New Orleans Professor Robert Fisher of the University of Connecticut in his invitation to researchers and scholars to come together this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) and look at the impacts of ACORN over 35 years intriguingly refers to the “second wind” of ACORN and its growth. In response a dozen odd scholars have rallied to hunker down in the cold and snow of Hartford to look under the ACORN engine and evaluate impacts on living wages, education, politics, labor, and other topics.
The “second wind” is an interesting analytical aside. Is this the 2nd wave of expansion and growth? The first being the 20/80 plan which opened offices in 20 states by 1980, and the second being the explosion over the last 5+ years which has pushed us over 80 offices in more than 35 states. Or, is he talking about the impact nationally now, compared to locally in the past? Or, the increasing range of issues?
Luckily, I get to be a “fly on the wall” and listen into the proceedings. And, you get to join in the same way, as we try for the second time to bring everyone interested into the affair through the means of a real-time and archival webcast which will make the meeting open to all.
The times and procedures are posted on the ACORN home page at www.acorn.org for the sessions this afternoon, this evening, and tomorrow morning. If you have some time, join us in trying to understand how to put this second wind at our backs.
