Brian Kettenring
Brian Kettenring discusses his early political influences in New Jersey and how he entered organizing work with ACORN in Chicago in 1995. He describes his progression through several roles within the organization, including directing offices in Chicago, Oakland, Sacramento, and multiple cities in Florida, as well as overseeing ACORN’s Southern region. The interview addresses major campaigns such as the Florida minimum-wage ballot initiative and the internal and external pressures leading to ACORN’s dissolution in 2010. Kettenring also reflects on the organizers, movements, and political moments that shaped his approach to the work. He concludes by outlining the development of successor organizations that eventually formed the Center for Popular Democracy, where he later became co-executive director.