This document provides an overview of community organizing. It begins with introducing civic engagement polls and discussing the history of civic progress through struggle. It then defines different forms of community organizing like direct service, self-help, education, advocacy, and direct action. Direct action involves challenging existing power structures and aims for more structural change. The document outlines principles of direct action organizing and provides an example of a local environmental justice group in Little Village. It emphasizes that organizing is about building power and creative problem solving. It concludes with breaking attendees into groups to brainstorm solutions for a civic problem and report back.

1. “Community Organizing
101”
Tom Tresser
September 17, 2015

2. Let’s get social…
#AdlerCivics
@tomstee
Let’s get referential…
http://civicchicago.wikispaces.com
Use this URL: https://wikispaces.com/join/PF4KTCP

3. LET'S START BY TAKING THIS CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT POLL VIA TEXTIZEN
HAVE YOU DONE ANY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
ACTIVITY IN THE PAST 24 MONTHS?
IF YES - TEXT "YES" TO 312-883-8103
IF NO - TEXT "NO" TO 312-883-8103
Standard text message rates apply
Results @ https://www.textizen.com/polls/2941

4. Enjoy the music while results gathered…
IF YES - TEXT "YES" TO 312-883-8103
IF NO - TEXT "NO" TO 312-883-8103
HAVE YOU DONE ANY CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY IN THE PAST
24 MONTHS?

5. Results…
https://www.textizen.com/polls/2941

6. 6
INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
“The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows
that all concessions yet made to her august claims have
been born of struggle…Those who profess to favor
freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want
crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain
without thunder and lightning…Power concedes nothing
without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out
what the people will submit to, and you have found the
exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed
upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted
with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of
tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom
they oppress.”
- Frederick Douglass, Letter to an abolitionist associate, 1849

7. 7
The Midwest Academy teaches an organizing philosophy,
methods and skills that enable ordinary people to actively
participate in the democratic process. The Academy courses
and consulting services are designed for progressive
organizations and coalitions that utilize civic engagement
activities to build citizen power at all levels of our democracy.
www.midwestacademy.com

8. 8
http://www.organizingforsocialchange.org

9. 9
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Direct Service
Self Help
Education
Advocacy
Direct Action
Source: Midwest Academy

10. 10
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Direct Service
United Way's mission is to improve lives by
mobilizing caring people to invest in the
community where their resources are
needed most.

11. 11
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Self Help
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of men
and women from all walks of life who meet together to attain and
maintain sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to
stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership.

12. 12
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Education

13. 13
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Advocacy
Source: Midwest Academy
The mission of the ACLU is to preserve these protections and guarantees:
Your First Amendment rights-freedom of speech, association and assembly.
Freedom of the press, and freedom of religion supported by the strict
separation of church and state.
Your right to equal protection under the law - equal treatment regardless of
race, sex, religion or national origin.
Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss
of your liberty or property is at stake.
Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your
personal and private affairs.

14. 14
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
– TYPES OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS
Direct Action

15. 15
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
DirectService
SelfHelp
Education
Advocacy
DirectAction
Accepts
Existing
Power
Relationships
Challenges
Existing
Power
Relationships
Source: Midwest Academy

16. 16
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
DirectService
SelfHelp
Education
Advocacy
DirectAction
Accepts
Existing
Power
Relationships
Challenges
Existing
Power
Relationships
Source: Midwest Academy
Level of involvement
of people directly
affected by problem

17. “Community Organizing” 17
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
DirectService
SelfHelp
Education
Advocacy
DirectAction
Accepts
Existing
Power
Relationships
Challenges
Existing
Power
Relationships
Source: Midwest Academy
Amount of change of
people involved
in problem

18. 18
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
DirectService
SelfHelp
Education
Advocacy
DirectAction
Accepts
Existing
Power
Relationships
Challenges
Existing
Power
Relationships
Level of structural
change

19. 19
FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
DirectService
SelfHelp
Education
Advocacy
DirectAction
Accepts
Existing
Power
Relationships
Challenges
Existing
Power
Relationships
Level of Conflict

20. 20
Win Real Improvements In People’s Lives
Make People Aware Of Their Power
Alter The Relations Of Power
 Build Strong Organizations
 Change laws and Regulations
 Elect good people
The Three Principles
Of Direct Action

21. 21
8 Direct Action Organizing Steps
1.People (members) identify a problem
2.Turn the problem into an issue
3.Develop strategy
4.Confront the target with large numbers
5.Decision Maker reacts to us
6.Win or move on to next round
7.Move the issue into the electoral arena
8.Move the issue back to the legislative arena

22. Kim Wasserman – Little Village
Environmental Justice Organization
http://lvejo.org

23. 23
Organizing is about building power

24. "This creative power is a striving power; this creative
power can be seen in different views, in the power of
evolution, in the power of life, in the power which
accomplishes the goal of an ideal completion to
overcome the difficulties of life." Alfred Adler - "The
General System of Individual Psychology," an
unpublished manuscript in the AAISF/ATP Archives.)

25. • Form four teams
• One civic problem per team – let’s ask Kim
• 20 minutes to brainstorm (additive, +)
• Choose a scribe
• What is your message/tactic?
• How to get message out, attended to?
• Report back

26. • 20 minutes to brainstorm (additive, +)
• Choose a scribe
• What is your message?
• How to get message out, attended to?
• Report back

28. Shameless Plug

29. www.tresser.com
www.tifreports.com
www.civiclab.us
tom@civiclab.us