Defying Displacement: Organizing for a Beautiful Life in Flagstaff, Arizona

Abstract

This article is a reflection on practice from anthropologists and community organizers working together to affect policy change related to health. In particular, we describe a successful organizing effort to oppose the displacement of low-income residents of a mobile home park. We argue that this victory was in part because of the approach of key members of the organizing coalition, who viewed the work of policy change as a process of leadership development and community collaboration rather than top-down advocacy. Here, we show the ways that an anthropological approach to policy change was built into the work of the coalition, intersecting with community organizing theories and methods. This has led to political change and an ongoing process of coalition-building and leadership development that has the potential to change public discussion and decision making on health-related issues for years to come.