The Purpose of Power - Alicia Garza
This is SUCH a great read. The Purpose of Power is Alicia Garza’s personal story, her background, her experiences in organizing, leading, and activism is general, and the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement, but it is also the story of the utmost importance in organizing, participating, and actively working towards real change. The author has extensive experience in organizing and leading, dating back to her high school years, where she learnt a lot about the patriarchal and bigoted structures that often held up even the most radical of organizing groups. I really appreciated how she is so generous in providing deep insight into the work that is organizing: the pitfalls and the errors that we are often faced with, and also the successes and things that really work. Alicia Garza writes in such a way that you are immediately drawn into her world, ready to listen, to learn, and to take notes. The tone is smart, interesting, and inviting.
This is a memoir but it is also a guidebook for change, and I suggest everyone read it, whether interested in local activism, or organizing on a larger scale, or both. Alicia Garza’s The Purpose of Power provides in depth views of what it means to be completely invested in change, and how we can all carve a place for ourselves within this investment for all of our futures, together.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.