News
Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Talks Justice, Civic Engagement at Radcliffe Day
News
Church Says It Did Not Authorize ‘People’s Commencement’ Protest After Harvard Graduation Walkout
News
‘Welcome to the Battlefield’: Maria Ressa Talks Tech, Fascism in Harvard Commencement Address
Multimedia
In Photos: Harvard’s 373rd Commencement Exercises
News
Rabbi Zarchi Confronted Maria Ressa, Walked Off Stage Over Her Harvard Commencement Speech
Sam Brown, a former anti-war activist who is now the director of VISTA and the Peace Corps, spoke to a small group at Boston University last night, outlining a strategy for accomplishing social change through community organizing.
Brown alluded several times to a need for fundamental social change, saying that "the government has an obligation to make a massive redistribution of wealth in this society."
He did not say, however, whether he thinks the purpose of community organizing is to build a radical movement among the poor, or to foster values of "neighborliness" and community in all classes.
When asked if VISTA organizing can be political enough to initiate a movement for change, Brown said VISTA creates a basis for more overtly political action. VISTA begins to organize communities around such non-political issues as obtaining traffic lights. Then, people can "take care of themselves" when confronting more political issues like rent strikes.
But Brown also talked about the lack of a "sense of shared commitment and emotional ties" he perceived when driving through suburban areas.
He said he believes long term change depends on "developing a sense of justice" among the wealthy that will induce them to make sacrifices for the good of the society. VISTA's organizing produces a "shift in values" from individualism to social responsibility in all sectors of society, he added.
Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter.