CCJ Co-Director Naomi Klein joined Chenjerai Kumanyika, Astra Taylor, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor for an event hosted by Haymarket Books titled Where Do We Go From Here? A Post-Election Assessment where they explored the question: How does the Left—in the US and internationally—squarely face the myriad challenges that confront us and find ways to build effective movements for the world we need?
In their discussion, the speakers highlighted a crucial challenge facing the Left: the need to build long-term, sustainable power that goes beyond rhetoric or short-term victories. Chenjerai Kumanyika stressed the need for the Left to focus on long-term campaigns. “Our opponents play long-term ball,” he said, “What is the Left going to do?” Astra Taylor responded by emphasizing that the issue isn’t about “messengers and messaging,” but about “building real power to implement policies that improve people’s lives [and] ground an inclusive vision.” Naomi Klein expanded on this by emphasizing the interconnectedness of global struggles, arguing that “We have to draw out the connections, the mindset, and the logic that allows the planet to cook and Palestine to burn.” Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor added a vital point: to be effective, the Left must create a movement that is “hospitable and habitable to regular people”—one that is rooted in the needs and realities of everyday life.
If you’d like to hear more about this discussion, check out the recording!
