Caroline Murray, the unstoppable long-time executive director of the Springfield-based Alliance to Develop Power, has left the group after 18 years.
In its early days, ADP—at the time, the initials stood for the Anti-Displacement Project—worked with tenants at low-income housing developments to organize to buy the complexes and run them cooperatively. But over the years, the organization dramatically expanded its scope to take on a broad range of social and economic justice issues, as indicated by its name change. Among its long list of accomplishments: developing United for Hire, a worker-owned landscaping and maintenance business; running food co-ops, in Springfield, Westfield and Greenfield; and organizing politically to fight for immigrant rights, economic justice, and workers’ rights, among many issues.
ADP’s model relies on developing leaders from within the community, so that the people most affected by social and economic disparities play a key role in developing solutions. Nonetheless, much of ADP’s success can be traced back to Murray’s committed leadership, a mix of fierceness, intelligence, humor and empathy.
“At a time when ideologues are attacking the most fundamental rights of low-income communities, immigrants, communities of color and workers, ADP reminds us that we are all in it together—that justice denied to some is justice denied to all of us,” Murray said in announcing her departure. “I know ADP will continue to blaze a path to a better future for everyone and I am grateful to have been part of the journey thus far.”
Tim Fisk, previously managing director at ADP, has assumed the role of interim executive director for the nonce—and promises that the group will continue to fight the good fight. “We are very excited about this new phase for ADP. We are strong and ready to take on new challenges and bring this 20-year organization to the next level,” Fisk said. “It is an exciting time for grassroots leaders here in America and around the world. ADP leaders are more resolved than ever to create the world as it should be—to fight for fair and just policy reform, to build strong, vibrant neighborhoods, and to foster the growth of ADP’s network of cooperative institutions.”
