Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld You didn’t know Poverty Day was a thing? I kid, it’s not really something worth celebrating, but this is the one time a year when we can count on the media to focus on the economy as it is experienced by the millions who are struggling to make ends meet. Most […]
Written by Frances Kunreuther Last week, Linda Campbell wrote about her experiences in Detroit. In These Times has a terrific article, Detroit’s Downfall: Beyond the Myth of Black Misleadership, by Marilyn Katz that gives a different narrative on Detroit’s current woes. Though not as pointed, I read two other pieces about Detroit during the week that confirm Katz’s analysis. […]
Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld By Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, Co-Director Last month, the Building Movement staff and project team discussed two articles on the connections between neoliberalism, marketization and the current realities of the nonprofit sector. Both articles reflected many of the frustrations expressed by colleagues and organizations on the ground about how budget cuts, competition for funding, and the focus on metrics can get in […]
The City of Detroit has been in the news a lot recently, as Michigan Governor Rick Snyder decided to pass a controversial Emergency Manager law (a similar law was defeated by popular vote in November). The Emergency Manager law gives Michigan state officials the ability to appoint one person to take over almost all of city operations, […]
Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld In my first few weeks at the Building Movement Project, I’ve been doing a lot of travel to get up to speed on the work that BMP’s nonprofit partners are doing around the country. Just last week, I was in Washington and spoke with many of our sector’s advocates about the […]
In July, 2012 William Copeland and Rayven Roberts represented EMEAC at the Accountable Community Governance Convening held by the South by Southwest Experiment in Jackson, Mississippi. This event, to be held at The Commons on Thursday, August 30th from 6-8pm, will serve as a community report back. But furthermore will be a discussion about what […]
For over 10 years, the Southwest Organizing Project in Albuquerque, NM has worked hard to deliver water services to the Pajarito Mesa. A recent NY Times article takes a look at life on the Mesa, featuring SWOP organizer Sandra Montes who gave the Times a tour of the area and explained the organizing history, which has resulted […]
The White House has launched an “Open Government Initiative” in order to generate new ideas for creating a more participatory, transparent, and collaborative government. The first step in this process is the Open Government Dialogue, which is an online forum for public engagement in policymaking. So far over 900 ideas, including one from on BMP, […]