Organizing for Power and Empowerment

This second edition of Organizing for Power and Empowerment draws on extensive research to portray how social-action organisations have evolved over the past twenty-five years, building power in the struggle for social and economic justice. It explores how organisers increasingly target corporate influence and attacks on democracy. Their strategies and theories of change confront racial, gender, and economic inequity and fight pervasive intersectional injustice.

The book tells the stories of a variety of geographically and racially diverse organisations and features the voices and experiences of more than forty organisers working across a range of issues. The organisers describe campaigns that activate people around issues that matter in their daily lives—work schedules, bail reform, schools, voting, and affordable housing—and connect them to broader topics such as racial justice, immigration, climate change, criminal justice, and workers' rights.

They share their thoughts on building community organisations and empowering ordinary citizens to become leaders. The book underscores the leadership of Black Americans, other people of colour, women, and LGBTQ+ people as they lead campaigns to address the disparate effects of inequality faced by their communities.

It provides detailed analysis of new organisational structures and change strategies, including electoral activism, statewide organising, and community-labour coalitions. This book sheds important new light on foundational organising practices and the challenges and opportunities for progressive social action today.