Examining the Interrelationships in Leftist Movements Between Movement Elected Officials and Third Sector Organizations : a Study of Chicago Alderman Ramirez-Rosa, United Neighbors of the 35th Ward, and Chicago Democratic Socialists of America

Abstract

This paper examines the interrelationships between leftist politicians and leftist third sector organizations to effectively build towards a broader leftist vision. This project seeks to gain insight through a microcosm of the interactions between three groups in Chicago, particularly in the 35th ward. The focus revolves around the Alderman of the 35th Ward Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a neighborhood organization called United Neighbors of the 35th Ward and a national organization that has a chapter in Chicago called Democratic Socialists of America. These groups are nodes in a broader movement for social and economic change in the city of Chicago. Each group understands their own position and values while contextualizing the work they do in relationship to a broader movement. Their overlap in values and the work they do, secure one another and combine to provide a much more powerful impact than one group could do alone. Their relationship depicts how a movement operates as a fluid network of ideas, people, and campaigns to build power, provide concrete material changes as well as build capacity for future work. In this way the paper highlights one effective way to build leftist power and provide change through the political sphere, not solely through elected officials and policy but as a means to bring people into a broader movement and influence social and economic structures.