Glossary for Arizona Interfaith Network

Accountability

During an election cycle, Arizona Interfaith organizations conduct non-partisan accountability sessions with candidates for public office. At these public meetings, all candidates are asked to commit to the agenda developed by the Task Forces based on the issues identified by the local organizations. Volunteer leaders conduct these sessions with presentations by leaders from member congregations and schools, all of whom have received training. These public commitments (or refusals) are documented by the local press, as well as by the organization, thus providing voters with information about the candidates¹ positions. After the election, leaders meet with the elected official to begin the process of implementing the commitments.

Community Organizing

Broad-based community organizing is multi-dimensional and takes on a plurality of forms. All the steps outlined below are designed to carry a community closer to the development of a genuine public life through the identification and training of leaders.

House Meetings

Newly identified leaders are then asked to organize house meetings in their own neighborhoods. Inviting ten to fifteen people to the first meeting broadens the conversation and brings depth to the developing agenda. We have learned that a house meeting cannot be allowed to deteriorate into a "gripe session," and have developed organizing skills to avoid that from happening. The concerns of families must be transformed into issues, which are then developed into an agenda with a vision for the future. Through these conversations, leaders gain clarity about their vision and about their values. House meetings allow people to discuss the issues of most importance to them and to learn that they do not face problems in isolation and that most families share similar concerns.

Individual Meetings

Through individual meetings, key leaders and organizers work both to uncover issues for the agenda and also to identify new leadership for the organization. The individual meeting is a "one-on-one" conversation, our most basic organizing tool. These are not interviews, nor are they focused on a specific issue or project. These conversations represent an exchange of views, judgments, and commitments. They are about developing relationships and identifying potential leaders.

Research Actions

From house meetings, leaders organize research actions to explore the possible policy options that address their concerns. Volunteer leaders meet with public officials, the leaders of local institutions, bureaucrats, university professors and anyone else knowledgeable about the particular issue. Research actions teach people about the complexities of public issues, and also about the power structure which will have to be addressed as they shape and implement solutions. Leaders are forced to identify not only what they want but also why, and what will be necessary for their proposal to become a reality.

Seminars

Connected to research actions are regional seminars conducted by the Southwest Region of the Industrial Areas Foundation every six to eight weeks for volunteer leaders and the professional organizers working in their communities. Rather than lectures, these seminars are designed as conversations between scholars and writers of national prominence and IAF leaders and organizers. Past guests have included MIT Professor Lester Thurow, Princeton University Professor Cornel West, Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Bob Greenstein, Harvard Professor Theda Skocpol, and Theologian David Tracy.