10 Ways I’m Going To Organize The Hell Out Of The Next Year
I am an organizer for disability rights, working as a systems change advocate for a Center for Independent Living in Central New York. My job is to advocate for changes in policies and legislation that will make it easier for people with disabilities to live independently and contribute our talents to the community.
I strive to include people with disabilities in the advocacy work we pursue through leadership training with our Center’s Independent Living Council.
So why am I writing a post on organizing resolutions in August? The funding year for my project runs through September, so I am approaching Organizing New Year’s Eve!
So, to organize the hell out of the upcoming year, I will:
1. “Study War No More.” My organizing is going to live by the lyrics to this blues song by Willy Dixon. Non-violence: Gandhi and King, rather than thinly-veiled war metaphors like troops, campaign, enemies.
2. Organize our leaders to speak to the press. I am an organizer, so I will organize our leaders to speak to the press, or we will not speak at all.
3. Find stuff for everybody to do. Make signs, write up agendas, make phone calls, make cakes, set out chairs, clean up, watch kids etc. I should also ask our leaders for ideas. Organize, don’t do.
4. Recruit, recruit, recruit. A healthy organizing group needs new folks like a person needs air. Get out of the office and talk to people. Schedule one-on-ones with all current leaders. Ask current leaders to help recruit others.
5. Hold regularly scheduled leadership development workshops. Organizing for power, speaking to the media, story-telling and public speaking, how to run an effective and fun meeting, negotiations, accountability: the potential topics are endless.
6. Organize with people in mind, not issues. Do not think in policy wonk terms, start thinking about concrete results. What will the activity accomplish and what is in it for our leaders?
7. Study our history. Knowledge of the disability rights movement, as well as other people’s movements, create a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. We can use this knowledge to push through tough times and give increased power to our actions.
8. Celebrate victories. Strive to make things personable and enjoyable. Organizing should not always be a chore.
9. Don’t automatically say no. Just because it’s never been done that way before shouldn’t be a disqualifier. Plan to shake things up. Say “what the hell” every once in a while.
10. Keep your eyes on the prize. Organize. No one else is doing this kind of organizing in our town, so do not waste your time on other folks’ projects.
