In this episode, we take a break from Movement Money to join Michael as he interviews social justice movement elder, writer, and strategist Linda Burnham. Their conversation was recorded last year in late October, before the election had been decided. It is one of Michael's favorite interviews from the last year of Organize the Rich.

Through her personal story and activist experiences since she was a kid, Linda helps answer big questions like…

How were movements funded before the rise of philanthropy and nonprofits?
What were the economics of being an activist and organizer before the 90’s?
What are the pros and cons of our current movement economics?
And what’s working and what isn’t about the left’s relationship to the rich these days?

In the wake of the election of Donald Trump, the failures of the democratic coalition and the attacks on everything even remotely progressive, these questions feel more relevant than ever.

And in a time when so many of us are struggling to know what to do…learning about the attempts of previous generations to challenge oppressive forces is important and worthwhile.

It’s not too hard to imagine a time in the next year when many progressive organizations might be closed because of funding cuts or attacks by the current administration. As we consider these possibilities, it's helpful to remember Linda’s story and a time when activism and organizing was largely unpaid.

To read more about Linda's most recent work, check out Project 2050: Toward the Development of a Shared Strategic Framework on the U.S. Left.

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