Organizing Fundamentals

Introduction: Why These Principles Matter

These five organizing principles emerge from decades of successful social movements—from the labor organizing of the 1930s to the civil rights movement to contemporary climate justice campaigns. They're not abstract theory but practical wisdom earned through victories and defeats.

What makes these principles powerful is their universality. Whether you're fighting for tenant protections in Phoenix or organizing Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama, these fundamentals provide a foundation for building real power. They work because they're rooted in how humans actually build trust, take collective action, and create lasting change.

Principle 1: People Power Before Technology

Why This Matters

In an age of social media activism, it's tempting to believe that viral posts equal power. But real organizing power comes from deep relationships where people know they can count on each other. A thousand Facebook likes won't show up to a city council meeting, but ten committed neighbors who trust each other will—and they'll bring others.

Case Study: Chicago Teachers Union Strike (2012)

When the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike in 2012, their power didn't come from their Twitter following. It came from years of one-on-one conversations between teachers, parents, and students. Organizers held over 3,000 school-based meetings before the strike. When 26,000 teachers walked out, parents supported them because of relationships built through countless conversations about shared concerns.

How to Apply This Principle

Digital-First Approach	Relationship-First Approach
Launch Facebook group immediately	Host living room meetings first
Success = likes and shares	Success = people taking action together
Anonymous supporters	Known, accountable members
Quick mobilization, shallow commitment	Slower build, deep commitment

Principle 2: Start Where People Are

Understanding This Principle

Every organizing failure starts the same way: outsiders arrive with solutions to problems the community hasn't identified. Real organizing begins by listening to what keeps people up at night, then building campaigns around those genuine concerns. The path from "my rent is too high" to "we need tenant protections" must be walked together, not prescribed.

Case Study: Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative

In the 1980s, Boston's Dudley Street neighborhood faced multiple crises. Outside groups wanted to focus on affordable housing development. But when organizers actually asked residents, illegal trash dumping emerged as the top concern. The campaign to "Don't Dump on Us" mobilized hundreds of residents who'd never attended a meeting before. That victory built the trust and power to tackle housing, creating the first community land trust controlled by residents.

Practical Application

Connecting Local to Systemic

Starting where people are doesn't mean staying there. Good organizers help communities see connections between immediate problems and larger systems. But this education happens through action, not lectures.

Immediate Concern	Systemic Connection	Bridge Strategy
Eviction notice	Housing commodification	Form tenant union while fighting eviction
Wage theft	Labor exploitation	Recover wages while building worker committee
Flooded streets	Climate change/infrastructure	Fix drainage while demanding climate planning
School closures	Privatization agenda	Save school while exposing charter lobby

Principle 3: Power Analysis Guides Strategy

The Strategic Foundation

Power analysis prevents the most common organizing mistake: protesting at the wrong target. Successful campaigns map power carefully—who makes the real decision, what they care about, and what leverage you can build. This isn't about moral appeals to conscience; it's about understanding interests and pressure points.

Case Study: Justice for Janitors Los Angeles (1990)

When janitors tried organizing in Los Angeles, targeting building owners failed—they'd outsourced cleaning to avoid responsibility. Organizers mapped the real power: building owners hired cleaning contractors, but investment firms and pension funds owned the buildings. The campaign shifted to target Century City's business district, disrupting commerce until real estate investment trusts pressed contractors to settle. Victory came from following power to its source.

Conducting Power Analysis

Power Holder	What They Care About	Effective Pressure Points
City Council Member	Re-election, donor relationships	Voter mobilization, public forums in their district
Corporate CEO	Stock price, board approval	Shareholder resolutions, consumer boycotts
University President	Reputation, alumni donations	Student strikes, alumni organizing
Landlord/Property Manager	Rental income, property value	Rent strikes, code enforcement, media exposure

Principle 4: Build Capacity While Winning

Beyond Single Victories

The best organizers think like architects—every campaign builds infrastructure for the next fight. A victory that doesn't develop new leaders is only half-won. This principle transforms organizing from a series of isolated battles into a sustained building of community power.

Case Study: Montgomery Bus Boycott Infrastructure

The Montgomery Bus Boycott succeeded not just because of Rosa Parks' courage but because organizers built capacity while fighting. They created an alternative transportation system with 300 vehicles, developed communication networks through churches, and trained dozens of new leaders through necessity. When the boycott ended, Montgomery had infrastructure for the next phase of struggle.

Implementing Dual Purpose Strategy

Principle 5: Security Culture as Community Care

Reframing Security

Security culture isn't about secrecy—it's about creating conditions where everyone can participate sustainably. This means protecting undocumented members, supporting those risking jobs, and maintaining practices that keep the door open for new people while protecting existing members.

Case Study: Immigrant Rights Networks

Successful immigrant rights organizations balance openness with protection. They create concentric circles of participation—public events welcome all, planning meetings require vetting, sensitive actions involve only trusted members. Phone trees replace digital lists for rapid response. Know Your Rights trainings protect the whole community, not just activists.

Practical Security Measures

Risk Level	Appropriate Security	Overkill to Avoid
Public education event	Sign-in optional, no photos without consent	Requiring ID, secret location
Planning meeting	Vouching system, phones in basket	Background checks, paranoid atmosphere
Direct action	Need-to-know info, legal support ready	Excluding supporters from solidarity roles
Digital organizing	Signal for sensitive discussion, clear data policies	Refusing to use any digital tools

How Principles Work Together

These principles reinforce each other in practice. Real campaigns weave them together:

Example: Tenant Organizing Campaign

Watch how principles interconnect in practice:

1. People Power: Start with one-on-ones in the building, not flyers
2. Start Where People Are: Discover broken heating is the shared anger
3. Power Analysis: Research reveals property manager reports to investment firm
4. Build Capacity: Tenants learn to document violations and speak to media
5. Security Culture: Protect undocumented tenants while building unity

Common Organizing Mistakes

Learning from failure accelerates growth. Here are the most common errors and how to avoid them:

From Mistakes to Mastery

Common Mistake	Why It Happens	Better Approach
Over-relying on social media	Seems easier than face-to-face	Use digital to enhance, not replace, personal organizing
Vague demands	Trying to please everyone	Specific, winnable demands that build toward vision
Insider language	Forgetting who we're organizing	Plain language that your neighbor understands
Hero worship	Easier than developing many leaders	Rotate roles, share skills, celebrate collective wins

Your Next Steps

Knowledge without action is just theory. Here's how to start applying these principles: