Embedded Files
Me at a pro-choice rally in NYC, June 2011.
I am so grateful for the people in my life who do the hard work of political activism. While it is easy to feel helpless and hopeless, it takes careful thought and planning to take action.
So I am the data geek among progressive organizers fighting for racial and economic justice, access to abortion, and climate justice. I have had lots of different job titles, but none of them really describe what I do. Anyway, I am motivated by the politics and I am not afraid of tech. Ok, maybe I'm not a data geek.
U.S. Voter Mobilization
U.S. Voter Mobilization
Voting never seems like enough and it isn't, but it is an important part of keeping power out of corrupt hands. And even though it is a low bar, there are still barriers to participation that organizations can remove to increase voter turnout.
Labor Unions
Labor Unions
My heart is with the U.S. labor movement. I learned so much from labor organizers, who have a robust toolbox for transforming power dynamics. They use these tools for voter mobilization, and also in much more substantial civic engagement in local, state and national legislation and holding politicians accountable for bad decisions. And this derives from their work organizing new workplaces and holding employers accountable for bad decisions.
Coalitions
Coalitions
One thing labor unions also do well is create coalitions with other organizations. This was how I was introduced to Planned Parenthood as a political and pro-choice movement. It is also how I learned about the intersectionality of politics and identity (Thank you, Audre Lorde!), think: women, workers, black people, poor people, disabled people, LGTBQ+ people, mothers, writers, poets and artists.
Last updated 7/20/2024
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