Bridging the Class Divide: And Other Lessons for Grassroots Organizing

by Linda Stout, Howard Zinn (Foreword)

Again and again social change movements--on matter s from the environment to women's rights--have been run by middle-class leaders. But in order to make real progress toward economic and social change, poor people--those most affected by social problems--must be the ones to speak up and lead.

It can be done. Linda Stout herself grew up in poverty in rural North Carolina and went on to found one of this country's most successful and innovative grassroots organizations, the Piedmont Peace Project. Working for peace, jobs, health care, and basic social services in North Carolina's conservative Piedmont region, the project has attracted national attention for its success in drawing leadership from within a working-class community, actively encouraging diversity, and empowering people who have never had a voice in policy decisions to speak up for their own interests. The Piedmont Peace Project demonstrates that new ways of organizing can really work.

Bridging the Class Divide tells the inspiring story of Linda Stout's life as the daughter of a tenant farmer, as a self-taught activist, and as a leader in the progressive movement. It also gives practical lessons on how to build real working relationships between people of different income levels, races, and genders. This book will inspire and enrich anyone who works for change in our society.

Genres: Activism, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Politics, Professional Development, Class Issues

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1997

Reviews

[Polly Trout · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book crashed through my brain like a herd of angry elephants. Evangelical Christians sometimes use the word "convicted" to mean "all of a sudden I realized that I've been totally wrong and a complete asshole about this subject, and cleaning that shit up is long overdue." This book convicted me. Stout grew up extremely poor in North Carolina, and the book is a memoir of how she developed into an internationally recognized social justice leader. It is also a scathing indictment of the ways in which well meaning but clueless middle class activists accidentally alienate, disempower, and piss off the poor people they are trying to "help." Everybody in the world should read this book. I could go on, but first I have to go apologize to every single person I've talked to about class issues in my entire life.

[Sharlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had read this book when I was 18, I think it would have changed my life and saved me a lot of grief. Now, having come to many similar conclusions slowly (and sometimes painfully) through my own experiences, I can't recommend it enough. (In fact, I mailed multiple copies to friends when I was only a couple chapters in.) Whether someone grew up poor, rich, or in between, I think this book will offer incredible insights into how our class positions help form us and set our expectations of ourselves and others. It's framed for activists working together, but I think the lessons it has to offer are relevant to almost every other mixed class environment in our increasingly economically stratified world. Also, Ms. Stout's voice is incredibly caring, honest, and accessible.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I was hesitant going into this one based solely on the fact that the author is a white woman (in case you didn't know: white people do not have the best track record of approaching the topic of social change in an intersectional manner). What I found, however, was a very evident awareness of how and where organizations are dropping the ball by ignoring the needs for true and active diversity. Even with this information being 20 years old, this book is just as relevant today as when it was first published.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Stout speaks clearly about the practices that she has found useful or essential in her many years of organizing: addressing oppression(such as sexism, racism, and classism) internal to an organization, using plain language to describe topics, financially supporting staff, planning for challenges, providing services like transportation and childcare during events, and many others. She talks about her own working class background and the classism she has encountered in many organizing spaces. I’m glad I purchased this book, I will be returning to it often.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very important for all community activists and organizers, particularly privileged ones working as allies. Much of the book is a memoir that serves to counteract a lot of bullshit and attest to the power of people who are directly affected by oppression. Linda Stout is an authority on community building and organizing, and teaches us the lesson of never sacrificing democratic and participatory ideals in the process: “I don't believe we can win the change we want without first building an organization whose inner workings reflect the same commitment to equality and mutual respect that we strive for in our organizing work” (84-85). More than anything, this book is practical. And for me its utility has been as a reference point for defining a lot of difficult concepts integral to organizing work and organizational practice. I also appreciate Stout's spirit. In order to survive in the long haul, she counters the machoism so often encountered in organizing with her insistence on the importance of care and health. Stout teaches us how to work with those less privileged than ourselves in a way that is honest and not patronizing or oppressive.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous. I'm not even a third of the way through and I can feel the wisdom and clarity just seeping through these pages. I was looking for model white people native to the south to counteract the image that change in the south was always caused by outsiders: abolitionists, carpetbaggers, white northern college students, etc. Of course there are many, but they are never talked about, never praised. Linda Stout is one shining example of one such person. Her narrative also counteracts the narrative that the roots of injustice are too difficult for low-income people to understand and articulate. I would recommend this to anyone planning to be involved in any social justice movement.

[Kevin]

On the cover, it looks like a stuffy sociological theory or public policy tree-waster, but once you open it and realize that the author is simply telling you her story as a working class person who has dedicated her life to creating the world of our dreams--a world of shalom--it is really hard to put it down. What's more, she writes not in "standard" middle class academic english, but rather in her own Working Class Piedmont voice, which is really accessible and exciting. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to leave this world better than we found it, but needs a little animation in order to keep on keepin' on.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In terms of understanding economic oppression, this book popped my brain out about 20 yards. A friend of mine is friends with Linda Stout, the author, and she told me about her and about this book, so off I went to get it. It's a book I've bought for others. I'd like to get Linda Stout and Dorothy Allison together and be a fly on the wall...

[Stephen Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't necessarily a bad book, but I did find myself constantly pushing past her political viewpoints. Overall, Ms. Stout had very good practical ideas and concerns when organizing social change movements within a local context. She had a very good distinction between providing Social Change and providing Social Services. Her and I had very similar interests yet radically different approaches.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I wanted to learn more about the nonprofit landscape in NC and I was not disappointed. The underlying message of the short memoir is that those who experience oppression must lead the movement to overcome it. I found Stout's message of inclusion and tolerance to be inspiring.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in grad school. It's very straightforward and written from personal experience in organizing and from the heart. I definitely look back on it during most of my work - it's an important book to look into when thinking about class privilege and organizing.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend this enough. One question the book raised for me and doesn't really address is education: what is its role in this context? If you're interested in that question (because you're a teacher, perhaps), "Finding Freedom" is an excellent sequel (not literally, of course).

[Brittany Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Stout's models of organizing are based in shared leadership and combatting sexism, racism, and classicism. Though this book is nearly twenty years old, I think its lessons and tools are still important today and hope to use them in my own organizing work.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastically authentic, grounded, and humbling.

In the world of social movements, Linda Stout is someone I can believe in.

[Glen Gersmehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

outstanding exploration of social change from an all-too-infrequently seen perspective, class

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful..

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stout deserves an award for this work. Down to earth real and insightful

[Toni Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, a must read for social justice activists!