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.:Resource Guides:Interviews-Ben MacConnell.
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Interviews
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Advice
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What books, magazines, periodicals, websites or other materials should people read to learn more about this field? |
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Books:
Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky
Let Them Call by Rebel by Sanford D. Horwitt
Cold Anger by Mary Beth Rogers
Dry Bones Rattling by Mark Warren
A video that's pretty good to watch: 'The Democratic Process: Saul Alinsky & His Legacy'
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What questions would you ask of someone who wants to do this work? |
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What else are you applying for? Do you understand the difference between charity/service and systemic change/justice? How long do you see yourself doing this work?
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In what kinds of jobs can recent college graduates have the most impact in your field? |
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Organizer trainees or community organizers
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What are the major trends and/or key issues in your field? |
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The overall field of community organizing has grown more professional, sustainable in the long term; and it is expanding like crazy. Issue trends that continue to surface include living wage campaigns, inequalities in public
education, police misconduct, access to public transportation, quality healthcare, criminal justice reform, etc. Trends in the field include rapid expansion overall, both in terms of new organizations and in the need for quality organizers. Also, the inclusion of
varied constituencies, particularly in the area of religious institutions, is growing to include a much greater diversity (e.g., Muslim, Christian, Unitarian, and Jewish traditions).
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What forms of support and/or advice have you found most valuable (mentoring, trainings, professional development, attending conferences, etc.)? |
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I have found that entree into the field occurs best under the supervision of a good organizer. Seek out a position where you will be offered the opportunity to develop your skills and reflect on the work with someone who's been doing
it for a while. There are a number of paid training programs that will provide this in a formal way. DART's paid training program is the DART Organizers Institute. As for ongoing development, there are a number of training workshops provided by various community
organizing groups that have been helpful to refresh and expand my thinking on the work.
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What is a common or tough interview question a candidate in your field should be prepared to answer? |
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What makes you angry?
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What other advice would you give people who want to do this work? |
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Try to spend some time figuring out the culture and values of the organization and see if it fits your desires. For instance, DART, along with other organizations, has a clear and focused drive toward power through large numbers of
people. So we spend a lot of time identifying and training local leaders from the low-moderate income communities around the issues they are affected by in their lives. Other organizations take a much different approach by first selecting certain issues to
campaign around and then seeking out the people who might be affected (e.g., most environmental advocacy groups). Also, DART, along with others, expects more accountability among its staff and seeks a professional edge in the field. This reveals itself in
constant training, evaluations, and reflections. Also it appears in the overall quality of organizing as it relates to turnout, research, relationship building, etc. It's not to say that other organizations don't expect quality. But some are certainly more geared
toward a more casual atmosphere, and others' accountability or expectations may be lower when it comes to production on turnout or issue work.
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next page | The Big Picture
1, 2, 3, 4 |
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Career Center Resource Guides
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