Building the Commons Movement From the Ground Up

Tom: How did you first learn about the commons?

Julie: I was introduced to the commons back in 2005 after many years doing community organizing in both rural and urban settings. When I first learned about this idea of the commons, I completely resonated with it. I was stuck in the work I was doing, feeling there was more that mattered than framing issues and figuring out the next set of activities. It just felt like a breakthrough of sorts. The commons was a positive way of thinking about what we could stand for and what we were missing in our lives. It seemed a less rigid way of thinking about organizing. It felt more about connecting people and less about professionalized organizing and campaigns.

- See more at: http://onthecommons.org/magazine/imagination-action-building-commons-movement-ground#sthash.zMBilYkq.dpuf

Tom: How did you first learn about the commons?

Julie: I was introduced to the commons back in 2005 after many years doing community organizing in both rural and urban settings. When I first learned about this idea of the commons, I completely resonated with it. I was stuck in the work I was doing, feeling there was more that mattered than framing issues and figuring out the next set of activities. It just felt like a breakthrough of sorts. The commons was a positive way of thinking about what we could stand for and what we were missing in our lives. It seemed a less rigid way of thinking about organizing. It felt more about connecting people and less about professionalized organizing and campaigns.

- See more at: http://onthecommons.org/magazine/imagination-action-building-commons-movement-ground#sthash.zMBilYkq.dpuf

Tom: How did you first learn about the commons?

Julie: I was introduced to the commons back in 2005 after many years doing community organizing in both rural and urban settings. When I first learned about this idea of the commons, I completely resonated with it. I was stuck in the work I was doing, feeling there was more that mattered than framing issues and figuring out the next set of activities. It just felt like a breakthrough of sorts. The commons was a positive way of thinking about what we could stand for and what we were missing in our lives. It seemed a less rigid way of thinking about organizing. It felt more about connecting people and less about professionalized organizing and campaigns.

- See more at: http://onthecommons.org/magazine/imagination-action-building-commons-movement-ground#sthash.zMBilYkq.dpuf

Tom O’Connell, political science professor emeritus at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, interviewed OTC co-director Julie Ristau and Program Director Alexa Bradley for a special commons issue of the Community Development Journal. - See more at: http://onthecommons.org/magazine/imagination-action-building-commons-movement-ground#sthash.zMBilYkq.dpuf