What is “Organize the Rich”?
I’ve been involved in some form of organizing rich people for social justice for 21+ years now. I’ve learned a bunch, tried a bunch, made a ton of mistakes, and been part of some amazing experiments.
I’ve noticed that most of us who are deeply involved in fundraising, advising, coaching, educating, training and organizing wealthy people for equity and justice rarely talk shop in an open and accessible way.
I’d like to change that.
So, I’m writing a book! It’s tentatively titled “Organize the Rich”. It’s all about this nascent and emerging, unprecedented and historic, movement of wealthy people, attempting to side with the poor, working and middle class, for equity and justice.
This substack is one part of that project…a place for me to share short pieces and interviews from the book project as I go. A place for me to get feedback, build community and get smarter about this topic by learning from you.
Some of the key questions I’m looking at…
What’s the lineage of progressive and left efforts to organize the rich?
What have we learned from the last 50 years of experiments in this work?
Where are we at now?
What might be next?
Why subscribe?
Because you’re curious about the productive role wealthy people can play in progressive social movements.
Because, like me, you’re a big dork about fundraising, donor organizing and social justice.
Because you want to learn about this sometimes hopeful, often infuriating, always fascinating, nascent/growing/budding movement of wealthy people, attempting to work alongside poor, working and middle class people, for equity and justice.
My intention is to share semi-regular posts that mix storytelling, analysis, interviews, and reflections about organizing the rich.
I don’t know how often I’ll post. 2-4 times a month? We’ll see. This is all a big experiment and I’m thrilled to have your support.
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Why can you trust me as a guide on this topic?
I’m the former Director of Resource Generation (RG), where I spent 13 years as a member, leader, and staff person, organizing young people with wealth towards the equitable distribution of land, wealth and power. RG is one of the only groups in the world that explicitly organizes wealthy people for justice. I transitioned off RG staff when I was 34, in 2014. Since then, I have worked as a development director, fundraising consultant, donor educator, organizer and advisor with groups such as Movement Voter Project, Chinese Progressive Association, Showing Up for Racial Justice, Thousand Currents, Generative Somatics, Climate Justice Alliance, East Bay Community Foundation, Justice Funders, and more.
I’ve helped numerous organizations develop their strategy and practice for engaging and fundraising from their middle class and wealthy supporters. I’ve worked closely with hundreds of wealthy people, helping them give back the money in their control, organize themselves, their families and communities, and stretch to become full partners in movements for equity and justice. I’ve helped move hundreds of millions of dollars towards frontline movements building the power of the multi-racial working class, addressing the climate crisis, and working towards collective liberation.
My family and I are part of the global 1% of wealth holders. In 2022, that means a net wealth of $1,000,000 or more. We have been and are the well paid professionals who work for wealthier people and, at times, over the last several generations, we have been the business owners and bosses running the show. I am a part of and was raised in both the US middle and owning class.
I have found it useful to claim my place amongst the wealthy rather than attempting to downplay or minimize the $ and positional power in my life. I learned early on in this work, from my dear friend and mentor Holmes Hummel, that we are all trained to look up the class pyramid, never down. I try to notice what I’ve got and how it got there, and use my class position (and the access and relationships it brings) as one of my social-movement superpowers.
This work is personal to me, and it’s been my professional home for quite a while now. As in many parts of my life, I’m a bridge between different worlds and experiences, and I’m glad to play that role here. However you arrived here, whatever your background, I’m thrilled you’re reading this, entrusting me with your time, and interested in the conversation. Thank you!
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