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 11th
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.
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