Podcast: When We're Not Working

By Matt Ryan and Gavin Leonard, September 5, 2008

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Can you stay honest and effective as a community organizer and own a house some day? Two Rustbelt community organizers discuss and disagree.

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When We're Not Working is back, and better than ever (well, at least last time) - particularly, when it comes to sound quality. In Episode 2, we discuss the space between getting things done as dedicated community organizers and "selling out" in politics. As always, we'll also share a list of websites to check out, and this week we'll highlight some of the most interesting books and articles on Barack Obama.

In addition to Wiretap, get all future "When We're Not Working" podcasts and learn more about Matt and Gavin, at our blog - http://whenwerenotworking.wordpress.com -- and feel free to email us at whenwerenotworking@gmail.com. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated! We know we have a long way to go.

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Gavin Leonard is the State Director for Ohio's Center for Progressive Leadership, based in Cincinnati. He is a co-founder, current board member and former executive director of Elementz - a local hip hop-based youth center. Gavin is a frequent contributor to WireTap, and he serves on the boards of the League of Young Voters, Wiretap Magazine, and the All-Ages Movement Project.

Matt Ryan is the Cincinnati City Director of the Service Employees International Union Local 3. After organizing with SEIU in Chicago and Pittsburgh, he lead a successful three-year Justice for Janitors campaign in Cincinnati. The organizing drive secured living wages and healthcare for the first time for over 1,500 office cleaners. Matt grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Grinnell College. Currently, he is an executive board member of the Cincinnati Central Labor Council and Hamilton County Democratic Party.