Jim Fleischmann | Community Organizer Genealogy Project

Jim Fleischmann

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Work History

Start Year	End Year	Organization	Position
1976	1980	Carolina Action	Organizer Lead Organizer Director
1980	1982	Minnesota COACT	other
1985	1997	Montana People's Action	Director
1991	1992	(National) New Party	Director
1998	2001	The Northwest Federation of Community Organizations (NWFCO)	Founder Board Member Director
2002	2008	Friends of Max Baucus (each year: '02 and '08)	other
2009		Change That Works-Montana (SEIU)	Director

Organizer Profile

What brought you into the work?:

My anger about the Viet Nam War, seeing pictures of kids my age shot dead at Kent State, the sense of fairness bred into me by my parents, the sense that maybe I could make this country a better place, and the need for a job.

Share 3 lessons you have learned through your work in organizing.:

1) Never underestimate the abilities of our members
2) You have to challenge power to build power
3) 50% gin, 50% tonic

Who has inspired you in your organizing?:

Jay Hessey (Carolina Action, SEIU)

Many leaders, members and organizers

Barbara Harris (Carolina Action)

What movements or political moments have most influenced your organizing career?:

The citizen action movement of the 1970's
The American labor movement
The civil rights movement
The church-based peace movement opposed to the War in the Phillipines in the early 1900's
The Sandinistas

Share an accomplishment or list accomplishments from your career in organizing.:

1) The many accomplished organizers I recruited and/or trained (most of whom are still in the trade!).
2) The grassroots leadership I developed.
3) Several campaigns that probably require more room to detail.

What are the barriers to successful community organizing in this country? How can we overcome these barriers?:

1) Probably the greatest barrier in my view is money. Money buys you the time needed to recruit members/participants, build deep relationships, sustain defeats, etc. - Organizing takes time and money buys the time you need.

2) An emerging barrier is the growing view in our country that change comes from things like the right message, a strong Internet presence, etc. Interpersonal relationship seem to matter less to the modern social change organization.

Genealogy

Visualize Jim Fleischmann's organizational relations

Jim Fleischmann's Trainers

Who developed and/or trained you as an organizer?

Person	Organization
Hessey, Jay	Carolina Action

Jim Fleischmann's Coaches

Who has mentored, coached, or consulted with you in your organizing career?

Jim Fleischmann's Peers

Which of your peers influenced your development as an organizer?

Person	Organization
Anderson, Jeff	The Youth Project
Hall, LeeAnn	The Northwest Federation of Community Organizations (NWFCO)
Sandusky, Gary	Center for Community Change

Jim Fleischmann's Trainees

Whom have you developed or trained as an organizer? (Please list people who have stayed in the field or a related field for at least three years.)

Person	Organization
Birnie, Derek	Montana People's Action
Ramos, Mimi	Massachusetts
Robideau, Janet	Montana People's Action
Titus, Kate	Oregon Action

Jim Fleischmann's Coachees

Who did you mentor, coach, or consult with you in your organizing career? (Please list people who have stayed in the field or a related field for at least 3 years.)

Person	Organization
Above, List	Several