Assaults on our civil liberties have inspired a nation to step in from the sidelines. And community organizations have learned how to activate quickly and effectively to spring into action. There are now millions who demand we treat each other with dignity, and who are ready to raise their voices.
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I’m a practical person. Ideas matter, but they only come to life when we put them into practice. So if you haven't heard from me recently, it's because I've been out there, around the country, putting the Organizing Revival into practice on the ground with People’s Action organizers and our growing family of allies.
And I've been cooking! Yes, I mean that literally. As I’ve met with different people, we've been making chiles rellenos, one of my most cherished dishes! Cooking and eating together has become an important part of these strategic gatherings, as we commit to move forward together into an uncertain landscape that holds dark but certain challenges.
I’ll share more about this, and my recipe, in a bit. But first, I want to talk about the moment we’re in. I recently wrote an article in Convergence Magazine that I hope you’ve seen. If not, please take a moment now to read it.
People’s Action has developed a shared strategy to defeat authoritarianism, and the unprecedented assaults on civil rights and dignity we’ve experienced in places like Chicago and Minneapolis. In this new environment, many of the old rules and norms no longer apply, so our strategies must change. That is why last October we gathered more than a thousand organizers to train each other using the new playbook we have developed, which you can download here.
People’s Action organizers and organizations have been playing critical roles on the ground during the recent ICE surges. I’ve been moved and inspired as I hear their stories. Brave people in organizations like Take Action Minnesota, ONE Northside and The People’s Lobby in Chicago, and so many others across the country are doing all they can to stand up for what is right, forming new alliances as they build a path towards greater justice.
Over the past few months, we’ve seen the worst of who we are, but also the best of who we can be. This gives us reasons to hope: Neighbors have come together to reject violence, and keep each other safe. They have done this at great personal risk, because they know the cost of not taking action is even greater. The fact of the matter is we may not have a democracy for long if we do not defend it now.
The courage of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis has inspired a nation to step in from the sidelines. And community organizations have learned how to activate quickly and effectively to spring into action. There are now millions who demand we treat each other with dignity, and who are ready to raise their voices. It is up to us to welcome them into our movement for justice and build momentum, so we can stop the cruelty before it is too late.
At a national level, People’s Action has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to build a strong and united movement to stop authoritarianism. We have developed a shared strategy around the most effective ways to defend democracy, and have trained thousands of organizers and new leaders in these techniques.
The Organizing Revival, which began as an idea, has become a living and breathing family of grassroots leaders in hundreds of organizations all across the country. We are moving forward, together. What unites us is our commitment to refuse division and reclaim a future of hope.
The hope that we, as organizers, hold on to is more than an emotion. It is a living thing, and something we build, one conversation and one gathering at a time. In January, when the leadership of the Organizing Revival member groups gathered, we cooked chiles rellenos together. When we cook, everyone gets a job - one cuts tomatoes, while another simmers the sauce and another browns the meat. Then we put it all together, prepare each other’s plates, and eat! Together, at one table. The chiles rellenos have been a hit at these gatherings, so I did the same with People’s Action’s leadership team in February.
Chiles rellenos fill me with nostalgia, because they have seen me through some of the hardest and happiest moments of my life. They bring back childhood memories, as well as memories of having to say goodbye to loved ones. But the chance to prepare and share a meal always brings joy to my heart. When you see someone’s eyes light up as they taste a plate of food you have prepared, or when you bring joy to someone’s life by simply sharing a plate, you realize that all of the preparation was worth it.
The work of organizing can be hard and it often demands sacrifices, but it is moments like these that remind me that organizing is about relationships and that it is often in the small acts of service and moments of fellowship that you find the strength you need. Simply coming together brings joy and makes the load a lot lighter, through the things you share along the way, and the strength that you build together.
