About Us

Mission

 The mission of the Harriet Tubman Center is to be a recruitment and training center for new organizers.

History

 The Harriet Tubman Center was founded in 2006 to fill a void in the recruitment and development of professional community organizers. The Center began with conversations among congregation centered community-organizers, university students and professors, union organizers, and independent young organizers seeking solidarity, professional development and wider career options. HTC is focused on creating connected, competent organizers through internships and job placement opportunities. We are a 501( c )( 3 ) non-profit organization.

Over the past 18 months, Tubman has grown in numbers of interns recruited and trained (45 graduates). We have increased the sites where interns organize alongside seasoned veterans. Leadership development in a wide variety of local institutions has led to tangible victories in school parent organizations, a youth organization, a union of homeless and low income tenants (Detroit Action Commonwealth) and several congregations. We have placed interns outside of SE Michigan in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. We hold annual retreats with graduates, and provide graduates with professional development opportunities (Spanish immersion and 3rd World organizing experience).

Where We are Going 

Tubman is on a path to become a statewide collective focused on building statewide power to change the rules in Michigan in favor of low and moderate-income people. Over the next 3-5 years, Tubman will become a firm of organizers of all levels; recruiting, training and placing organizers; creating new local organizations and helping to build the capacity of existing organizations; and creating statewide issue campaigns and coalitions of partner organizations and allies.

Our Vision

We believe that through organized strategic action a group of individuals can collectively improve the quality of life in their community. Through their work in faith communities, neighborhoods, on college campuses and in workplaces intern organizers of the Harriet Tubman Center recruit leaders to build the power of communities to create positive change.

We offer paid internships to individuals with a desire and capacity to work in diverse communities as prepared and competent organizers. We do not believe in burning out our organizers, and therefore ensure mentorship and a broad range of organizing experiences for our interns. We believe that community organizing can be a fulfilling career, and our goal is to help open doors to this critical profession.

By bringing together young and experience organizers and leaders for solidarity and continuing education events, we also seek to create a supportive network developing and achieving personal and professional goals.