holly hammond, Author at The Commons

hand writing on blackboard with piece of chalk Volunteers welcome

Volunteer with the Commons Library!

Are you passionate about social change? Help make activism smarter and stronger by volunteering with the Commons Social Change Library.

Painting of bell hooks with her face purposeful and compassionate, resting her chin on her hand. Her hair is an afro over which text is written in white capital letters" "“The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is testimony as the practice of freedom.”

bell hooks – Ideas for Social Justice

bell hooks’ ideas have resonated widely. This resource-set focuses on her contributions to three key concepts in social justice movements: understanding intersecting structures of power; practising love, as a verb, as a pathway to justice; and the transformative power of teaching/learning as activism.

A red square with white text reading 'Dealing with Far-Right Interventions in Our Movements: 8 Ways Activists & Organisers Can Respond'

Dealing with Far-Right Interventions in Left-Wing and Progressive Movements

An examination of the growing influence of far-right and conspiracy-driven ideologies, including interventions in left-wing and progressive movements. The article outlines eight ways activists and organisers can respond.

Home Grown: Mapping Australian Organising Models

A new research project to map organising models in Australia, with examples from three organisations: Australian Conservation Foundation, Results Australia, and Amnesty International Australia. Presented at FWD+Organise 2021.

Cover of the book Grassroots and Nonprofit Leadership.

Identity Groups to Build Diversity and Power

This extract from the book Grassroots and Nonprofit Leadership outlines the value of identity groups, also known as caucuses and affinity spaces.

Three participants in a Community Organising Fellowship talk together. They hold folders and the room includes a whiteboard and training charts.

Community Organising Leadership in Uncertain Times

Max Smith, co-director of the Community Organising Fellowship, outlines his thoughts on the practice of leadership for community organisers, and what it’s like to practice leadership during uncertain times created by the pandemic.

Three friends of varying genders taking a selfie in a park with a polaroid camera

Quotes from Beyond the Gender Binary

Quotes which draw on contemporary experiences of living beyond the gender binary to inspire collective action, resistance and solidarity.

Photograph of a report with the title 'Passing the Message Stick'

Passing the Message Stick: A Guide for Changing the Story on Self-Determination and Justice

The words we use matter! The Passing the Message Stick report gathers research and recommendations about the messages that work to promote First Nations justice. Read an excerpt, watch the briefing session, and download the full report.

Tips for Life in Lockdown

Tips for personal and collective wellbeing and resilience during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. Insights from a survey by Commons Librarians.

A crowd of protestors at marriage equality rally. There are colourful rainbow flags, banners and in the foreground three people are holding signs that say Vote Yes with a green tick.

Marriage Equality Campaign Timeline and Reflections

A timeline of events related to the Australian campaign for marriage equality along with reflection and analysis related to Australian, Irish and US campaigns.

Cover of the booklet We Will Not Cancel Us. The cover is bright pink with black text.

We Will Not Cancel Us: Book Review

Review of the booklet We Will Not Cancel Us – And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice by adrienne maree brown. Discusses transformative justice approaches as an alternative accountability measure to ‘canceling’ individual harm-doers.

A large daffodil grows out of a concrete block. The block is a prison cell with metal bars. The daffodil's stem, leaves and roots are breaking through the block and causing cracks. Text reads: Imagining long-term solutions to violence, including sexual harassment, is part of a larger abolitionist project to foster community-wide changes instead of distributing individual punishments.

Transformative Approaches to Conflict Resolution

This article introduces some of the key concepts of transformative justice and provides links to a wide array of resources. Transformative justice describes a systems approach to identifying root causes of conflict and responding to these as a community.