Mapping the Power: B2P Convenes Regions for Long-Term Political Strategy
Bridge to Power partners Action NC, CAJM and MORE Justice gathered for a day-long strategy session in Columbia, SC on October 1. The purpose of the meeting was to deepen an aligned understanding of B2P’s collective political analysis of the housing systems in the United States, and to explore together a power mapping tool pioneered by the B2P Steering and Strategy Committees as a tool for developing shared Southern strategy.
The power mapping tool, which B2P adapted from the Pillars of Power model for dismantling authoritarianism, allowed the partner organizations to identify the institutional pillars that support our current housing system, such as Realtor® associations, developers, and local government. Once partners identified the institutional pillars, we analyzed the relative strengths of each pillar, and examined the pillars that B2P partners are best positioned to impact in their local communities as well as collectively in the Southeast region.
Sydney Gonzalez, an organizer with MORE Justice, noted that the power mapping tool will have an immediate benefit for MORE Justice members. Most of MORE Justice issue campaigns focus on getting local government to take action, and therefore the power mapping tools they have used historically have focused on the networks of influence around local elected leaders. The pillars of power model grounds the power analysis in a border ecosystem of stakeholders and decision makers, expanding the potential strategic horizons for MORE Justice to consider.
Another learning from the strategy session is the value of convening B2P partners regionally for a deep dive into strategic discussion. With all three partners located in the Carolinas, it was easier to find commonality and complimentary issue analysis as a group. With ten participants from the three partner organizations, the size of the meeting allowed for more detailed and nuanced discussion and interaction. Based on the success of this regional meeting model, B2P is planning on hosting similar strategy sessions in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.
