Center for Political Education

Center for Political Education (CPE) is a resource for political organizations on the left, progressive social movements, the working class and people of color. CPE’s approach is non-sectarian, democratic, and committed to a critical analysis of local, regional and global politics. We believe that movements are strongest when their organizing and activism are grounded in historical knowledge, strong theory and rigorous analysis.

Center for Political Education began in 1998 when a group of established community activists, writers and teachers engaged in a series of dialogues. They analyzed left movements and the future of movement-building in the U.S., particularly the Bay Area. The needs were clear: organizers did not have enough time or space nor adequate tools to analyze the political, economic and social trends impacting their work. These gaps in turn made it difficult for organizers and activists to develop strong, clear political strategies that would result in systemic change and fundamental shifts in power.

These dialogues confirmed the need for a center dedicated to building strong movements and a strong left through education, analysis, theory, dialogue, and activism. From these roots CPE was born.

CPE is a fiscally sponsored project of the Kendra Alexander Foundation (KAF) and is supported by grants from other foundations, fee for service income, and individual supporters.