For a grassroots organization to work, the group must overcome the differences between its individual blades.
That's the advice recent Duke University doctoral graduate Jennifer Hirsch gave to Northwestern activists Tuesday night. Hirsch, an NU undergraduate alumna, led a discussion with 12 people at a fireside at the Women's Residential College.
Hirsch studied the interaction within the Southeastern Regional Economic Justice Network, a coalition of labor, social and economic groups based in North Carolina with constituents from around the world.
Efforts at single-issue coalition-building often fail, Hirsch said. Groups might agree on the single issue but can vary widely in their broader agenda.
"We think that because we're all pro-abortion rights, because we're all anti-(International Monetary Fund), we're all down with each other," she said. "We're not."
To overcome their differences and maintain a coalition, groups must explore and understand the other groups' broader viewpoints, she said.
"What I'm thinking is building relationships instead of simply building around issues," Hirsch said.
Reaching across racial and economic lines is particularly important, Hirsch said. Liberal groups with predominantly white, upper-class members should not treat minority or working-class issues as their own agenda, but instead should focus on identifying common issues and concerns that can be approached in unison.
NU student group leaders are attempting to bridge the ideological gaps that Hirsch described.
Jason Pielemeier, a coordinator of Progressive Alliance, said the alliance works to bring groups together regardless of agenda. By bringing these groups together, common issues can be identified and cooperation can occur, he said.
"One of the hardest things about getting groups to work together is getting them to trust each other," said Pielemeier, a Weinberg senior. "In a lot of cases, they're not necessarily going to agree ideologically, but if they know each other and trust each other, you get something that presents a variety of viewpoints on the issues."
Lexi Smith, a Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Alliance executive board member, said BGALA makes a point of reaching out to different groups on campus to build partnerships.
"We've been trying to do some co-sponsorships, even with some other unlikely groups," said Smith, a Weinberg sophomore. "We've applied for co-funding with College Republicans for next year to try and get a speaker. We may not even agree on everything, but we can do that."
Pielemeier added: "Hopefully groups realize that people they know who are involved with other student groups are getting something out of it. Meeting other people and making contact with other groups — that's the best way it can happen."
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