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Mass mobilization as a tactic–without linking it to community organizing, base-building, and civic engagement–has some very useful aspects and also some steep downsides. The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) Movement and the Black Lives Matter movement illustrate...

In the 1980s, Gary Delgado, an Alinsky-trained organizer, challenged the country’s dominant grassroots power building model by asserting that (1) communities of color should be organized by young people of color; (2) organizations and campaigns should reflect...

Saul Alinsky was a native of Chicago, a vital manufacturing and transportation hub for the country in the 1930s. Scores of meat packing companies, warehouses, and train lines converged on the Second City and employed thousands of...

If progressives are to win, transformative change in the long run, we will not do so by achieving piecemeal policy victories for individual target groups. Rather, victory will be in shifting people’s worldview about themselves and the kind of society they want...

Design Principles for Building Belonging Across our planet, people are looking for effective ways to build just, equitable, and inclusive institutions that serve and support everyone. Even more challenging, we’re looking for ways to do so without...

On Thursday, July 27 we hosted a panel to mark the release of our research brief, “ Climate Refugees: Facts and Findings, and Strategies for 'Loss and Damage.'” This panel discussed ideas to strengthen and bridge movements for climate refugee...

Facts, Findings, and Strategies for ‘Loss and Damage.’ - Despite the growing consensus among climate scientists and international governing bodies that forced migration is an effect of climate change, and although the expression “climate refugees” is often used to describe climate-induced migration across ...

On July 25, 2023 OBI Research Director Stephen Menendian participated in an online panel hosted by the King Center that explored solutions to the housing crisis. He talked about the need to invest more in multi-family housing.

On Wednesday, July 19, OBI Research Director Stephen Menendian presented on structural racism as the closing keynote for the National Academy of Medicine's Culture of Health Programs special event, "Systems Impact: Unpacking Racialization...

On July 14, 2023 OBI Research Director Stephen Menendian participated in an online panel hosted by the King Center on the occasion of #BeLoveDay 2023. He talked about the need for inclusive story telling in which everyone is recognized, and not to...

This June 11 panel of thinkers and organizers from the Solidarity Council on Racial Equity talks about how solidarity makes a difference in the lives of people impacted by the US Supreme Court ruling to ban affirmative action. It included Maria...

Note: This blog post describes the content and status of these bills as of July 11, 2023. You can follow new updates and amendments on the California legislative information website. California policymakers are showing new interest in using social...

Introduction The authors would like to thank Joshua Cantong, Data Analyst at the Othering and Belonging Institute for their valuable insights and contributions. This brief report continues our series investigating the extent of restrictive and...

On July 6 our Democracy & Belonging Forum hosted its latest installment of The Edges in the Middle series where OBI Global Senior Fellow Bayo Akomolafe spoke with Minna Salami and Professor Madhulika Banerjee about the changing body of democracy, the...

Author and community organizer Leah Rothstein presents her new book (co-authored with Richard Rothstein) during a presentation prepared for OBI staff on July 6, 2023. The presentation was facilitated by OBI Assistant Director Stephen Menendian. Learn...