Grassroots Advocacy Quotes

“Issues transcend boundaries but voters do not.”
― John Thibault

“Not all good things come together, and we can't have it all tomorrow. Remarkable interveners understand that building peace sometimes requires baby steps, and they look to local people as a guide for which foot to start on.”
― Severine Autesserre, The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider's Guide to Changing the World

“Many domestic activists focus their efforts on top-down changes such as national elections and state policies--and despair when they fail to reach their goals....Bottom-up activism can help address the racial, ethnic, religious, and political issues that divide not just places like Congo or Colombia, but also the societies of non-war countries.”
― Severine Autesserre, The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider's Guide to Changing the World

“Over the years of grassroots advocacy, I have learned:
People want help, but they don’t want structure.
People want leadership, but they resent authority.
People want information, but they don’t understand it.
People want strategy, but they panic when shown the reality.
Most groups have at least one person who wants the glory, not the change.
Most groups have a lot of sheep wandering without a true shepherd.
This is why so many initiatives fail.
Remember, chaos is what killed the dinosaurs.”
― June Stoyer, The Spirit of Sedona By San Dan Yi: 13 Month Engagement Planner and Journal