Challenging the Status Quo: Building a Resilient Movement for Social Justice
For countless elderly Americans, Donald Trump’s proposed “massive, extravagant bill” represents a dystopian vision of austerity. The legislative measures under consideration threaten to impose unprecedented cuts to vital social programs like Medicaid and SNAP, at a time when over 60% of individuals are already struggling to meet basic needs. Meanwhile, the political narrative continues to justify these austerity measures by emphasizing labor requirements, often used to stigmatize the impoverished, while simultaneously directing billions of dollars into military spending and providing substantial tax breaks to the wealthy elite.
From Defensive Stance to Offensive Strategy
As advocates fighting against poverty, we have long adopted the rallying cry: “They say cut assistance, we say fight for assistance.” This phrase encapsulates a crucial truth: for too long, our movement has been reactive, constantly defending against attacks rather than proactively shaping a more equitable society. In a nation where extreme wealth exists alongside widespread poverty, complacency is no longer an option. The most significant victories are often measured by halting regress rather than achieving transformative progress. In the face of Trump’s cruelty and greed, it’s imperative that we forge a new social contract-one that elevates the most vulnerable and ensures that prosperity is shared by all.
Learning from the Past: The Power of Grassroots Movements
Building the collective strength necessary to shift from mere defense to strategic offense is a long-term endeavor, demanding unwavering discipline, sacrifice, and resilience across generations. History offers valuable lessons, especially from past movements that successfully mobilized marginalized communities. For instance, the recent book, You Only Save What You’re Organized to Take, chronicles insights from some of the most influential grassroots campaigns in the United States. As authoritarian tendencies grow worldwide, these stories reveal vital strategies to safeguard democracy and combat bigotry, violence, and economic hardship. Today’s demands for safety, dignity, equality, and justice echo the timeless aspirations of oppressed communities-lessons that remain profoundly relevant.
The Legacy of the Welfare Rights Movement
Reflecting on the welfare rights movement of the 1960s and 70s, particularly the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO), offers inspiring lessons. Once the most prominent advocacy group led by impoverished Black women, NWRO organized mass protests, sit-ins, and direct actions at welfare offices, challenging racist and exclusionary policies. At its peak, the organization boasted over 100 local chapters and mobilized more than 20,000 active members, providing a powerful voice for the marginalized.
Militant Action and Community Building
In 1971, in Nevada, when the governor attempted to cut social security benefits, NWRO members responded with bold civil disobedience-storming Caesars Palace, a luxury casino, and shutting down Las Vegas’s main strip. This multi-year campaign culminated in a federal court reinstating the benefits, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct action. These women were unapologetically militant, willing to take significant risks, understanding that true power stems from grassroots organization-building networks of solidarity and mutual care that sustain collective action.
Innovative Community Initiatives
While the Black Panthers provided free breakfast programs for children, NWRO members pioneered their own innovative survival strategies. In Las Vegas, impoverished women secured federal grants to establish essential community infrastructure-health clinics, libraries, swimming pools, senior housing, solar energy projects, and local newspapers-all managed and staffed by low-income mothers and their children. These initiatives not only addressed immediate needs but also fostered community resilience and empowerment.
Advancing Social Justice Through Feminism and Anti-Racism
NWRO women were trailblazers-organizers, caregivers, and strategists-who challenged racial and gender inequalities simultaneously. Their activism questioned societal values, asserting that human worth is linked to the capacity to work and contribute. Their advocacy for a guaranteed minimum income, a precursor to modern policies like the expanded child tax credit, proved transformative. During the COVID-19 pandemic, such programs lifted millions of children out of poverty, underscoring their lasting impact.
Voices of Leadership and the Path Forward
In a 1972 article for Ms. Magazine, NWRO leader Johnnie Tillmon articulated a powerful perspective: “For many middle-class women, women’s liberation is a matter of self-fulfillment. For women on welfare, it’s a matter of survival… We, the women of NWRO, are the frontline fighters for women’s freedom. Our fight is about the right to a living wage and the right to live.” Her words highlight that marginalized women are not merely victims but potent agents of change-capable of mobilizing their communities and inspiring broader social transformation.
The Johnnie Tillmon Model: A Blueprint for Contemporary Activism
Today, the principles of the Johnnie Tillmon approach remain vital. It advocates for four strategic pillars:
- Unite diverse community members to establish strong, stable leadership within grassroots organizations.
- Transform these organizations into influential political and economic forces shaping public policy.
- Focus on addressing immediate community needs through innovative projects of survival that foster hope and resilience.
- Use these projects as platforms for broader political education, leadership development, and collective empowerment.
These strategies recognize that marginalized communities possess untapped ingenuity and leadership potential. Their survival skills-pooling resources, navigating bureaucracies, and resisting state violence-are powerful tools for collective action. When organized and politicized, these skills can catalyze sweeping social change.
Turning Resistance into Lasting Change
As current administrations escalate attacks on essential programs like Medicaid and SNAP, it’s clear that dispossessed communities will not passively accept their plight. Already, in states such as Vermont, Alaska, Michigan, and North Carolina, we witness a surge of resistance among Medicaid recipients and low-income families. However, spontaneous protests alone are insufficient. The challenge lies in transforming this rising tide of indignation into sustained, strategic power. Embracing the Johnnie Tillmon model offers a pathway to do just that-building enduring movements rooted in community strength and shared purpose.
About the Authors
Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis is the director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, and co-founder of the Freedom Church of the Poor. Noam Sandweiss-Back serves as the director of partnerships at the Kairos Center. Together, they authored You Only Save What You’re Organized to Take: Lessons from the Movement to End Poverty, published in 2025.
