My combined community organizing pieces, expanded and updated [2008] http://hunterbear.org/my_combined_community_organizing.htm
Here is my original workshop/course outline -- virtually verbatim:
WORKSHOP PRESENTATION BY JOHN R SALTER, JR [NOW HUNTER GRAY/HUNTER BEAR]
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION FOR SURVIVAL AND ACTION
GETTING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND KEEPING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR SURVIVAL AND
ACTION -- A PROCESS AND A PRODUCT
1] Basic determinisms -- All people:
Liberty.
Material well-being.
Spiritual rapport.
2] Two kinds of living:
a] tribal way.
b] the other way - Chicago.
3] Tribe:
a] land-based with
strong communalistic dimensions.
b] cohesive.
c] blood and family ties.
d] people know each other well and deeply.
e] cooperation -- also autonomy [individual and family.]
f] democratic.
g ] deeply religious.
h] tribal responsibility [individual has obligation to tribe; and
tribe to individual.]
4] Europeans -- cities -- industry:
Their tribes
Their towns
Shifting into this:
a] nature is something to be owned and conquered.
b] so often trying to "measure" something.
c] competition and conflict for money and power [Watergate.]
d] alienation.
e] authoritarian.
f] poverty and near-poverty.
g] fear - apathetic futility.
***
1] Tribe -- most basic form of community organization.
a] survival examples: NE coast -- South.
b] destruction of tribe is genocide.
c] Black [Negro] experience.
2] But, in the city, it's tough -- long history of urban Indians.
a] discrimination.
b] poverty.
c] urban/industrial values run counter to all Indian cultural
values.
d] Indian people remain tribal members -- remain Indian in mind and
souls -- but can get lost -- alienation -- apathetic futility.
3] Community organization in the cities is the only answer [unless
people are able to leave] -- but it's certainly key in other
settings as well.
a] Community organization -- has to be relevant -- mean something
to people.
b] It can be an organization arising out of a service
organization -- but, if it is going to be a real community
organization, it has to be effective.
c] Sometimes quick drama -- always continuing groundwork --
organization -- if it's going to keep going.
d] Single-issue or multi-issue.
e] Usually the "ideal" and a few people -- to larger
meetings -- board -- may be incorporated -- funding -- may be
hiring staff and special experts.
***
1] European way is often elite-oriented -- IAF [Alinsky.]
2] Native American way -- is another, much healthier way -- grassroots
oriented -- people oriented.
a] has to focus on people "with fewest alternatives" -- low income
Indian people.
b] has to be led by these people -- may not be enough just to be
Indian-controlled.
***
1] The Organizer:
a] bright -- committed -- real commitment.
b] ethical -- not tempted by money and power -- and publicity.
c] controllable ego: has to believe in himself/herself and his/her
abilities -- but not to the point of
thinking he/she is superhuman and beyond mistakes.
d] has to believe in people -- their potentialities.
***
1] Community Organization:
a] Has to be democratic -- formal rules of procedure are
established and followed; widespread
grassroots participation and decision-making power in the
affairs of the community
organization is a continuing fact; and there is an
ever-developing local leadership.
b] Executive and public meetings should be well attended.
c] Atmosphere should exist in which the individual at the
grassroots feels that he/she is
important by virtue of the fact that he/she is an individual.
-- that his/her active participation is needed and welcomed.
-- that he/she can make their voice and presence felt within
the organization.
-- that, as the group advances, he/she is developing the power
to affect those forces affecting
them.
d] Youth must be involved -- either within the community
organization -- or in a parallel and cooperative
organization of their own.
e] If a multi-tribal situation, no tribal discrimination --
integrated leadership.
f] Multi-issue.
g] Leadership should insure that, prior to reaching a decision on
a particular way of doing
something, the community organization is aware of all
relevant tactical approaches and
the various effects of each.
h] Should be able to effectively handle publicity -- PR man?
i] Leadership of the community organization should be able to
effectively handle the raising
and administration of funds -- including, eventually at
least, the preparation and negotiation
of funding proposals.
j] When it's desirable, the community organization should become
involved with various
relevant public and private agencies -- and be able to
negotiate and secure the necessary
services from those agencies without surrendering its
autonomy or compromising its
basic principles.
k] Politics? -- But, if so, autonomy and principles cannot be
compromised.
l] The community organization should be able to utilize the
services of professionals without
becoming dominated by them.
m] Community organization should be able to enter into functional
alliances with other groups
without surrendering autonomy or compromising basic
principles.
n] Community organization should be aware of the use of
effective and sensible protest
demonstrations.
o] Community organization should be aware of effective legal
action approaches and aware of
public and private legal resources.
***
1] Has to be effective on a day-to-day basis -- but there also has to be
long-range vision [a better
time]: one eye on here-and-now; one eye on the vision.
2] Have to go out to the people -- storefronts, leaflets, telephoning,
speaking to groups: mostly
house-to-house and family-to-family.
3] Tribal responsibility -- the community organization has an obligation
to the individual;
the individual
has an obligation to the community organization -- mutual
responsibility.
4] Commitment to people -- grinding and tedious work -- big talk not
enough.
***
Developing the tribal feeling [on a multi-tribal basis, if applicable]
wherever needed and most certainly in the urban/industrial concrete swamps.
John R Salter, Jr [Hunter Gray / Hunter Bear]
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR] Wabanaki [Micmac/St Francis Abenaki] and Iroquois
[St
Regis Mohawk]
When you cut to the bone and cut away the college degrees, academic and
other titles, published books and articles, ours is essentially a working
class and Indian family. We consistently join unions -- and we always
support them with the greatest vigor.
It's critical to always keep fighting -- and to always remember that, if one
lives with grace, he/she should be prepared to die with grace.