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 Community Assistance > Organizing to Win
Organizing to Win
Organizing Summary
"Organizing" is a term people throw around a lot. Its meaning can be both simple and complicated. Put simply, organizing is bringing people together for a common purpose and for mutual support to get the power they need to take control of their lives.
In order to achieve justice in your community, you need power. Power is obtained in two ways, through people and money.
So how do you organize?
United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez said it best: "First you talk to one person, then another, then another…" It starts by knocking on that first door, holding that first meeting, and harnessing the power of people just like you. More often than not, you don't need a lawyer, professional expert, fancy technology, or even lots of money to achieve victory. All you need is the support of your neighbors, some hope, some courage, and a lot of fire, emotion, anger, and spirit!
One of the more popular organizing tools is the petition. Petitions are not often effective in getting government or corporations to take action, but a good petition is a great way to educate people on the issues, generate a mailing list, and make people feel involved. A good petition is short and simple, and always includes a supportable goal. |
Most community groups have very little money and are often battling huge corporations, who can always outspend citizen groups. That's why we encourage activists to stress the "people power" side when organizing for justice.
So the first step is "get more people." The best way to recruit folks is with face-to-face communication. Talk to your friends/family and have them talk with their friends and family. Organize a group to go door-to-door in your neighborhood. You can also reach large numbers of neighbors by hosting your own community meeting or speaking at churches, clubs, schools, etc.
Goals
It is important to define and be clear about what you, as a community want to accomplish. You should be realistic in setting your goals. Pick goals that you can win. One or two are enough; don’t choose more than three or four.
The four basic steps to achieving your goals are:
1. Organize a community group
2. Decide what you want
3. Find out who can give you what you want
4. Decide how to make them give you what you want
Once you've organized into a group, defined your goals and identified what government or corporate buttons you need to push, your group must draw-up a battle plan outlining which steps you will take to achieve your goals.
One of the consistently amazing and inspiring aspects of CHEJ's work with community groups has been the incredible talent, energy, and imagination groups have shown in carrying out their campaigns to force government and industry to accept environmental justice.
Committees
Once you've set your goals, the group must decide what work needs to be done to achieve them. Committees are usually the best way to share the workload. You may set up committees for key work, such as media, research, action, legal/technical, fundraising, community outreach, and so on. Encourage everyone to sign up for at least one committee; remember people come to these meetings to help and become involved.
Rules
The first rule of action for obtaining justice is that there are no rules. Experience has shown us that the "system" that government and corporations say you must follow is designed to frustrate community involvement. Do not accept the role they try to define for you. The courts rarely offer justice; public meetings traditionally ignore the public, and most corporate deals are made in backrooms where government and industry talk about money; not health, fairness, or the common good.
CHEJ has found that victory is achieved when people build powerful, organized groups, play by their own rules, and make government and corporations answer to them! We have helped over 10,000 community groups. Yours can be the next success story.
CHEJ Publications of Interest
Fight to Win: A Leadership Manual
Best of Organizing Toolbox
How to Block a Proposed Facility
How to Win at Public Hearings
Research Guide for Leaders
The Center for Health Environment and Justice works to build healthy communities, with social justice, economic well being, and democratic governance. We believe this can happen when individuals from communities have the power to play an integral role in promoting human health and environmental integrity. Our role is to provide the tools to build strong, healthy communities where people can live, work, learn, play and pray. For more details on how we can help you click here.
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