Campaign Strategy Organizing issue campaigns in in Indian Country

What is organizing?  Community Organizing gives people a sense of their own power. (develops leaders)  Alters the relationship of power (challenges status quo)  Creates concrete improvements

Community Organizing vs. a SOCIAL SERVICE approach: Where an outside organization/agency could come in and fix up abandoned houses for the people. a SELF-HELP approach: Where community members could take house repair classes and then repair them themselves. Where community members could take house repair classes and then repair them themselves. an ADVOCACY approach: Where an outside organization could intercede for the community with responsible officials. Where an outside organization could intercede for the community with responsible officials. a PUBLIC INTEREST approach: Where an outside group could propose legislation mandating the repair of all houses.

Community Organizing Campaigns: Community Organizing: a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest around a common agenda. Campaign: A series of operations energetically pursued to achieve a large-scale objective  Define the issue  Canvass  Identify the demand(s) & target(s)  Set long & short term goals  Research  Engage the target!

Define the Issue An issue is a solution or partial solution to a problem Racism is a problem. A disproportionate number of Native kids getting suspended from our towns public school system is an issue. Bad/Insufficient Health Care is a problem. Feds not allocating necessary funding for Indian Health Care Improvement Act so clinics are under-funded is an issue. Feds not allocating necessary funding for Indian Health Care Improvement Act so clinics are under-funded is an issue.

Community Organizing Campaigns: Community Organizing: a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest around a common agenda. Campaign: A series of operations energetically pursued to achieve a large-scale objective  Define the issue  Canvass  Research  Identify the demand(s) & target(s)  Set long & short term goals  Engage the target!

Talk to people! Building a base is as simple as talking to as many people as possible. Motivate them by appealing to their self-interests. Engage them by giving them roles and jobs in the campaign.

Community Organizing Campaigns: Community Organizing: a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest around a common agenda. Campaign: A series of operations energetically pursued to achieve a large-scale objective  Define the issue  Canvass  Research  Identify the demand(s) & target(s)  Set long & short term goals  Engage the target!

Being Our Own Experts  Participatory Action Research A form of research that makes the community members the experts on a subject matter. Oral traditions and story collections Storybooks, surveys, photo-documentary, etc.

Community Organizing Campaigns: Community Organizing: a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest around a common agenda. Campaign: A series of operations energetically pursued to achieve a large-scale objective  Define the issue  Canvass  Research  Identify the demand(s) & target(s)  Set long & short term goals  Engage the target!

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of it’s mighty waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” - Fredrick Douglas

Conflict & Resistance  There’s a history of organizing in Indian Country  If your target perceives your demand for change as a challenge to his personal interests, he will surely object. (opposition to change)  Building a strategy means upping the ante with the decision maker

Importance of Conflict  Brings issue to the surface.  Polarizes and makes people choose sides.  Popularizes why we are right and they are wrong.  Cuts through bureaucracy and red tape.  Challenges institutional power and privilege  Starts with our analysis of the issue.  Holds target accountable.

Considerations when planning actions/tactics  Be strategic  Campaigns have a beginning, middle and end  Should show an escalation  Humanize the target, making them appear small and vulnerable.  Cuts through red tape  Builds solidarity and loyalty of the group  Influences and defines the issue  Challenges the relationship to power.  Do the benefits of conceding to our demand outweigh the costs?

A list of popular tactics Demand a meeting with the target Flier/posters events or neighborhoods Letter writing campaign Phone bank Online videos RallyDemonstrationBoycottPetition Letters to the Editor Shame them!

Steps Define issue Set long & short term goals Identify the target(s) Develop the messaging Community outreach & engagement (line-up allies) Flex your muscle! Stage direct encounters with the target(s) Win or regroup and start process over.

Example  Potential issue? What are the demands?  How do we know when we’ve won?  Who is the target/decision maker?  Plan to involve the community?  Potential target responses positive, negative, neutral?  Course of action. What are our first moves? And why?

Thank You!