GoLeft’s Star-Activist Interviews - Francis Calpotura

GoLeft’s Star-Activist Interviews
GoLeft tracks where pop culture and activism meet (who doesn’t enjoy the escapism of Hollywood and the great shoes?), but the real celebrities of our world are the progressives working every day to fight injustice, improve everyone’s quality of life, and build community. So here’s our version of the celebrity profile: GoLeft’s Star-Activist Interviews, which helps us get to know some amazing people doing fascinating (and important) work.

Interview with Francis Calpotura

Francis is the founder and Executive Director of the Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research & Action (TIGRA). Our GoLeft interview with Francis involved lots of laughter and a refreshing take on organizing new constituencies against targets with overwhelming resources. During his more than 20 years of organizing, Francis has been just as committed to his sense of humor as to the issues and sees the humanizing factor or ability to relate as crucial in community organizing. To find out more about the work Francis is doing, visit http://www.transnationalaction.org
In addition to TIGRA’s website you can also check out their campaign at http://www.boycottwesternunion.net.
You can also reach Francis at .

GL: How do you explain your work to people?

Francis: I let people know that on a good day, what we try to do is organize a new global constituency to challenge the current development equation--one based in neo-liberalism that forces people to move out of their countries for survival. We work to change the relationship of people who have been forced to move with those institutions that have forced them to move.

GL: What is great about being an organizer?

Francis: It challenges you in all of your being. You’re challenged to be creative. You’re challenged to be humble. You’re challenged to throw caution to the wind. And because you’re building relationships, you are challenged to trust that people are going to be with you, to move with you. And you’re challenged to trust that change is going to happen as a result of all of that.

GL: What makes you a great organizer?

Francis: When I was growing up I felt I had this uncanny ability to feel people’s thoughts or sentiments and being able to empathize deeply--not only what their issues are but also their dreams and aspirations. An organizer gives them opportunities to act out on their hopes not just their fears.

GL: What is the best line you’ve ever used to engage someone in your campaign?

Francis: “There’s food” – that works pretty well. I’ve also had good reactions when I tell people “you have the power to change the situation that your family or community faces.” Usually people don’t see that. Providing people with a vision that they matter but also that they can make a difference.

GL: What do you love about pop culture?

Francis: It defines what is important to people. It defines how we have the beginning conversation. You can pull something from pop culture that can be an opening line that can lead to a deeper conversation that can change both of your lives.

GL: When was the last time you used a pop cultural reference in your work?

Francis: Our focus is mainly with immigrant communities who are forced to leave their countries to make money to send back to their families. In our current campaign where we target money lending institutions like Western Union to stop exploiting people in vulnerable situations, we use a popular culture figure more prominent in Mexican American culture – the Gringo Bandito – because he is the image of stealing people’s money.


GL:  Which celebrity would you love to come out on your issue and why?

Francis: Selma Hayek. She has a gravitas to her and is very involved with women issues. She resonates with Latinos but is broader than that, She crosses communities very well.

GL: What are the pitfalls that you see celebrities can make when becoming active on issues?

Francis: It becomes detrimental when any celebrity thinks that they have the answers by themselves and or can change the world by themselves and disregard what other people’s work has been. Basically anytime they embody the “male white privilege thinking” and feeling that I’m a celebrity so I will change this—that’s problematic.

GL: What music lyrics do you live by?

Francis: About 20 years ago I just started spontaneously bursting out singing while in the office or during training sessions the lyrics from the Producers – “Springtime for Hitler and Germany.” Besides the fun I get from this, I do believe it has a lesson for organizers – you can be silly and people have more access to you. Engagement is not all about issues or about serious stuff; it’s about being human. People see me have a good time singing and say “hey, he’s a real person.”

GL: Is there a relationship depicted in pop culture (fictional or real) that you admire or think is a healthy model? Why?

Francis: My thinking on this has evolved. When I first saw the movie Reds I thought that was a cool relationship – it’s lively, they are making sacrifices “for the cause”; it was a relationship to aspire to. As I do organizing now, I see it for the privilege that it is. Being in the movement is important but so is having fun and really nurturing a relationship so that that becomes the central part of what you do. I saw a revolution happen in the Philippines. Some people who were involved in it, the revolution became a religion to them. And when the revolution failed, people went crazy. Life is much more than a cause; it’s much more than a revolution. Life is not religion.

GL: How do you balance your passion for your activism with your passion for your partner?

Francis: What I’ve found for myself through the years is that your partner has to be in the movement. Not doing the same work as you, but you both have to have that understanding of what the work entails and how to support each other. For it to be a real partnership you have to navigate all the issues that come from being in the movement – time, priorities, traveling too much.

GL: Does your family support the work that you do and is that important to you?

Francis: Very important. I’m not saying that everyone in your family has to know exactly what you’re doing; my brothers and sisters definitely know more than my mother. But my mother recently explained what I did to someone, to one of her friends, and she told them that I’m a human rights advocate. That was pretty cool.

GL: When solicitors come to your door do you answer or pretend not to be home?

Francis: When I’m in the mood I open the door because I want to hear their rap. I do make sure to be out of the house during Halloween though because I know that rap is unconvincing. “Trick or treat” doesn’t do anything for me no matter how cute the kids are.

GL: What is your astrological sign and how does that affect your organizing?

Francis: I’m a Cancer, which is perfect for organizing. As a water sign, you always go to the level of the ground so you always have to start where people are at – embrace people where they are. Plus as a water sign you know and believe in the ability for transformation.

GL: What is one truth you were told about sex/love/relationships from your parents?

Francis: We’re Catholics so nothing, because we don’t talk about sex.

This is a hard question because we’re taught so many lies; lies that become burdens held in a cultural frame. Every time I go back to the Philippines I see how culture is framed within conservative Catholic values.

I guess if I had to pick a truth, it was that relationships are important. Relationships are a strong fabric in one’s being. This gets distorted in conservative religion where you have to stay in that relationship even if its detrimental or you’re being abused.