The Maine People’s Alliance

Mike Allen, Ph.D.

With 32,000 members, the Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is the largest community action organization in Maine. This powerful and well-organized grassroots movement aims to produce progressive social change. MPA leads state campaigns for expanded health care access, toxics use reduction, affordable housing, universal home care, clean elections reform, racial justice, immigrant rights, a higher minimum wage, and tax fairness, among other issues.

MPA held its annual 2025 Persistence Summit over the weekend. This was my first experience with MPA. We gathered for a full day on a small farm in China, Maine. During the morning, there were plenary sessions in a large post-and-beam barn, followed by smaller skills-training workshops in various outbuildings during the afternoon.

The first morning presentation, on Non-Cooperative Training, was given by Rev. Dr. Jodi Cohen Hayashida and focused on how to resist core elements of authoritarianism. The second was a panel titled Debrief of the First Six Months of Trump, featuring Kristen Cloutier, Garrett Martin, Mike Tipping, and Charles Kahn.

There were two rounds of skills training with the following options to choose from:

1.     Electoral Campaign Skills

2.     1:1 Training: How Not to Have the Same Three People at Your Meeting

3.     Self-Interest, Resilience in Organizing, and Personal Ecology

4.     How to Take Strategic Action

5.     How to Pass a Local Resolution

I chose the 1:1 training with Nyawal Lia and the Self-Interest and Resilience training with Rev. Dr. Jodi. The 1:1 training focused on community relationship-building skills, particularly the first relational meeting organizers have with community members. The training emphasized the importance of authentic encounters, active listening, and using personal stories to explore common ground and evaluate potential connections.

The Self-Interest, Resilience in Organizing, and Personal Ecology training discussed how to balance different considerations when encountering others who may not share our views. Should we have difficult conversations that are unlikely to succeed, if it means being true to ourselves? Is it sometimes better to conserve emotional energy in order to press on later? The session also stressed the importance of connecting with our own interior landscape by regularly checking in with ourselves.

My day spent with the Maine People’s Alliance was productive and uplifting. The presentations were detailed and informative without being overwhelming. The training sessions were engaging and seemed grounded in extensive thought, experience, and research. Although a day of presentations and training can be exhausting, I left the 2025 Persistence Summit feeling refreshed.

There are also many younger people involved in MPA, which I believe contributes to the overall feeling of vitality. MPA is very well organized and poised to produce change. Its people are engaged, motivated, and friendly. Based on what I experienced at the Persistence Summit, this organization is highly recommended.