--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started as a community organizer. Every…" description: "\"I started as a community organizer. Every one of my campaigns was premised on getting new people involved. And if there's a theme in my public career i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/barack-obama-17_campaigns_i-started-as-a-community-organizer-every_2690081.jpg" --- # I started as a community organizer. Every one of my… ![“I started as a community organizer. Every one of my campaigns was premised on getting new people involved. And if there's a theme in my public career it's that if ordinary people get involved then good things happen. So I want to see the Democratic Party move in that direction. And what that means…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/barack-obama-17_campaigns_i-started-as-a-community-organizer-every_2690081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/barack-obama-17_campaigns_i-started-as-a-community-organizer-every_2690081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/barack-obama-17_campaigns_i-started-as-a-community-organizer-every_2690081.jpg) > “I started as a community organizer. Every one of my campaigns was premised on getting new people involved. And if there's a theme in my public career it's that if ordinary people get involved then good things happen. So I want to see the Democratic Party move in that direction. And what that means is that we aren't just micro-targeting to eke out presidential victories; it means that we're showing up in places where right now we're not winning a lot.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grassroots involvement empowers ordinary people, leading to broader political success and systemic change. **In simple terms:** People involvement drives political change. Key Takeaway Engage communities for democratic impact. Themes politics grassroots empowerment Mood hopeful determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - campaign volunteering - local town halls - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts civic participation collective action Questions to Reflect On - How can you increase local political participation? - What barriers prevent ordinary involvement? A Different Perspective Mobilizing masses can be logistically challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Democratic party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-party/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Ordinary people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-people/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I decided to become a community organizer ... Change won't come from the top, I would say. Change will come from a mobilized grass roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-decided-to-become-a-community-organizer-change-won-t-come-from-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In 1981, I was a community organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-meara-sanders/in-1981-i-was-a-community-organizer/) [Jane O'Meara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-o-meara-sanders/) > [I am not a hoodlum. I'm a community organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/i-am-not-a-hoodlum-i-m-a-community-organizer/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [Obama used to be a community organizer. He knows how to build communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/obama-used-to-be-a-community-organizer-he-knows-how-to-build/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Barack Obama is a street corner community organizer who is using the office of the presidency here to virtually undermine it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barack-obama-is-a-street-corner-community-organizer-who-is-using-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [My mother was a teacher, my father was a community organizer. I come from a working class background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/my-mother-was-a-teacher-my-father-was-a-community-organizer-i-come/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [The idea of protest organizing, as summarized by community organizer Saul Alinsky, is that if we put enough pressure on the government, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-idea-of-protest-organizing-as-summarized-by-community-organizer/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/i-guess-a-small-town-mayor-is-sort-of-like-a-community-organizer/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor. 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Maybe it was the way in the '50s and '60s, but we want a democratic revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/i-don-t-accept-armed-struggle-maybe-it-was-the-way-in-the-50s-and-60s/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) > [I am very optimistic about the long run prospects for democracy in China. Chinese society is being dramatically and rapidly transformed. And there’s rising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-diamond/i-am-very-optimistic-about-the-long-run-prospects-for-democracy-in/) [Larry Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-diamond/) > [I also believe that we have to protect our country and lead the world with strength and steadiness, and we have to unify our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-also-believe-that-we-have-to-protect-our-country-and-lead-the-world/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ I think \[ chief organizer of the Democratic Party \] it's something that I have an interest in. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-chief-organizer-of-the-democratic-party-it-s-something-that-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Campaigns quotes > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [My wife and daughters work. My campaign manager in 2005 was a working mother. I appointed 5 women to my senior staff as Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/my-wife-and-daughters-work-my-campaign-manager-in-2005-was-a-working/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [We need to be more precise in how we talk about these issues. People around the word follow our presidential campaigns so closely, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-be-more-precise-in-how-we-talk-about-these-issues-people/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I did it once, and National Geographic recruited me. I did it primarily out of curiosity. A lot of legendary photographers had worked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-did-it-once-and-national-geographic-recruited-me-i-did-it-primarily/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Social media has become a primary factor in political campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/social-media-has-become-a-primary-factor-in-political-campaigns/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [We in the Hispanic community are truly tired of both the Democrats and the Republicans promising all of these things during the campaigns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-ramos/we-in-the-hispanic-community-are-truly-tired-of-both-the-democrats/) [Jorge Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-ramos/) > [I measure the amount of shows I should do by my hair. If my hair isn't good for campaigns and editorials, then obviously I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-wixson/i-measure-the-amount-of-shows-i-should-do-by-my-hair-if-my-hair-isn-t/) [Lindsey Wixson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-wixson/) > [I think that, you know, this is a different year than most years. We've got to tell the American people that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-think-that-you-know-this-is-a-different-year-than-most-years-we-ve/) [Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/) > [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/) [Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [After Donald Trump wrote Lindsey Graham's cellphone number on a piece of paper and showed it to everybody, Graham said he's getting a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/after-donald-trump-wrote-lindsey-graham-s-cellphone-number-on-a-piece/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) [Browse all 1,797 Campaigns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started as a community organizer. 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