreacdo nnectailnlog f t he
ont hel essolnesarn edi nt hesmeo vementpsr,o ­ Academyw'osr ki st hev alue ploandc eevde lop­
vidoer ganizweirtsha politiacnadel c onomic ingi ndividsuoat lhsat th ecya nb uilpdo werful
contte,ax ndt eacthh es kilnlesc essfaroyre ffec­ organizatthiaowtno sr kf ora morej ussto ciety.
tivoer ganizing. Ino urt raining sietis sis nisopnisr tiown agt cah
TheA cademwya sf oundeodn t hreper inci­low-incmoomet hewro rkinongs chooils suiens
plesF.o rp eoplteoo rganiezffee ctivfeolsryo cial ruraVli rgisnhiaarh ee re xperienacnedes x pertise
ande conomjiucs titcheem,yu st with an environmenrteasle archferro m
1.W inr eailm provemeinnpt eso pllei'vse s WashingtDo.nC,.a ,n da h ousionrgg anifzreorm
2.G eta s ensoeft heoiwrn p ower Chicaogrot oh eaar NewY orskt udednete pi n
3.A ltetrhe r elatioofpn osw er conversawtiitohna senior ciftriozmNe enw
Orleansa tarnadd uen ionfirsotm L osA ngeles.
TheA cademyp'rso grawma sp remised onT hep oinitsn ott hadti verpseeo plgee tt ok now
buildain negt woarckr oss many kdiinffdeosref n t eacoht hebru tt haitn d oinsgo t,h erye alitzhea t
organizaitniw ohnisc ahc tivciosutlssd h aret heir theiprr obletmhso,u gdhi fferehnatv,ec ommon
experiencdeesv,e lroepl ationasnhidps sh,a pae causaensd c ommons olutiTohnesby.e gitnos ee
visinoontb ounbdy t hlei mitatoifao nnyosn ef orm theco nnectbieotnwse tehne iisrs uaensdt hee co­
ofo rganizing. nomiacn dp olitsiycsatle Tmh.e yr ecogntihzaet
In itesa rlyye arst,h eA cademtyr ainemda ny whatu nittehse mi sg reattehra nw hatd ivides
leadeorfst hew omen'mso vementH.e ret hey thema ndt haitn deetdr yitnogd ivitdhee mi sa
founad p lacweh ere theyb ecre oiunlfdo rcaesd maint actoiftc h eoiprp onents.
organizAesrw so.r do ft het rainsipnrge abdo,t h Thev isifoonrw hichw e work mubsebt r oad
experienacneddw ould-obreg aniczearmseb ,r ing­ enougtho m akes malvli ctories siAgsn ificant.
inga diverstioet ayc hs essitohna hta sa llowed peoplpea rticiipnoa utreo rganizaatnidog nasi n
acitvisftrso ma lpla rtso ft hec ountryt ob enefit powers,e lf-confidaenndcd ei,g nity, mutshte y
frome acoht here'xpse rience. alssoh arae c ommonv isioofna countarnyd
Over the tyheeAa crasd,e mhya sb eeinn stru­ worlidn w hicht heyw ouldl ikteo l iveT.h e
mentali n helpintgo builds tatewidei ssuoensw hicwhe o rganitzoed amya yn otl ead
citizen aocrtgiaonni zatiinom nasn ys tates.d irecttolt yh ea chievemoefnt th avti siobnu,t
buildiunpt gh ep oweorf c itizoerng anizaitsi ons
Preface ix
a necessstaerPpye. o plcea n'bte gitnoe nvisionP aulB ooth,R onC harityB,a rrGyr eev,e arnd
basisco cicahla ngweh ent hem eantso a chieivte KarenT homasw,eh avceo nducttheodu saonfd s
are lackiWnghe.n evecrh angefso rt heb etter trainisnegs sioWnes h.a vhea dt hdei stipnlceta s­
occuirt,i sf undanmtealbleyc aupseeo plhea ve ureo fw orkiwnigt sho meo ft heb esotr ganizers
takenc hargoeft heiorw nl ivetsr,a nsformingi nt hec ountrSyo.m anyh avceo met hroutghhe
socieatswy e lals t hemselves. Academayn dg oneo nt oo rganianzde d irect
Althoumguhc hp rogrehsassb eenm adea, todaym'asj oprr ogresisnisvtiet utAilolnh sa.v e
greadte amlo rer emaitnosb ed oneM.o neya nd contribsuotmeedt hoifnt gh emseltvome ask et he
privatsep eciianlt erests domwianyal taew s thMei dwest Academoyft hoebn ees ptr oegsrsive
are madeV.o tepra rticipiasat tii otlnso weistn organitzreari ncienngt eirnts h Uen iteSdt ates.
