Tag: Community Organizing
2020 Right Livelihood Laureates honored for fighting ‘increasing threats to democracy’ across globe
Human rights defenders in Iran, the U.S., Nicaragua, and Belarus were recognized this year for what is known as the “Alternative Nobel Peace Prize.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Thursday, October 1, 2020 The four individuals…
Marathon protests
by Wade Rathke September 30, 2020 New Orleans There’s something strange and different happening in the world of protests. The average bystander is unlikely to have noticed this, but as a practitioner in this trade,…
Sunrise Movement doubles down on 2020 after RBG’s death, with planet and the future on the line
“This moment is a critical opportunity—not only to activate every young voter in swing states but also to catapult emergent Green New Deal champions running for Senate into the spotlight and secure upsets in red states.”…
Global coalition invites progressives worldwide to attend inaugural summit
‘Internationalism or Extinction’? “The Progressive International is convening this emergency summit… to map our current crisis, to reclaim our shared future, and to strengthen our planetary front to do so.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer From…
Community land trusts could help heal segregated cities and reduce homelessness
Efforts to build wealth for Black Americans could focus on property ownership. Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images by Mark Roseland, Arizona State University and Christopher Boone, Arizona State University American cities represent part of the…
Old and New Social Movements
by Wade Rathke Sunday, September 13 Pearl River Every month in the 50th anniversary year of ACORN, I’ve been talking on the radio to veteran organizers and others with unique perspectives on the organization, its history,…
The Climate Crisis is happening right now. Just look at California’s weekend.
Record high temperatures. Record fires. Record smoke. ProPublica reporter Elizabeth Weil spoke to former California Gov. Jerry Brown about the state’s converging apocalypses. by Elizabeth Weil Wednesday, September 9 Two weeks ago, after freak lightning strikes…
Sanders warns nation: Trump is laying groundwork for election result mayhem
“Trump is now using his lies and misinformation to sow confusion and chaos in the election process and undermine American democracy,” says the Vermont senator. by Jon Queally, staff writer Sunday, September 6 Warning of the…
Navigating the eviction relief labyrinth
by Wade Rathke Saturday, September 5 Pearl River All of the headlines read that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) had directed no evictions for the rest of the year. Before we do the happy…
Trump twists warning of election night results delay to suit his narrative, advocacy groups vow to make sure every vote counts
“Donald Trump is not running a re-election campaign. He’s running a power grab.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Wednesday, September 2 President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning openly embraced a theory put forth by analysts earlier…
Tens of thousands attend march in Washington on 57th anniversary of historic Civil Rights rally, today
‘Get Your Knee Off Our Necks’ “We’ve been here before, but this time we know that it is necessary to redefine public safety in order to save black lives.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Friday, August…
Laura shows Lake Charles no love
by Wade Rathke Thursday, August 27, 2020 Pearl River I’m fifteen feet above dirt looking out the window at the water that has risen up from the bayou a few miles from the Pearl River…
Eviction fears mount as grace period for federal moratorium expires
‘Coming to a Town Near You.’ “It is morally obscene that the American people have to rely on GoFundMe to pay for rent and food,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Tuesday,…
A politicized census becomes senseless
by Wade Rathke Tuesday, August 25, 2020 New Orleans For a long time a country’s ability to consistently and accurately conduct a census has been a mark not only of modernity, but of civilization itself and…
Testing works, but it takes organizing and resources
by Wade Rathke August 22 Pearl River If there’s any consensus about dealing with Covid-19, it involves the critical role of testing right now, and a vaccine down the line. Testing allows all of us and…
The Disappearing Organizing Art: Tagging
by Wade Rathke Pearl River Those were the days! As part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of ACORN this year, different veterans have joined me on Wade’s World to share their memories and reminisce…
Change is Messy
by Wade Rathke Little Rock One takeaway from the memorials to civil rights leader and organizer, Congressman John Lewis, has been the repeated invocation of the violence that was the handmaiden of the struggle. Martin…
Driving through the Pandemic with Antifa
by Wade Rathke Decatur, Texas In the predawn, the three-week long veteran night clerk at the Motel 6 along Highway 287 in Decatur, Texas north of Dallas confirmed, “it’s rough out here.” Looking for a…
City amenities and the prices paid for them
Pagosa Springs In Durango, Colorado, we felt like we had struck gold, having hauled out bikes across Texas and New Mexico. We stumbled, almost literally, onto a bike trail that had seemingly been recently completed…
Signs signify
by Wade Rathke New Orleans In the wake of George Floyd’s death and the subsequent mass protests, support for the Black Lives Matter movement and organizations rose dramatically across the US population. Some protests continue with…
Protest moves people, money, and votes
by Wade Rathke New Orleans Remember not so long ago when one self-proclaimed wizard after another, usually in power in some corporation, foundation, or governmental post, declared that “protest is passé.” Those of us so…
California bill to establish Nation’s second Public Bank applauded as ‘Historic challenge to Wall Street domination’
“If California is serious about addressing racial and income inequities, we must create a banking system that centers people not profits.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Friday, July 10 In a move advocacy groups celebrated as…
Stone Mountain, Georgia: The flashpoint now at center of Confederate monument removals
The mountain, known for its massive Confederate memorial carving, was the location of the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan in 1915. by Common Dreams staff Sunday, July 5 The planet’s largest Confederate monument—Stone Mountain outside…
Thinking outside the box for worker power
by Wade Rathke Pearl River In organizing unions, captive audience meetings are the scourge of organizing drives. The employers have the right to make the meetings mandatory in order to deliver their anti-union screeds, but…
