Description: Do you care deeply about the state of our society, and don't see yourself as an activist, but want to do something powerful to make a difference?
Or maybe you are an activist and are feeling frustrated that your efforts aren't bearing fruit?
This book is for you!
No more pleading with government and corporate power-holders who don't care what you think.
No more testifying at public hearings where the law requires that they ask for public input but the decision has already been made.
It's time to break out of the "cage of allowable activism" and learn how We the People can become a more powerful force for good. (Yes, you belong to that group!)
Don't give up. It's not hopeless. Read this book and get more active in a way that brings real change!
"Paul is one of those precious rare birds who believes in people's ability to act as wise and mature beings and in humanity's ability to create deep community. As a lifelong learner, activist, thinker, and leader; Paul has created a tsunami of ripples and this book documents our collective struggles and offers a path for change."
— STANFORD SIVER, Ph.D., conflict psychology, former Director of Institute for MultiTrack Diplomacy, and co-founder of Deep Democracy Institute
"Paul Cienfuegos has spent many decades working on a wide range of social, political and economic issues, during which time we have had many opportunities to work together. Such issues have existed for a long time and they are all intertwined. I especially like how Paul's work shows no matter the single issue they all lead to a similar conclusion of working locally within our communities becoming strong as We the People. It all really comes down to that. ...The accessibility is excellent and the consolidation valuable for understanding where this is all going. Paul's willingness to open his heart is a strong incentive for one to read to the finish. We do need to humanize ourselves; trust one another. ... This is a wonderful project. I am glad Paul has tackled it. Looking forward to more."
— NANCY HORTON, small farmer and homesteader for 45 years, mom and grandma, weaver, active citizen for 40 years
"In the almost 20 years I've known Paul Cienfuegos, he's taught me a lot about what can be possible when ordinary citizens become vocal citizens, and towns we live in can change from towns to actual communities. ... Even so, this collection of essays and talks has grabbed me by surprise. Paul's writing has pulled me in, engaged me in a way few writers do. I've learned critical bits of U.S. and corporate history that are not taught in school, but are so important to every single one of us who cares about how and where we live, who cares about environmental justice, about corporate privilege and government-corporate collusion that deny us, regular people, our constitutional rights. ...Stories seldom told or explained elsewhere, guaranteed to open your eyes and maybe even inspire you to take action. Thank you, Paul."
— SARA SUNSTEIN, somatic educator
"Paul Cienfuegos is one of the very few speakers that we broadcast on Alternative Radio that offers concrete solutions. A remarkably large number of people respond positively to his analyses for that reason."
— DAVID BARSAMIAN, founder and director of 'Alternative Radio'
"Paul Cienfuegos is the Thomas Paine of our time, sounding the alarm about threats to democracy—and reminding us that each of us together has the power to transform our lives and society. How Dare We? Courageous Practices to Reclaim Our Power as Citizens is an inspiring collection of must-read pieces as we work to protect what is vital and work toward deep democracy."
— CHUCK COLLINS, director at Program on Inequality at the Institute for Policy Studies, co-editor of Inequality.org, and author of The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Save Trillions
"Paul Cienfuegos is a master at explaining paradigm shifting concepts in a clear and comprehensible way. He then offers effective actions to address the most critical issues of our time. His passion for and commitment to citizen democracy is inspiring. His ability to bring people with disparate views together around shared values provides communities a path to reclaim the power We the People have."
— LYNDA MCCLURE, retired community and union organizer
"In our complex and fast changing world we need books that not only help us understand the connections between our different problems but also offer solutions that point us towards the future we deserve. Luckily for everyone who cares about making positive change, veteran community organizer and educator Paul Cienfuegos has distilled a lifetime of community organizing wisdom and grassroots campaigns into exactly such a book. He provides everything you need to leave behind your inner underdog and start tapping into collective power. Don't miss this important guide from one of our foremost experts on community rights and grassroots democracy."
— PATRICK REINSBOROUGH, founder of the Center for Story-based Strategy, and author of RE:IMAGINING CHANGE: How to Use Story-Based Strategy to Win Campaigns, Build Movements And Change The World
"Do your hopes and desires include making a positive change in the world? This book will inspire you and set you on a path that could save you years, decades, of futile floundering in the labyrinth we call the regulatory process, and give you shovel-ready ideas for creating meaningful and impactful participation in governance and community self-determination."
— ANN KOBSA, Ph.D., conservationist and subsistence farmer
"I have known Paul Cienfuegos for 40 years. He was fresh out of college when he experienced an early form of the experiential group process known now as the Work That Reconnects. Immediately recognizing its potential, he acquired the basics of its facilitation before leaving as planned for Scotland. There, in the workshops he began offering, local people felt free to speak out against their government hosting US nuclear missiles and planes, and letting their land be used as target practice and launching pad for President Reagan's campaign against the Soviet Union. By the time I arrived two years later in 1983, Paul's work had grown a network of active groups in towns across Scotland and England. Now, eager to host us, they were recruiting for workshops for us to co-lead. Our unforgettable two-week tour allowed me to see Paul with fresh eyes: I witnessed his efficacy as an organizer, his political smarts and natural warmth, his passion for empowering people, the deep well of his caring.
Out of this caring, leadership grew from among the Scottish and English ranks and a national organization took form, called Interhelp UK.
Over recent decades, these capacities of Paul's are manifest in Community Rights US. This spunky organization shows communities how to protect their natural resources from corporate exploitation by knowing and claiming rights they already possess. It is wonderful to know about, and sets me to thinking of the passion for democracy I experienced in Paul Cienfuegos forty years ago."
— JOANNA MACY, author, World As Lover, World As Self
"Community Rights organizer-teacher Paul Cienfuegos has arrived in town with a whole lot of very useful, often shocking information you didn't know before and a big load of energy, ideas, experience and inspiration to get you using that information to make some true democracy in your community. But be ready to be influenced, deeply, by Cienfuegos' teaching, and to find your commitment to life-centered change-making energized forever."
— MATT NICODEMUS, draft resister and war resistance organizer, co-author of the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility, co-founder of the Graduation Pledge Alliance, and founder and co-coordinator of Sworn to Refuse
"I first met Paul 25 years ago when he came to our community to help us learn how the corporate stranglehold on all aspects of our lives was the primary issue to address. We had been addressing environmental damage in the typical whack-a-mole style, running from one problem to another, always desperate to raise more money to have a new legal challenge, constantly begging the regulators to see the damage that was being done. Paul opened our eyes and taught us the history we needed to know. He showed us how other communities had successfully prevented corporate domination of their community. We were specifically concerned with how we could prevent corporate timber barons from controlling our local elections. We organized and successfully ran a ballot initiative that prevented financial contributions from outside corporations. ... I have read many books written on the environmental destruction and injustice that we as citizens face. But they did not help me understand the big picture and give me concrete solutions I could apply to my community. Paul's clear, concise book shines a light on the whole historical mess and shows us clearly the root of the problem. Identifying the root is essential to creating meaningful, lasting change. This book will help guide you to develop strategies and solutions you need for your community to repel corporate domination."
— GIL GREGORI, riparian restorationist and residential property manager