Creative Community Organizing by Si Khan

Kahn states that his book is for the “rabble-rousers, activists and quiet lovers of justice.” I would consider myself as the “quiet lover of justice” however, I have a notion to do more. During my volunteer experience in Buffalo, NY, I joined and remained part of community organizing groups and coalitions, the Erie County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, VOICE Buffalo, and People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) Buffalo. In these organizations, I attended general meetings and public meeting events, signed petitions, joined public rallies and rallies in NY State capital, and volunteered services at fundraising events. While participating in these community organizing groups, I observed the organizers’ leadership and techniques in increasing the levels of personal and collective power, and how that allowed for change in the community.

Reading Si Kahn’s Creative Community Organizing, reminded me of my volunteer experience in community organizing groups. In this book, Kahn tells stories to illustrate what it means to be an organizer and to help readers answer the question he is often asked, “So do you think I should become an organizer?” Through his narratives and reflections about life as an organizer, Kahn illustrates the way he addressed inequity and power dynamics, his process of accountability to his organization, and the challenges he faced as an organizer.

As a public health worker, I envision myself within the context of community organizing in a nonprofit organization setting. Community organizing in such a setting would require tactics that focus on empowerment to address inequity, community-based participatory research to evaluate the organizing process and address power dynamics related to differences, and an ...

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...y due to lack of trust and the lack of funding. As mentioned before, some organizers come into communities that are not their own. Communities tend to be reluctant to working with an organizer from outside their community. Discussions about accountability with constituents could be a remedy to this issue.

Grant writing is usually required to secure money in nonprofit organizations for an organizing campaign. However, grants from national and local governments are not guaranteed with the competition with other nonprofit organizations for funding and possible government spending budget cuts. A possible solution would be fundraising. This would limit the dependency on grant funders and foundations.

Works Cited

Kahn, Si. Creative Community Organizing: A Guide for Rabble-rousers, Activists, and Quiet Lovers of Justice. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Inc. Copyright 2010.