63 Magazine - Issue 4

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Leadership: Origins A young Barack Obama as a community organizer
Origins “Communities had to be created, fought for, tended like gardens. They expanded or contracted with the dreams of men.” President Barack Obama began organizing hoping to find a community he could fit in—while organizing, he would discover how to connect and empower individuals to build the very community he longed for. This community, the victories they would fight for, and the challenges they would consistently face, gave Obama his education in creating change. Obama, like many of you, learned the meaning of leadership through organizing. Organizing taught Obama that true leadership—the ability to empower others, to help others succeed, to connect a variety of personal stories, hopes, and dreams to winnable, specific action—comes from listening first. How remarkable that our current president, the first African-American president, got his education in leadership creating change through years spent in Chicago organizing. Just like you, he began organizing because he wanted to make a difference in a community. Just like you, he was more than a little naïve when he started, expecting opportunities for mobilization to present themselves openly. Just like you, he hosted horribly unsuccessful events and mediocre events and events that exceeded even his high expectations. Just like you, he worked with all types of people with all different motivations who shared a simple belief—that they could improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Just like you, he began to realize that people don’t act without being invested, without feeling connected. Just like you, he learned that sharing his stories, no matter how different they felt to him, would be what tied him to those he worked with, what tied them all to organizing. A few years after college, Obama moved from New York City to Chicago to organize for the Developing Communities Project. With a simple goal to create grassroots change, Obama arrived to Chicago’s South Side as manufacturing jobs were leaving the area rapidly, as politics in the city were shifting (not as rapidly as many would have liked), and many were wondering what they could do to keep their neighborhood from falling into apathy or chaos.
Page 1 and 2: 63 Magazine Leadership For Politica
Page 3 and 4: Luis is a brand new organizer. Gabb
Page 5 and 6: 63 Magazine Motivation & Muses Cont
Page 7 and 8: Contents Organizer Spotlight Highli
Page 9 and 10: Letter from the Editor Alice McAlex
Page 11: Motivation & Muses Interviews and g
Page 15 and 16: As an organizer, Obama learned to u
Page 17 and 18: Traits The best organizers are stro
Page 19 and 20: Hillary realizes that despite all o
Page 21 and 22: Do Your Job Advice and best practic
Page 23 and 24: As an organizer, Saumya would learn
Page 25 and 26: 2) Take solace in the fact that the
Page 27 and 28: Here are the best practices he shar
Page 29 and 30: Grow Your Skills Outside lessons to
Page 31 and 32: Now, as deputy political director,
Page 33 and 34: 2:30 PM 30 minutes late, Senator Ka
Page 35 and 36: On! Get the Sleep You Deserve Dream
Page 37 and 38: Celebrate sleep. Now, here are a fe
Page 39 and 40: Available on
Page 41 and 42: Start slowly. You’re an organizer
Page 43 and 44: Don’t beat yourself up on the bad
Page 45 and 46: Organizer Life Hacks Easy changes t
Page 47 and 48: Organizer Spotlight Highlighting or
Page 49 and 50: “When I was 14 years old, I was w
Page 51 and 52: While organizing seminars, attendin
Page 53 and 54: Nashville Rise is a relatively new
Page 55 and 56: Fun Zone Click here to play video.
Page 57 and 58: Ready, Set, Action! Actionable take

63 Magazine - Issue 4

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