Walter Davis | Community Organizer Genealogy Project

Walter Davis

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Teaching and Social Justice: University of Tennessee

April 2011 University of Tennessee's the University and Social Justice conference. Here Walter Davis, Executive Director of the National Organizers Alliance addresses the university mission and community empowerment.

Work History

Start Year	End Year	Organization	Position
2007	2011	National Organizers Alliance

Organizer Profile

What brought you into the work?:

I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. At 15, I had a chance to work in voter education and voter turnout as well as for changes in the Democratic Party itself to support black candidates. Being welcomed as a young person and support from unions gave me a great start and encouragement. We had some victories and that certainly gave me hope.

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

There is no substitute for face-to-face conversation (not arguments but listening and discussing).
We cannot ask others to do what we are afraid to do ourselves.
Organizers must build organizations and nurture leadership.

Who has inspired you in your organizing?:

Georgia Powers Davis, an African-America political leader, taught me about electoral work when I was a teenager.

Anne Braden

George and Jean Edwards

Judy Rebick

Jackie Larkin

Varda Burstyn

Terry Keleher reinforced my understanding of appropriate tactics in the heat of the fight.

Vicki Quatmann shared her knowledge of how organizers must prioritize fundraising as part of the work.

Ron Charity who reminded me that organizers can serve others but hold deep personal principles of racial justice

Cathy Howell

Kim Fellner

Michael Jacoby Brown

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

Labor solidarity actions and picket lines
May-June 1968 youth uprising worldwide (particularly France)
Vietnam antiwar movement
Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans organizers and the Legacy of Stonewall Resistance
Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa and worldwide
Pro-Choice movement
Jobs With Justice

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

Organizer, Vietnam Mobilization Committee, Toronto, Ontario - 70s
Organizer, Committee to Defend Political Rights in Quebec (in response to War Measures Act) - early 70s
Volunteer organizer, Manitoba, campaign to preserve rent controls (after being fired by Conservative government), 1978
Support to international solidarity campaigns (anti-apartheid, Central Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chile, Grenada, Namibia, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau)
Support to immigrant organizing in Tennessee
Assisted in founding Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training
Trained or facilitated training of over 400 Southern and Appalachian community organizers and thousands of community leaders over two decades.

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

Control of government, media and corporations by small self-serving corporate elite.
Glorification of individualism.
Racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism (and denial there is class system), ageism, discrimination against differently abled, anti-immigrant bias
Lack of historic education how change happens
Exclusion of critical political thought and debate
Our own internalization of Reaganism and failure to understand the difference between being critical of government and supporting a positive role of government

Are you still in organizing? If not, in what other fields have you worked? What are you doing now?:

I am now director of the National Organizers Alliance which does not do direct organizing itself but supports those who do. I maintain my ties to organizing through Jobs With Justice of East Tennessee and faith-based (Unitarian) work. Other fields have included training organizers, popular education trainer, civil servant, antiwar organizer, human rights advocacy, Peace Corps development cooperant, political organizer, and retail sales. http:\\www.noacentral.org

Genealogy

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Walter Davis's Trainers

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Walter Davis's Coaches

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

Walter Davis's Peers

Which of your peers influenced your development as an organizer?

Walter Davis'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
Kopsky, Bill	Southern Empowerment Project

Walter Davis'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.)