Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page v Tools for Radical Democracy HOW TO ORGANIZE FOR POWER IN YOUR COMMUNITY Joan Minieri Paul Getsos foreword by Peter Edelman John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page iv Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page a “A remarkable case study in how grassroots organizing, deep leadership development, and sophisticated campaigns can together change public policy and people’s lives.” —Deepak Bhargava, executive director, Center for Community Change “From building a global movement to the nuts and bolts of organizing campaigns, Tools for Radical Democracy is a complete resource for those working for fundamental social change. It is a much-needed guide for today’s organizers and leaders that is deep and practical.” —Michael Leon Guerrero, coordinator, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance “A valuable resource, one that will bolster even the newest effort to change the rules that run our communities.” —Rinku Sen, executive director, Applied Research Center, publisher, ColorLines magazine, and author, Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy “Tools for Radical Democracy will inspire and inform people who feel themselves cut off from the political and economic decisions that affect their lives. Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos bring their solid experience in building a cooperative and forceful voice to the story of a community, speaking out and acting powerfully.” —Colin Greer, president, The New World Foundation “Read this book and you feel the power of people to change and bend hostile political and economic systems. Read it and you want to organize actions that make a difference in people’s lives.” —David Cohen, cofounder, Advocacy Institute, senior fellow, Experience Corps/Civic Ventures “Any organizer will appreciate the practical wisdom in this book. Its clear, specific, step-by-step guidance will help us all—experienced and new organizers alike—as we work for social change.” —Dave Fleischer, creator of the training programs of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page b “This book provides the nuts and bolts for how people and communities who start on the margins can move to center stage. Tools for Radical Democracy shines the spotlight on what works—and will help spark the next generation of social change movements. To be sure, our country is in dire need of such techniques.” —Andy Stern, president, Service Employees International Union, CTW, CLC “This manual is an organizer’s organizer. I hope many people will put this to use.” —Heather Booth, founder and now president, Midwest Academy training center for social change organizers “This book is ‘the secret’ for building collective power for long-term social change.” —Nat Chioke Williams, executive director, Hill-Snowdon Foundation “Real-world examples of how ordinary people can become leaders who effect positive change will be required reading for our staff and recom- mended reading for all our members.” —Janet S. Keating, codirector, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition “Students, scholars, and social activists alike will find something to their tastes in this how-to guide for rebuilding democracy from the ground up.” —Joaquin Herranz Jr., assistant professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page i Tools for Radical Democracy Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page ii Additional Titles from Chardon Press Fundraising for Social Change, Fifth Edition, Kim Klein Level Best: How Small and Grassroots Nonprofits Can Tackle Evaluation and Talk Results, Marcia Festen, Marianne Philbin The Accidental Fundraiser: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Money for Your Cause, Stephanie Roth, Mimi Ho Grassroots Grants: An Activist’s Guide to Grantseeking, 2nd Edition, Andy Robinson Fundraising in Times of Crisis, Kim Klein The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit, 4th Edition, Ellis M. M. Robinson Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy, Rinku Sen Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Giving Plan, 2nd Edition, Tracy Gary, Melissa Kohner Selling Social Change (Without Selling Out): Earned Income Strategies for Nonprofits, Andy Robinson Raise More Money: The Best of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal, Kim Klein, Stephanie Roth, Editors Fundraising for the Long Haul, Kim Klein Making Policy, Making Change: How Communities Are Taking Law into Their Own Hands, Makani N. Themba Roots of Justice: Stories of Organizing in Communities of Color, Larry R. Salomon Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page iii THE CHARDON PRESS SERIES Fundamental social change happens when people come together to organize, advo- cate, and create solutions to injustice. Chardon Press recognizes that communities working for social justice need tools to create and sustain healthy organizations. In an effort to support these organizations, Chardon Press produces materials on fund- raising, community organizing, and organizational development. These resources are specifically designed to meet the needs of grassroots nonprofits—organizations that face the unique challenge of promoting change with limited staff, funding, and other resources. We at Chardon Press have adapted traditional techniques to the circumstances of grassroots nonprofits. Chardon Press and Jossey-Bass hope these works help people committed to social justice to build mission-driven organiza- tions that are strong, financially secure, and effective. Kim Klein, Series Editor Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page iv Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page v Tools for Radical Democracy HOW TO ORGANIZE FOR POWER IN YOUR COMMUNITY Joan Minieri Paul Getsos foreword by Peter Edelman John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Minieri.ffirs 6/12/07 8:36 PM Page vi Copyright © 2007 by Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos Published by Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741 www.josseybass.com Wiley Bicentennial logo: Richard J. Pacifico No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or autho- rization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strate- gies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appro- priate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Readers should be aware that Internet Web sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read. Jossey-Bass books and products are available through most bookstores. To contact Jossey-Bass directly, call our Cus- tomer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-956-7739, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3986, or fax 317-572-4002. Jossey-Bass also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Minieri, Joan, date. Tools for radical democracy: how to organize for power in your community/ Joan Minieri, Paul Getsos; foreword by Peter Edelman. p. cm.—(Chardon Press series) Includes index. ISBN 978-0-7879-7909-6 (pbk.) 1. Community organization. 2. Community power. I. Getsos, Paul, date. II. Title. HM766.M56 2007 322.4—dc22 2007019897 Printed in the United States of America FIRST EDITION PB Printing 10987654321 Minieri.ftoc 6/12/07 8:38 PM Page vii CONTENTS Foreword ix Peter Edelman Preface: Why We Believe in Organizing and Building Power xiii The Authors xvii Introduction: The Power of Participation xix The Story of Community Voices Heard xxxi PART ONE Building Community Power 1 1. Taking It On: Starting to Build Power 3 2. Powering Up 23 PART TWO Building a Base for Power 35 3. Recruiting Constituents for Collective Action 37 4. Involving Members in Building Their Own Organization 61 5. Developing Leaders from All Walks of Life 81 6. Uploading Technology 109 PART THREE Developing and Running Campaigns 125 7. Identifying the Right Issue 129 8. Researching the Politics of an Issue 155 vii Minieri.ftoc 6/12/07 8:38 PM Page viii 9. Developing a Winning Strategy 183 10. Planning a Comprehensive Campaign 209 11. Implementing an Effective Campaign 239 12. Running Kick-A** Actions! 261 13. Evaluating a Campaign from Beginning to End 301 PART FOUR Building a Movement 323 14. Forging Partnerships for Power 325 15. Moving from Self-Interest to Social Change: Movement-Building 345 Conclusion: Putting Your Principles into Practice 361 RESOURCES Supporting the Work of Organizing 373 A. Organizing Lingo 375 B. Raising Money for Organizing 379 C. Power in the Voting Booth: Electoral Organizing 389 D.