The history of activism is, in part, the history of a struggle between opposing worldviews. On one extreme is the idealist who hews to highest principles and refuses to compromise, regardless of efficacy, in service of radical transformation. At the other pole is the pragmatist who prioritizes progress, even if it is incremental or at the expense of ideological purity, and makes compromises behind closed doors to achieve any amount of progress.
This debate continues in this new golden era of grassroots politics, and it inevitably involves the foundations and professional advocates seeking to improve public policy…