No Table Too Small: Engaging in the Art and Attitude of Social Change

by Laura M. Titzer

Social change requires relentless incrementalism with both a strong heart and patience. It has no room for ego. It has no room for hierarchies. It demands that we talk with people who are creating or upholding the obstacles in our way. It demands us to be great listeners with the ability to remain curious. How do we hold this space while retaining the ability to function? We engage the six capabilities of a change agent. There is a growing need to overcome differences and find common values by rethinking collaboration and inclusivity. Real and sustained change requires everyone to be at the table, not just the people that we want to work with because of shared views. No Table Too Small walks us through six capabilities that people can use with other individuals, groups, and organizations to effect change in the food system. There needs to be a shift in how we work and who we work with. There is an art and attitude to social change that is explored in this book. Laura Titzer provides tools and insights based on her personal and professional experiences for those working in the food system to incite change.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Laura is a community food organizer and facilitator who strives to create spaces for people to think about their interactions within the community. She grew up in Indiana where she co-founded the Indianapolis Food, Farm and Family Coalition and has worked with local and government agencies, as well as activist organizations, promoting food growers and producers in the United States. Laura currently holds an M.A. in Environment and Community from Antioch University, works in the hunger relief system, writes about food justice/social change, and resides in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews

[Grace Gershuny · Rating 4 out of 5]

In No Table Too Small, Laura Titzer relates her insights from years of helping food-related organizations be more effective change makers. While she gears her simple self-published book towards food system activists, her advice is valuable for any social change group, especially those working to help local communities work together across political and cultural divides.

At this time of increased polarization and heightening extremes, change agents must avoid falling into the trap of "us versus them" thinking in order to be effective, and Laura's book offers some clear and friendly guidance for how to do this. Her advice is grounded in systems thinking, complexity theory, and the educational philosophy of thinkers like John Dewey and Paolo Freire. A collaborative, process-oriented form of engagement is needed, along with patience and humility. The book presents a set of techniques aimed at establishing a participatory dialogue, essential to effecting sustainable change. This can be developed, according to the author, using six capabilities of engagement, which she walks us through in her book.

One chapter of the book discusses each of these capabilities, all of which are interrelated, in turn: Holding Space, Communication, Reflection in Action, Cocreation, Leadership, and Systems Thinking. Laura uses her own experience working with various food system change projects to illustrate these capabilities, including examples of hard lessons learned. Each chapter concludes with a brief summary of its key "take away" points. Throughout, the reader is challenged to pay respectful attention to opposing opinions, question our own assumptions, and embrace the paradox of "seemingly incompatible ideas and people." Changing the food system, Laura suggests, requires "corporations, grassroots organizations, and everything in between in the same room."

The author acknowledges that the necessary conversations will be tough ones. "Deeply entrenched issues of racism, colonization, and gender inequities" will rise up to confront us as we grope our way towards shared goals and recognition of our common humanity. She points out that diversity is key, and notes that "many change agents tout diversity and inclusion and yet at the same time practice uniformity and segegation to covet and protect their ideas." For instance, although the concept of agroecology is based on the importance of diversity in the natural environment, diversity of ideas and strategies is not always welcomed by its advocates. "We try to make everyone think the same exact way about the food system."

It is unfortunate that those who most need the kind of advice it contains might dismiss this book as naive or idealistic. True it is not a slickly polished presentation, but Laura Titzer deserves credit for sharing her caring and honest insights that can help us all get better at our critically important work of food system transformation.

[Tim Mohler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book from Laura’s experience leading change in the food movement. Centered around finding common ground with all the stakeholders in complex systems and building consensus, I thoroughly enjoyed and will apply many of her strategies. It is a bit further toward the occupy style of leadership - anyone can lead, all voices are equal regardless of expertise viewpoint than I would lean. It provides an interesting, and critical viewpoint for building momentum with diverse groups.