Taking Notes: Stories of Collective Action

In several of the interviews I’ve done, founders have echoed the same observation about community action: talking with other people is key to getting insight about the process and seeing where they are gaining or losing time. Hearing the stories of others often yields significant results and sometimes a much-needed morale boost. At their best, they can offer a framework and a roadmap for the challenges and joys of this work. They can also show individuals that they are not isolated in their endeavors. 

Another valuable way to hear personal accounts from others is to read about their community action efforts; this can also help provide a deep, personalized perspective and lessons for how to proceed with your own idea and vision. Below are some books that are a great resource for anyone interested in or getting started with community action.

Going Public by Michael Gecan

Going Public is community organizer Michael Gecan’s account of working through political bureaucracy to effect large-scale change. Gecan focuses on his background working in various neighborhoods in New York and details how he approached community projects with an eye towards mobilizing everyday citizens. He also offers thoughtful reflections on his life and work as an organizer and his upbringing in Chicago. His book offers an extremely helpful exploration of grassroots efforts by a seasoned professional and a great outlook on how to take on government bureaucracy with a relatively small community group.

Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade

In his book, Mutual Aid, activist Dean Spade explains how community support can assist people during times of crisis. He lays out a methodology for collective action in practical, easy-to-understand terminology. He is particularly helpful in discussing how to work in group contexts and has several guidelines for forming healthy working coalitions. He also makes the case for the importance of mutual aid, as the title suggests, during times of political crisis and governmental oppression. 

Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way by Jim Diers

Diers draws on both historical labor movements as well as his own work as a community organizer in Seattle. He breaks down how he spearheaded numerous community initiatives while facing uphill challenges. Like Gecan, Diers shares a hopeful and empowered outlook on how small groups can make a difference. His book is best suited to a reader looking for inspiration and advice, as he offers a vision of what is possible through coordinated civic engagement.

How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community by Mia Birdsong

Mia Birdsong’s How We Show Up explores how we can break down the walls made by structural injustice through community action. Birdsong identifies how communities and groups can build safety, solidarity, and inclusion. She explains that by participating in community action, participants not only help their constituents but also free themselves from the weight of prejudice.

The Death And Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs

In a slightly different vein, The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs is a book about city planning. Jacobs specifically dissects how neighborhood construction contributes to systemic inequality and examines the benefits of a lively neighborhood ecosystem. In addition, she is an elegant and occasionally humorous writer with an obvious sympathy for everyone she puts on the page. Her book is most useful for people working in city communities, but there is something to be gained by anyone who picks it up.

These books are practically helpful in the way they lay out steps for community action, but they also serve another important purpose: they remind readers that they are not alone. From managing and forming groups to developing productive outlooks on systems of power, they each offer guiding posts for getting to work.

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