When I first wrote
Sidewalk Strategies
, my goal was to provide people who were interested in grassroots organizing an inside look at what it takes to successfully organize. This new edition retells some of the important lessons learned from years of organizing and adds new stories and examples to inspire a new generation of activists.
Today more people are interested in organizing than ever before. And wow, do they need to be. Donald Trump and his followers have wreaked unprecedented damage to our democracy, to the environment, and to communities across the country. Repairing the damage to our country and our democratic institutions will take great organizing and it is going to take a lot of hard and sustained work, long after Trump exits (finally) from office. The damage won't be undone by winning an election or two. It will take many battles on many fronts. And it is going to take a lot of well-trained organizers who can inspire others to get involved and take action. In this era of rapid mass communication, it is important to understand that successful organizing often takes years and that the lessons learned by the Labor activists in the 30's and the Civil Rights activists in the 60's are even more relevant today. Demonstrations and marches are important, but real change requires sustained effort over time.
While our country and our institutions are resilient, there is too much money and power on one side and too little effective opposition on the other to be complacent. Organizers are needed to fight hatred, bigotry, racism, and inequality that exist throughout our country. As organizers we learn our work is never done. Since this book was written primarily for young people who may be interested in social justice, I included a section on reflections from organizers young and old. I am extremely grateful to each organizer who provided their insights." - Larry Tramutola