I believe in SOCIAL CHANGE: ORGANIZING

I worked as manager at Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) for nine years. Milieudefensie did not want to speak on behalf of people anymore; they wanted to be part of a movement of people and organizations fighting against climate change.  That’s why we implemented organizing.

I was responsible for the implementation.  The definition of organizing is: “leadership that enables people to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want.”

In 2018 I founded m-powering.

Born in the United States, I was raised on organizing. My mother was active in different social movements.  Her motto was “you can make a difference”. You don’t have to wait. If you work with others so that you can hold on for the long run, then change is possible. That’s organizing.

For progressive groups in the US, organizing is well-known. In the Netherlands that’s not the case and I want to change that.

Moving to the Netherlands was a coincidence. I wanted to go to Europe for two years and work as a volunteer. I ended up at Interkerkelijk Vredesberaad (IKV) in the Hague. There were demonstrations all over Europe and I wanted to take part. I fell in love and stayed. After IKV and Pax Christi, I started working in day care, education and social services. That was all before I started at Milieudefensie.

Perhaps it seems like a strange combination, but personally I don’t think so. I have tried my whole life to make change possible in the life of the average man or woman. The power and influence that I discovered in myself is that I can make others stronger. And I’m continuing that with m-powering.

Organizing is a methodology that helps groups and organizations be more effective in realizing their goals.  As a trained organizer and an experienced leader, I am able to help organizations strengthen the power of their constituents, renew their volunteer policy and make the change they think is necessary.