Meenakshi Mukherjee // Organizing to empower community ecosystems

January 2022! We’re kicking off the new year with such an inspiring conversation. We’re Collected Knxwledge and this week you’re in for an auditory treat!Luna and Drea spoke with Meenakshi Mukherjee who graces us with eloquence, humor, and optimism in education.We start with her transition from college to moving across the country to teach in Detroit. She reflects on her learnings from being a transplant to making this a home in almost 10 years. Meenakshi’s education journey is centered around seeing the need for a change in working conditions. From witnessing veteran teachers belittled because they were trapped by financial burdens in society, to contributing to creating multiple organizing campaigns at a school. There we learn about the structures of charter schools and the case for staying and changing a workplace rather than leaving it. In education, a savior complex can cloud judgement and hinder authenticity yet she reflects on shifting perspectives on her role as a teacher. We are profoundly moved by the idea that you don’t have to leave the classroom to make systemic change. Organizing collective power can make the systemic change we need. Fighting “compassionate” power and its constant concessions can be successful when the ecosystem works together. It matters to come together.When you’re ready to organize, check out Meenakshi’s recommended resource “Secrets of a Successful Organizer Handout” by Labor Notes https://labornotes.org/secrets/handouts to get started.Let us know you thoughts on what you hear on our Instagram @CollectedKnxwledgeUntil Next Time.Peace and Solidarity,Luna and Drea