In the last eight months, I have become
deeply involved in the work of Occupy
Our Homes DC (OOHDC). Our goal is to prevent unjust foreclosures
and evictions of homeowners and tenants in our area. We have taken a
multifaceted approach that brings pressure to bear on the people and
structures that are bullying our friends: We engage public
officials, conventional news reporters, social media campaigns, and -
of course - the banks themselves. These are areas where we are
strong, and getting stronger.
But our toolbox is still missing a
screwdriver or two. In my view, our most critical "growing edge"
is the way we engage with the neighborhoods where our homeowners and
tenants live. Our media campaign is surging; we are figuring out
where the banks' pressure points are; and we have a strong base in
the DC activist community - but so far we have mostly neglected the
real source of grassroots power that will make or break us as an
organization.
Last week, we had a community barbecue
at the home of Deborah
Harris. The idea was for Deborah's neighbors to come have a hot
dog and learn about the details of her case. We hoped to develop
awareness within the community where the foreclosure is actually
taking place, because if this could happen to Deborah, it could
happen to any of us.
In preparation for the barbecue, we
spent our evenings canvassing the area. We went door to door, asking
folks to sign
a petition to Freddie Mac; we followed up with an invite to the
barbecue. These nights out in the neighborhood were the highlight of
my summer! It was so amazing to get into the streets and talk to
other DC residents about the issues affecting the neighborhood. By
the time the barbecue rolled around, we had collected a lot of
signatures and convinced some people to show up for the cook-out.
Even more importantly for me, I had gained a much better
understanding of the character of Deborah's neighborhood, and of the
concerns that local residents share.
It turns out that foreclosures are not
limited to Deborah's house. When we were canvassing we met other
individuals who were being thrown out of their homes by the banks,
and many others knew someone who had been foreclosed on. Some of
Deborah's neighbors viewed these foreclosures as being part of a
system that is pushing older, African-American residents out of the
neighborhood, making way for the next wave of gentrification. There
was a lot going on in Deborah's part of town, and I felt sure that if
we dug just a little deeper we would learn even more!
In my mind, getting out into the
neighborhood was our first serious step into community organizing.
Previously, we had largely been operating out of an advocacy
model, seeking to create change "on behalf of" affected
communities. This is not what we wanted of course, but so many of us
have professional backgrounds in advocacy work that it is hard to
break the habit. But now I see an opportunity for us to explore
models that place our local neighborhoods and community networks at
the center of the process, encouraging the whole community to express
their needs and to determine what is necessary to achieve their
goals.
As these developments have unfolded, I
have been deeply inspired by conversations with veteran organizer
Laura Dungan - founder of Sunflower
Community Action in Wichita, Kansas. She has taken time out to
take me under her wing, nurturing me with her wealth of experience,
as well as acquainting me with the example of her own mentor, Shel
Trapp. I am catching a vision for what grassroots,
people-centered organizing might look like here in DC.
As I begin to explore what this all
means, I have a lot of questions: What is the relationship between my
calling to gospel ministry and this new opening to grassroots
organizing in an apparently secular setting? How can I bear testimony
to the life and power of Jesus Christ, while deeply respecting and
working closely with those who do not necessarily profess faith in
him? What is the right balance of action and contemplation,
engagement with the wider society and grounding within the Church?
What steps can I take to be sure that I ask in every moment and
situation: "Lord, show me where you are at work. Use my life to
reveal your hidden power and love."
1 comment:
I do like where you are going / are being led. We Quakers can't engage an issue keeping our feet out of the mud. This is that "Presente" sense, that we need to encounter within ourselves, and within our communities.
And so what if our -common-union- meal is a burger? It is still Sacred space, a Sacred encounter! More of us Friends need to find our way here.
Thanks!
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