Each year, we here at rabble ask our readers: “What are the organizations that inspire you? Who are the people leading progressive change? Who are the rabble rousers to watch?” Every year, your responses introduce us to a new group of inspiring activists. This is our ‘rabble rousers to watch’ series. Follow our rabble rousers to watch here.
We’re pleased to continue building our roster of our ‘rabble rousers to watch’ list of 2023 with Neighbours United, a non-profit organization based in Castlegar, B.C., focused on grassroots climate action.
Neighbours United also tells solutions-based stories in their journalism series Living Here.
We spoke with Montana Burgess, executive director of Neighbours United, about their work in combating false narratives about the climate crisis while building communities committed to climate action.
A conversation with Neighbours United executive director, Montana Burgess
rabble.ca: Can you tell us about the work that your organization does?
Montana Burgess: Neighbours United finds common ground with everyday people on the environmental and social issues that can divide us.
We were the first group to successfully win a clean energy transition campaign using deep canvassing. We launched our initial campaign to advance a 100% renewable energy transition in the small industrial community of Trail, British Columbia to build enough community support to ensure decision makers could pass a council resolution. By engaging in 1,181 one-to-one, in-depth conversations focused on connection around real experiences of climate impacts locally, instead of arguing over facts/misinformation, we were able to help more than 1 in 3 residents to significantly shift their beliefs to be more supportive of the campaign policy.
This, paired with our solutions-based journalism project, Living Here, that tells stories of relatable people and reinforces the successful deep canvassing narratives, helped overcome community skepticism and win a significant victory: the City Council voted unanimously to transition to 100% renewable energy across all sectors by 2050.
rabble.ca: How did your organization come to be?
MB: It’s been around since 1994 and started out as the Nelson-based Eco-Centre. It was volunteer-led until the early 2000s. It has expanded beyond one city and region, and beyond one issue over the decades.
rabble.ca: What does being nominated as a ‘rabble rouser to watch’ mean to Neighbours United?
MB: It’s very flattering to see our depolarizing work being appreciated by progressives and activists. Because we are trying to find common ground through deep conversations, which takes time to shift a community of people that are undecided on an environmental issue, it doesn’t always seem as sexy as direct action, for example.
rabble.ca: How do your members take care of themselves and find the drive to keep going?
MB: In deep canvassing, we’ve adopted the mantra of radical hospitality, as developed by the method founders, like the folks at the New Conversation Initiative. This means making sure we are creating practices of community and individual care for all our team members to be able to process and leave the hard things behind, and move forward to keep coming back.
We also get results and meaningfully connect with people who hold different beliefs than us, which is very motivating for people to see tangible change in the work they do.
rabble.ca: What is one goal Neighbours United has in the next year?
MB: Support grassroots organizations across Canada and the US to use deep canvassing and strategic communications to overcome community barriers and misinformation to get policies and legislation passed that defend people and the planet.
rabble.ca: What do you wish people knew about the organizing you do?
MB: It works! And we can do it at scale with partnerships, so consider joining us!
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Nick Seebruch, editor
