PICO National Network
Encyclopedia
PICO National Network provides training and consultation and develops national strategy for its affiliated congregation-based community organizations. As of 2007 PICO had 53 local and regional affiliates, representing 150 cities in 17 states, with 1000 member institutions claiming to represent a million people. It is also involved with organizing and training efforts in six countries of Central America
and Rwanda
in Africa.
. In the late 1960s Baumann had worked with community organizing projects in Chicago
, where he became familiar with Saul Alinsky
’s ideas. During the 1970s PICO worked with five neighborhood-based organizations, recruiting individuals and families. As neighborhoods experienced the economic and social upheavals of that decade, the neighborhood-based model of organizing became less viable as communities fractured. Following a staff retreat in 1984, PICO shifted to a congregation-based model based in part on the experience of COPS, a federation in San Antonio, Texas
developed by Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation
. As it expanded beyond the West Coast, in 2004 PICO characterized its acronym as standing for People Improving Communities through Organizing. In 2005 it renamed itself PICO National Network, emphasizing the autonomy of its affiliated organizations, and its role developing national strategy, training, and consultation.
The shift to faith-based organizing has emphasized the importance of religious culture to PICO. Its base in northern California
meant that PICO could draw on the traditions of a variety of denominations. As Richard Wood writes, this includes “the social Christianity of the historic black churches, the Social Gospel
and Christian realist perspectives in moderate and liberal Protestantism, the strongly evangelical
but socially responsible orientation of the Church of God in Christ
, and the intellectual resources, working-class commitments, and Hispanic
cultural ties of Roman Catholicism.” PICO’s vision of faith-based or broad-based organizing sees power flowing from relationships grounded in values, not specific issues.
on children’s health in the state. Building on the successes of the California Project, PICO's New Voices Campaign, launched in 2004, seeks to help low-income communities have an impact at the national level on such issues as immigration reform
, health care
, education, and rebuilding the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
. In October 2008 PICO announced plans for a mid-November meeting in Washington, DC, in which its affiliates would lobby Congress
, the United States Treasury Department, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
to help people keep their homes when facing foreclosure.
The organization publishes a quarterly newsletter, PICO Update.
s, researching community issues, developing budgets, and working with public officials.
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
in Africa.
History
PICO National Network was founded in 1972 by John Baumann, a Jesuit priest, as the Pacific Institute for Community Organization (PICO), headquartered in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. In the late 1960s Baumann had worked with community organizing projects in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he became familiar with Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul David Alinsky was a Jewish American community organizer and writer. He is generally considered to be the founder of modern community organizing, and has been compared in Playboy magazine to Thomas Paine as being "one of the great American leaders of the nonsocialist left." He is often noted...
’s ideas. During the 1970s PICO worked with five neighborhood-based organizations, recruiting individuals and families. As neighborhoods experienced the economic and social upheavals of that decade, the neighborhood-based model of organizing became less viable as communities fractured. Following a staff retreat in 1984, PICO shifted to a congregation-based model based in part on the experience of COPS, a federation in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
developed by Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation
Industrial Areas Foundation
The Industrial Areas Foundation is a national community organizing network established in 1940 by Saul Alinsky. IAF provides training and consultation, furnishes organizers, and develops national strategy for its affiliated broad-based community organizations. There are currently 57 IAF...
. As it expanded beyond the West Coast, in 2004 PICO characterized its acronym as standing for People Improving Communities through Organizing. In 2005 it renamed itself PICO National Network, emphasizing the autonomy of its affiliated organizations, and its role developing national strategy, training, and consultation.
The shift to faith-based organizing has emphasized the importance of religious culture to PICO. Its base in northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
meant that PICO could draw on the traditions of a variety of denominations. As Richard Wood writes, this includes “the social Christianity of the historic black churches, the Social Gospel
Social Gospel
The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the early 20th century United States and Canada...
and Christian realist perspectives in moderate and liberal Protestantism, the strongly evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
but socially responsible orientation of the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
, and the intellectual resources, working-class commitments, and Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
cultural ties of Roman Catholicism.” PICO’s vision of faith-based or broad-based organizing sees power flowing from relationships grounded in values, not specific issues.
Governance
PICO National Network has a 17-member board of directors that sets policy and oversees administration. Affiliated organizations are incorporated separately, raise their own funds, and employ their own organizers. Affiliates raise over $20 million annually to support their community organizing activities. PICO National Network employs 14 national staff, 15 national consulting staff, 6 staff of PICO California, and 3 staff of PICO Louisiana. After 36 years as executive director, John Baumann retired at the end of December 2008. Scott Reed, on the PICO staff since 1977 and recently the director of organizing, was named the new executive director as of January 2009.Current program
PICO objectives are to “increase access to health care, improve public schools, make neighborhoods safer, build affordable housing, redevelop communities, and revitalize democracy.” Since 1996 PICO's California Project has been developing a strategy of consolidating power in metropolitan areas, exploring a state-wide effort to influence public policyPolicy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
on children’s health in the state. Building on the successes of the California Project, PICO's New Voices Campaign, launched in 2004, seeks to help low-income communities have an impact at the national level on such issues as immigration reform
Immigration reform
Immigration reform is a term used in political discussion regarding changes to current immigration policy of a country. In its strict definition, "reform " means to change into an improved form or condition, by amending or removing faults or abuses....
, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, education, and rebuilding the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. In October 2008 PICO announced plans for a mid-November meeting in Washington, DC, in which its affiliates would lobby Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the United States Treasury Department, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a United States government corporation created by the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. It provides deposit insurance, which guarantees the safety of deposits in member banks, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per bank. , the FDIC insures deposits at...
to help people keep their homes when facing foreclosure.
The organization publishes a quarterly newsletter, PICO Update.
Training
PICO conducts six-day national leadership development seminars four times a year, teaching the theory and practice of congregation-based organizing. Each year an additional seminar is presented in Spanish. Local affiliates also provide members and leaders with training on building and sustaining strong organizations, identifying potential leaders through one-on-one relational meetingRelational meeting
The relational meeting is a primary organizing tool used by the Industrial Areas Foundation and other congregation-based community organizing groups including Gamaliel Foundation and PICO National Network – and also often in union organizing...
s, researching community issues, developing budgets, and working with public officials.