Formed in 2007, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC) builds transformative relational power with everyday Ohioans for statewide social, racial, and economic justice.
Ohio is a state of working people who believe in the power of grit and resilience. Ohioans are looking for a future they can believe in for themselves and their children, but corporate power has taken over our government for the benefit of a few. Legislators make decisions in the interest of corporate donors at the expense of working families.
Urban, suburban, and rural communities alike suffer the loss of wealth and family members due to policies from a racist, classist, and ineffective drug war based on the premise that community safety requires putting people—especially Black people and poor people—in cages.
These same CEOs and politicians remain committed to low wages, unconstitutionally underfunded schools, and tax breaks for the most wealthy individuals in our state. Corporations hold down wages so that many full-time employees qualify for SNAP and public assistance. Lawmakers refuse funds for health and nutrition for residents struggling to make ends meet.
As corporations profit off poisoning our earth and our people, many Ohioans who are unemployed or live check to check struggle with depression and addiction. Hopelessness takes a heavy toll on communities across our state. Decades of negligent and destructive practices have defined Ohio. Now, it’s time for the people to enter the conversation.
We believe that every Ohioan has value. Whether white, black, or brown, we believe that people who work for a living ought to make a living. We believe that Ohioans should be able to retire with dignity and prepare our kids for the future. We believe everyone should have access to quality food, housing, transportation, and medical care. Everyone means everyone, no matter your zip code.
The OOC was borne of the lived experiences of leaders across the state. We know that in order to see our families and communities into the future, we must collaborate and build a resistance to corporate greed and political corruption. We know that together we have more power than corporations and the legislature that makes the laws we have to live by.
We envision a fighting organization of strong people, savvy and courageous enough to know when to escalate and when to negotiate. We will continue to recruit, train, and move into action with a new generation of grassroots leaders. We will continue to win. And we will harness that momentum towards a statewide movement that transforms our Ohio.
