Reclaiming
Advocacy

"Centering Humanity in the Work of Justice"

Integrity-based Advocacy

Integrity, Discipline, & Humanity

Explore a simple but uncomfortable truth: justice cannot be built through tactics that undermine our humanity. While moral conviction matters, how we pursue change matters just as much.

Here, we examine why advocacy efforts so often become reactive, punitive, or performative — and what actually produces lasting, measurable progress. Drawing from research, clinical insight, systems thinking, and historical examples, these essays are an invitation to rethink how we advocate, lead, and organize.

Evidence & Empathy

How Principles Keep Our Advocacy from Becoming Toxic

Advocacy rooted in justice and dignity can still become harmful when values aren’t anchored in principles. This article explores how integrity, self-awareness, and principled engagement protect movements from drifting into toxic advocacy.

Don Schweitzer

Feb 256 min read

The Permission Structure: Toxic Advocacy and Integrity

How We Learned to Be Cruel & Feel Righteous About It At some point, we built a permission structure that made cruelty feel like courage. What once would have been unthinkable (mocking, shaming, or dehumanizing others in the name of “ justice ” or “ truth ”) has become a kind of moral performance. It didn’t happen overnight. Slowly, through politics, social media, and cultural reinforcement, we constructed a system of cues and stories that made it not only acceptable to act w

Toxic Advocacy

Don Schweitzer

Dec 29, 20258 min read

Dr. Don Schweitzer, PhD, LMSW, is a veteran and trauma-informed clinician who bridges the gap between academic evidence and real-world care. From working in homeless shelters to higher education, his work investigation how systems fracture—and how they can be rebuilt with integrity

"This is not a rejection of justice work. It is a call to do it better — with integrity, discipline, and a clear-eyed focus on outcomes that endure."

Is Your Mission Drifting?

Today’s leaders face fragmentation and ideological fatigue. Join Dr. Don for a 30-minute Strategy Session to identify your organization's blind spots and reclaim your impact.

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Reclaiming Advocacy