3 things you can do today to build community power
Building community power is key to strengthening community connection and agency (i.e., being able to make and influence decisions!), building buy-in for policies and system changes that support our health and planet, and reducing corporate power.
Which all sounds great, but how in the world does one build community power?
We’ll tackle what community coalitions and groups can do in another post but today's post is just about you. What can YOU do, especially if you aren't already part of a coalition or group advocating for change in your community?
Text your neighbors, your local friend group, your book club, your church group, your basketball team, whoever your people in your local community are. Find a time to get together IRL and be intentional about what you’ll do in that time. Here are some options ot consider:
check in on how they are,
discuss how you all can help each other,
share how connected you each feel to your community (and what might help strengthen that),
find out if there are any local policy issues folks are interested in working together on.
Whatever set of questions feels right for your particular group, explore them. Feeling a sense of community and connection are step 1 before any meaningful organizing or joint action can happen.
If you don’t know your neighbors or have “your people” in your local community yet, take some initial steps to build that (even if for no reason other than your own sense of community!). It’ll feel hard and uncomfortable at first, but know that many others are also seeking community and will be grateful you reached out or showed up.
See when your next local school board, planning commission, or health coalition meeting is and put it on your calendar to attend (take a neighbor with you if you can!). Before you have a sense of what to advocate for locally, you need a lay of the land, an understanding of the key players, and more information about the pros and cons of various policies under consideration. The first step to having your voice heard is being present and informed.
Find your local newspaper, news website, radio station, or other media outlet - start reading/listening, subscribe to it if you can, and keep it in mind if you advertise for your company. Strong local newsrooms help us: hold local public officials, agencies, and businesses accountable; investigate community problems; highlight community solutions that work; and build community connections.
Many of us have lost our “civic muscle” over years of living in relative comfort and safety - it’s time to pick up those weights. Start small. Start local. You got this.