New COMM-ORG Paper: “Organizing for Change: Stories of Success”

Posted by on July 12, 2002

[Comm-Org]

Organizing for Change: Stories of Success
by Judy Hertz

You can find the paper linked from the COMM-ORG “Papers” page:
http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/papers.htm

or directly at:
http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/papers2002/hertz/home.htm

Here is Judy’s introduction to the paper:
“I am especially interested to receive feedback on this set of stories, because I am planning to revise them and add to them for further publication (a book). I would particularly like to hear from people who think this might be useful for students, leaders, and newer organizers (or anyone else!). Or, equally important, what I could do to make these more useful as I revise them.”

“The foundations who paid for this were interested in persuading other foundations to fund organizing. I was thinking of leaders who need to know some history and some success stories beyond their own neighborhood/organization/network. I also had in mind the student interns I work with, many of whom have either no idea or very vague ideas about community organizing before I recruit them and throw them into the fray.”

“The pieces were written as lively stories, not academic analysis. But as an organizer and trainer, I wanted to put in enough about the process for the stories to be instructive as well as motivational. The predatory lending piece in particular seemed to lend itself to this, since so many different organizations with different organizing approaches were involved.”

“Any feedback will be appreciated. Either Jane Beckett (from the New Prospect Foundation) or I will be glad to send you out a free copy of the printed version if you contact us (Jane can be reached at jane100000@aol.com).”

Judy Hertz
jtwodtwo@aol.com or midwestacademy5@aol.com