Joe Szakos
Encyclopedia
Joe Szakos is a community organizer and author. He was coordinator of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
(KFTC) from 1981 to 1993, and has been executive director of the Virginia Organizing Project
since 1994.
. His paternal grandparents were Hungarian immigrants, and his maternal grandparents were Italian immigrants. He earned a bachelors degree from Washington and Jefferson College, graduating in 1976 with honors in political science and sociology. He earned a masters degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago
in 1979.
(Floyd County
) in 1979. He worked as a reporter for the Martin Countian in Inez, Kentucky
in 1980-81, and field coordinator for the Appalachian Alliance in 1982. In December 1982 he became coordinator of the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition (KFTC), which became Kentuckians For The Commonwealth in 1988. After ten years with KTFC, Szakos spent a year in 1993-94 as director of a community organizing project in Nagykovácsi
, Hungary. He returned to the U.S. in 1994 to become the founding executive director of the Virginia Organizing Project
.
In a 2005 paper Szakos emphasized the need for a collective recruitment plan for community organizers. He has completed two books on community organizing
with his wife, Kristin Layng Szakos. One book (We Make Change, 2007) is based on more than 75 interviews with community organizers across the country about what they do and why they do it. The other (Lessons from the Field, 2008) is a compilation of essays written by experienced rural community organizers, sharing lessons they have learned.
In 2009, Szakos was arrested http://my.firedoglake.com/jasonrosenbaum/2009/11/25/charges-dropped-against-joe-szakos-the-anthem-blue-cross-customer-arrested-for-questioning-rate-increases/ by his own health insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, after he tried to ask why his organization's premiums had risen 14%.
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth is a grassroots community organization founded in 1981. Though statewide, KFTC has deep roots in eastern Kentucky where coal mining remains the dominant industry...
(KFTC) from 1981 to 1993, and has been executive director of the Virginia Organizing Project
Virginia Organizing Project
Virginia Organizing, formerly known as Virginia Organizing Project, is a statewide grassroots organization in Virginia dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives. Virginia Organizing especially encourages the...
since 1994.
Early life
Joseph Szakos was born March 8, 1954, in Greensburg, PennsylvaniaGreensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
. His paternal grandparents were Hungarian immigrants, and his maternal grandparents were Italian immigrants. He earned a bachelors degree from Washington and Jefferson College, graduating in 1976 with honors in political science and sociology. He earned a masters degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1979.
Career as Community Organizer
Szakos began his work in eastern Kentucky working on housing development in DavidDavid, Kentucky
David is an unincorporated community in Floyd County, Kentucky, United States along County Route 404. Located in the Appalachian Mountains, it lies approximately 100 miles southeast of Lexington. The town was named for David L. Francis, President of Princess Elkhorn Coal Company which originally...
(Floyd County
Floyd County, Kentucky
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1800. As of 2000, the population was 42,441. Its county seat is Prestonsburg. The county is named for Colonel John Floyd .-History:...
) in 1979. He worked as a reporter for the Martin Countian in Inez, Kentucky
Inez, Kentucky
There were 212 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone...
in 1980-81, and field coordinator for the Appalachian Alliance in 1982. In December 1982 he became coordinator of the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition (KFTC), which became Kentuckians For The Commonwealth in 1988. After ten years with KTFC, Szakos spent a year in 1993-94 as director of a community organizing project in Nagykovácsi
Nagykovácsi
Nagykovácsi is a small town in the Pilisvörösvári kistérség district of Hungary situated some north-east of the centre of Budapest, in a valley, at an altitude of 340 metres. It is located next to the second district of Budapest...
, Hungary. He returned to the U.S. in 1994 to become the founding executive director of the Virginia Organizing Project
Virginia Organizing Project
Virginia Organizing, formerly known as Virginia Organizing Project, is a statewide grassroots organization in Virginia dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives. Virginia Organizing especially encourages the...
.
In a 2005 paper Szakos emphasized the need for a collective recruitment plan for community organizers. He has completed two books on community organizing
Community organizing
Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
with his wife, Kristin Layng Szakos. One book (We Make Change, 2007) is based on more than 75 interviews with community organizers across the country about what they do and why they do it. The other (Lessons from the Field, 2008) is a compilation of essays written by experienced rural community organizers, sharing lessons they have learned.
In 2009, Szakos was arrested http://my.firedoglake.com/jasonrosenbaum/2009/11/25/charges-dropped-against-joe-szakos-the-anthem-blue-cross-customer-arrested-for-questioning-rate-increases/ by his own health insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, after he tried to ask why his organization's premiums had risen 14%.