It’s good to see a fighter for justice vindicated — and still fighting. Cynthia Gordy at The Root interviews Bertha Lewis on Life After ACORN:
One year after the community-organizing group ACORN disbanded — after an undercover video scandal and a denial of federal funds by Congress — the organization’s former president is back. Today Bertha Lewis is at the helm of the Black Institute, her newly created “action tank” dedicated to immigration reform, environmental justice, education and economic fairness…
__
The Root: After ACORN disbanded, many chapters reorganized under new names. How are they faring a year later?
__
Bertha Lewis: There are 18 independent organizations around the country. Some of the old ACORN chapters were combined, with several states becoming one entity. We learned great lessons from our tribulations, and we decided that organizing by any other name is still organizing. The former chapters and their boards incorporated themselves, renamed themselves and made sure that the reforms I had been putting in place around structure, financial management and operations were carried on. I’m happy to say that they’re very strong, and we’re in about 25 states.
__
Glenn Beck and the conservative right actually helped us create 18 bulletproof community-organizing Frankensteins that they’re going to have a very hard time attacking. We owned up to what our weaknesses were, we were realistic about our strengths, and so these new entities are carrying on ACORN’s work of organizing low- and moderate-income folks. Thank you very much, Rush Limbaugh.
__
TR: ACORN seemed to shut down so quickly, without putting up much of a fight. Why?
__
BL: I don’t say that we didn’t put up much of a fight. We were outgunned and outmanned. We said from the beginning, “These tapes are doctored; we are under attack.” It was like crying out in the wilderness. The so-called progressive, liberal-left community didn’t rise up as they did in the cases of NPR, Planned Parenthood and Shirley Sherrod.
__
When we had a never-ending echo chamber of right-wing media and millions of dollars spent going after us, and then not having the resources and allies to defend us, we were just swamped. We didn’t have millions of dollars to do elaborate PR campaigns and fight the 24-hour news cycle. We could never get our message out. A year later, folks are waking up and saying, “Ohhhh, now we understand.” Well, where were you? Why weren’t we believed when we were vilified and asked for help?
__
By the time we were vindicated, and the district attorneys in New York, California and one place after another said these videos were doctored, the damage had been done. Our board said, “We’re either going to expend our resources fighting something that is overwhelming us, or we need to keep our eyes on the prize.” We made new entities with good structure and financial management, and we went on….
__
TR: You’re such a polarizing figure that, no matter where you work, you’ll be viewed with suspicion. Are you anxious about defending yourself against more allegations?
__
BL: I will forever be the ACORN Lady, and I will never run away from it. I hope they do come after me. I cannot wait. Maybe then, all of the legal vindication and evidence showing how they trumped up stuff can finally be opened up. But I think that if they come after me — digging up a corpse to trot out and debate — then they will be engaging in political necrophilia. So all political necrophiliacs, bring it on. [Laughs.]
Much more excellence, including some details of Lewis’s new organization, at the link.