Are You and Effective Organizer

I recently received a letter from a friend in California.  She is an astute advocate for disability issues, and over the years we have shared ideas and approaches to advocacy.  She was writing to tell me she had just finished reading my newest book, "The Macro Change Handbook," (Lapublishing.com; 2015) and felt compelled to share her thoughts.  I was taken aback when she said this is a "must read" for any advocate and was the "new primer" for organizers.

Indeed, any advocate knows that social change, macro change, only happens when a critical mass of people are organized to promote the change.  Regardless the issue, one person is almost voiceless and it is only when multiple people rally to the cause that change can occur.  So the effective advocate is one who understands the principles of organizing - and that is primarily what I was writing about in "The Macro Change Handbook."

The book starts with a comparison between micro and macro change, and looks closely at the overall change process.  Next it explores the notion of "power" and what we need to know to manage it.  The basic principles of macro change are then explored, and the book ends with a chapter I titled, "Street Smarts."

In a way this book (which all the royalties go to our nonprofit organization, CLASS, www.classcommunity.org) is a retrospective from my 45 years as an advocate.  I review successes, and failures in promoting change, but most of all, it is a sincere effort to recognize that all meaningful change happens with and through other people - through interdependence.

So if you perceive yourself to be an advocate, or have an interest in organization, I hope you might take a look at "The Macro Change Handbook."  In the end, a better community is up to all of us!