United Way (too much money)

Ed Parker, who served as president and chief executive director of the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona chapter was paid a $180,000+ yearly salary, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

The United Way has been a stable force in charitable works in the last few decades. Started in 1887 by "a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi" United Way has been fighting to improve people's lives by mobilizing community support. And no, this is not the beginning of a really bad joke to share at the bar, but was an effort dedicated to gathering community support for the welfare problem in Denver.

There are three "building blocks" for a good life that the United Way focuses on, namely education, income, and health. Maybe we could surmise that the president of the local chapter here would feel comfortable retiring, knowing that he worked for a coalition so dedicated to the well being of sick, uninsured, and elderly.

Rather than going through United Way's bank book and mocking their fiscal and public "responsibility", let's just consider what $180,000 could have gotten Tucson residents:

• 6.38 people paid the average Tucson salary of $28,194.00
• 90 in-state resident's tuition and fees at Pima Community College (estimated ~$2,000/yr)
• 23 out of state resident's tuition and fees at PCC (estimated ~$7,700/yr)
• 21.9 months of potable water at 12 inches per month

With residents of Tucson struggling to send their kids (or themselves) to college and paying their bills like electricity, gas, and water as unemployment nears double digits, Ed Parker's $180,000 yearly salary is a kick in the face. His is yet another example of how national "charities" are guilty of being very self-charitable, while the communities that need help are left in the dust.

Pay to Get Organized

According to an article in today's Tucson Citizen community members in the Tucson area can attend a 17 week long class to learn how to be a community organizer. For only $75 attendees can take the course, earn a certificate of completion, and 3 credit hours at the Pima Community College. While $75 is not a high price for 3 credit hours, I think the premise is a little shady and misses the point of community organizing.

What this course is basically saying to those who are interested in organizing in their communities is that you have to pay to get organized. It is true that community organizing is not something we inherently know, but I would disagree that one has to give it the "college try" to learn how.

For example, the course will teach students how to create a community vision. Why must you go through 17 weeks to learn how to "create" one when you could just ask? Another thing that is taught in the course is how to engage your neighbors. Again, another valuable lesson to learn but one that would be best taught in the streets, or "door to door" than in a classroom.

The millions of workers and students who came together to pass around voter registration cards and help Obama get elected probably did not go in with a 17 week course. They learned in interacting with other organizers, with their community. Such a course, while addressing a real interest and need in the community, makes community organizing into an abstraction. In other words, rather than engaging in the struggles at hand (meaning in your neighborhood or workplace or town), interested parties are told to take 4 months off to learn how.

The greatest successes in our history and the moments that taught us the most were those of great social upheaval and amidst large scale struggle. As more and more people are coming together around the war, LGBT rights, Palestine, the economy and healthcare the best classrooms are not the classrooms, but the town halls, public libraries, and street corners.