WADE RATHKE is the founder of ACORN, Chief Organizer at ACORN International, and Author of "Nuts & Bolts", "Citizen Wealth", "Global Grassroots", and "The Battle for the 9th Ward".
Oakland We’ve always been clear, organizing is an art, not a science. We count everything of course and measure the probabilities closely in order to predict turnout, growth, staff development, and a host of other things, but mostly that is necessary to provide the infrastructure. It doesn’t change the organic nature of the work …
Pearl River Transparency, specificity, certainty, clarity, and more are important operating and communications principles. When it comes to strategy and tactics, experienced organizers know these same principles may not work as well when it comes to exerting pressure to create change. Kyle Crawford argued on Wade’s World and in his book, Ambiguity is the Answer …
Pearl River Paddling a canoe on a bayou regularly, year in, year out, one season after another, some might think is boring, but they would be wrong. There will be more ducks some years than others, and they will breed and nest in different places along the bayous. Some years there will be alligators …