theh istoorfty h Uen iteSdt atiensd,i caatil nagc k As yorue atdh sib ookk,e eipn m indt hatth e
oftr usitn t hpeo litpircoacle Ysesti. n t hem idst "steptsh,e"" l istasn,dt" h e" charartes t"o oltso
oft hiwse,s eew herpee ophlaev oer ganiaznedd helups d oa bettjeorb C.o uplewdi tah s hared
won.T heA cademhya sb eean parotfm any of progresvsiisviaeon ndv alutehsa fto stceorm mu­
thesee fforttsr,a inainndbg u ildionrgg anizationnist yt,h esteo olhse lups d eveltohpe s trategic
and networks, anldep aarnsisniognn gk nowl­ framewofroksr uccescsiftuilz oerngsa'n izations
edgteo o thers. and actipvaer ticipianat d ieomno ccryaU. set he
Ith asb eemny privilteod gier etchteM idwest manuawle lla,n do rganize!
Academsyi nc1e9 82U.n detrh el eadersohfi p
HeathBeoro tahn dS tevMea x,a ndw itthr ainers JackKieen dall
includDianvgi Hdu ntJ,u dyH ertJzu,a nC arlos ExecutDiivree ctor
RuizJ,o hnC ameroKni,m B oboA,l icYibaar ra,
x OrganifzoiSrno gc ial Change
Ackonwledgments
Thimsa nuadlr awosn t hee xperieonfmc aen y SneidermDaenol,r esT ravis, CVheasrtlaels,
organiz.Me arnsyo ft hec oncepptrsi,n cipalneds , ThereVsoel iDnaiv,i d Waneds Mta,r cW etherhom.
charwtesr efI rsdte velopbeyd H eatheBro oth, Itw asa pleasutrowe orkw itht hes tafoff
theM idwesAtc ademy'fso undearn d first SeveLno ckPsr esWsy.n neC ougialnldR oberta
ExecutiDvierc eto.r Shephermde'tsi culeoduist ignrge atilmyp roved
We area lsion debtteoSd t evAes kiann dJ ane theb ook'rse adaibtiyFl.o rt het hiredd itiwoen
Hunterw,h oser eivsionosf the Tactical woulldi kteot hanBku dS perrfyo hri as ssist.an ce
Investigcahtaipotnhesar v me adeit a ne xtraordiT­hee nthusioafos umrp asatn dp resenptu blishers,
naryt ooflo ro nlirnees earTchha.n kgso t ot he JamesM orrisa ndJ imR iordaenn,c ouraguse d
many peopwlheo c ommentoenda ll poarr otfst he throughiotwusrt i ting.
manuaaln dh elpesdtr engthtehnian sd pasetd i­ We thanakl olf y ouw hoh aver eaadn dr ec­
tionJse: anA llisoInra,A rlooHke,a theBro oth, ommendetdh imsa nuatlo a ctiviasrtosu ntdh e
ReginBao tterHialrrly,B oytR,o berBtr andon, worldP.o rtioofnt sh eb ookh avbee ent ranslated
StepheCno atRso,c ehllDea viMsa,r kD yenJ,o an intsoe verlaaln guages.
FlanagaJnu,d yH ertzJ,e rrKye ndalPla,u l Finalwleyw ,o ulldi kteoe xpresosu ra ppreci­
LawrencJeo,yM arshaJluld,y MasKliemnM ,a x, atiotno a ltlh efI nec ommuniotryg anizaenrds
LynnM ax,A my NeilDlo,n naP arsoSnh,e lby activiwset hsa vew orkewdi tho vert hey ears,
Pera, TrePliitncdhaf JoorhdnP, o meranJtazm,i e particuloaurrtl rya inisnegs sipoanr tictis.p an
PulleAnl,l anS t. John,B arbarSaa mson, We'vlee arnedo rganizfirnogmt hoswei twhh om
Kim SimmonsA,r letStlea chmuylMdaerri,l yn we'vweo rked.
Acknowledgments xi
PART I
DireAcctt ion
Or anizin
g g