19. Social movement or NGO? Can it be both?

Most would agree that social justice and human rights movements should be led by those who need the change they’re fighting for. But what’s the best way to achieve that? In this episode, we hear about a South African organizational model that centers community ownership by electing leaders and board. But if a movement has to double as a professional NGO, meeting legal, bureaucratic and donor obligations, things can get complicated. Axolile Notywala has led two organizations doing rights and justice work in Cape Town and shares some insight. And in the Coda, human rights lawyer Nani Jansen Reventlow gets Gil Scott Heron to remind us that real activism happens in the real world, not online. For a list of supplemental readings and additional information about this episode’s content, visit https://strengthandsolidarity.org/podcasts/ Contact us at [email protected]