Those of you familiar with the good ole Midwest Academy Chart have probably seen the power of its strategic planning clarity in action. In reflecting on the good, the bad, and the ugly of implementation of the Midwest Academy Chart, I came upon a trend in challenges that keep organizations and coalitions from implementing their new strategies: in naming big new goals and tactics, they miss the step of investing in ch

It’s taken me months to figure out how to write this post. On all my commutes, while walking in the woods, while brushing my teeth – I’ve been thinking about my relationship/connection to not only Ferguson, Missouri, but to the continuing trend of unarmed shootings/killings of people in the US. I read scores of amazing articles analyzing the actions in Ferguson, the fallout, the timeline. And throug

I recently enjoyed posting my fan letter to Joan and I appreciate all the supportive responses. I got so much positive feedback, it made me want to ask: What organizer fan mail do you wish you could send? Who is someone who has impacted your life/organizing that you’ve never had a chance to honor and acknowledge? Who has inspired you, without ever even knowing it? What would you say to them if you had the chanc

All too often we consider organizing and community organizing limited to the political realm. Sometime between the 70’s and today many of us lost the connection to the personal is political. In my hometown of Lewiston, I got to see an incredible intersection of the personal and the political. She Doesn’t Like Guthries – is a locally owned business that has been supporting community gatherings, movie