How Powerful We Are: Behind the scenes with one of Australia’s leading activists

Incisive, blistering and tender. Sally is one of our most valiant warriors.‘ - Clementine Ford, author of FIGHT LIKE A GIRL and BOYS WILL BE BOYS 'Proof that the personal is always political - and love really can save the world.’ - Jamila Rizvi, author of NOT JUST LUCKY ‘Rugg’s passion and insight make for a propulsive tale’ - Sydney Morning Herald Even if you’re not an activist (yet), at a time when the news is written for clicks and elections are fought with three-word slogans, it’s crucial to preserve some record of events that isn’t ‘fake news’ or political spin. In part, this book is my attempt to counter the re-writing of how Australia achieved one of the most significant social changes in a generation. Sally Rugg is one of Australia’s most influential campaigners for social change. HOW POWERFUL WE ARE is her manifesto for championing what you believe is right. In these pages Sally will teach you some of the things she learnt on the marriage equality campaign: how to develop a strategy, how to frame your messages, how to get your campaign to the media, how to build community power. And she’ll share with you the much harder lessons learnt: the consequences of campaign decisions; how to weather criticism and harassment from every angle; and how, in mass campaign movements, nothing is black and white.