A Different Kind of Politics

On January 21st, Common Ground held its first Action of 2020. Members of our church, along with 12 other organizations in Vallejo, Napa, and Fairfield gathered in the gym at St. Basils Church to use our voices, and to tell our stories. Many stories dealt with issues around housing like rentals and mobile homes; issues with education and schools; issues with vacant lots and trash on the road; issues with aging family members; issues with police relations and community safety. All of the stories were very personal, and all of them were heard by the community, City Council members including the Mayor, police officers, and county politicians.

By the end of the evening, Common Ground got commitments from the Mayor, the new Police Chief, two current County Supervisors, and two people running for the seat, to meet with them to discuss these issues and work toward solving them.

This is the different kind of politics Common Ground wants. They want to be at the forefront of the issues, and have a seat at the table with the people who hold the power to change it. They do not want a few making all the decisions for the many.

Community organizing isn’t glamorous or flashy. It is hard work that takes dedication and time. Of course we all wish that change could happen overnight, but in reality, sustainable lasting change takes a long time. You need to do research, talk to people with knowledge, and speak with the community which is impacted, so you can create plans that are grounded in reality and will stick.

On February 11^th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm Common Ground will have its first Leader Meeting since the Action, hosted by our church in the Fellowship Hall. They will talk about the Action and about where to go from here. If you would like to have a seat at the table, you are all encouraged to attend.