Harvard University Professor Marshall Ganz, a longtime community organizer and an associate of United Farm Workers (UFW) President Caesar Chavez, spoke last Tuesday at "Brandeis University on Social Justice and Change," an event organized by Students for a Just Society (SJS). He discussed community organizing, movement building and his involvement with Chavez.Ganz began by stressing young people's prominent role in social action by referring historically to their contribution to the civil rights movement and his own participation in SNIK (The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) during the early 1960s. "Students have always had a crucial role to play (in social justice and change) and the fact that students were core to the civil rights movement is no coincidence," Ganz said. "It's a fresh perspective and you can find sources of hope."

Speaking from his firsthand experience in the civil rights movement, Ganz mentioned the apparent problem of racism and ways in which blacks in the United States sought to gain power in difficult times. "Lacking power doesn't mean lacking resources," Ganz said. "They must work to find resources so that they can be legitimized and turned into power."

Ganz revealed ways in which black rights gained ground, such as through boycotts, bus protests, and relying on help from the community. "People figured out that the community is broad and it can be changed depending on the problem," Ganz said.

Ganz also referred to three specific actions that embody social justice and change: centrality of power, building up the community and the role of leadership. "You have to look for the power to build the community ... and the role of leadership, because to me that's what's governing social change," Ganz said.

In 1965, Ganz joined Cesar Chavez to help organize the UFW. During 16 years there he learned union, community, issue and political organizing, became organizing director and served as a national officer for eight years.

In Bakersfield, Calif. he was heavily involved in the boycott of grapes in the so-called "Grape War," and he gained insight into the relationship between economic and political equality. "If you want to change the institution you have to find the power," Ganz said.

After leaving the UFW in 1981, he applied his organizing skills in the broader community. Conducting an innovative study of California unions documenting the minimal resources devoted to organizing, he developed programs with union, electoral, issue and community groups, while also founding an organizing institute.

Working firsthand with those dedicated to achieving social justice and change, Ganz said he admired figures like Chavez and Ghandi for their "willingness to sacrifice and commit themselves."

Ganz remarked how these revolutionaries were able to succeed and make a difference in the world of social change. "Success is about being really committed, using your own power and finding it in something you already have," Ganz said.

He added that the challenge to succeed lies in one's ability to trust his own experience and have the courage to use his imagination to see all the possibilities.

Many students attending the speech said they came out knowing much more about social justice and change. "I didn't know much about (community organizing), but I was impressed," SJS member Rob Jackel, '04 said.

Kedar Kulkarni '06, a member of the SJS Core Committee was chiefly in charge of bringing Ganz to campus. "Ganz has a lot of experience in community organizing," Kulkarni said. "In the context of today it seems we're so fragmented into interest groups, so it was nice to hear his discussion on social change and justice.