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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2011)
An Opinion: By Rich Harwood The past few years have brought an increasingly divisive and acrimonious political atmosphere. But, it’s still clear that people want to come together, people want to be a part of something larger than themselves, people want to act. The good news is people are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. We must tap into this energy and spirit as it can launch us forward. Last February, I wrote about how we can get started in mobilizing people to act. As we start this new year, I wanted to return to those 5 keys: 1. Turn outward toward the community – the very first step for anyone interested in mobilizing America is to turn outward toward our communities. Too many volunteer, civic engagement and other well-intentioned community efforts are done with an organization-first approach – a narrow view that often starts and ends with fulfilling one’s own programmatic goals, strategic plans, and metrics for community involvement. To have a fighting chance for success, we must make the community the reference point, not our individual programs. 2. Focus on people’s shared aspirations – not the community’s problems – people feel the full weight of their individual and community “problems.”And yet, when asked about their aspirations, they are quick to offer an alternate view of what can be. These opinion january11 2011 Five Keys for Mobilizing America aspirations don’t arise through “visioning” exercises and happy talk. People must come together to define their shared aspirations, for only then can we find points of common action. Our shared aspirations are the starting point for mobilizing America. 5. Tell stories of self-trust and hope – in many communities, the common narrative is one of decline, diminished hopes, even defeat. And yet, as positive actions occur, we can combat this ingrained narrative. But we must be careful. More business- as-usual storytelling – hyped public relations and cutesy vignettes – will only dampen people’s spirits. While those stories “seem” real – people know better – and feel their reality is being manipulated. Instead, we must tell authentic stories of change, ones that reflect our trials and errors, successes and failures, and lessons learned. Let’s call them civic parables. These stories, when real, help us restore our faith in one another and in our individual and collective ability to build stronger communities. 3. Get people doing actual work together – people don’t simply want to volunteer for an hour here and there. Instead, they’re yearning for the opportunity to build deep and lasting relationships and be part of something larger – indeed, to address the sense of connection and caring that has been weakened or severed as they’ve hunkered down to ride out the storm. Thus, more “plug-and-play” volunteer programs won’t do the trick this time; people want to roll-up There is enormous their sleeves and work together – and over time. They want to do potential to mobilize Americans today to rebuild our communities. something real. The truth is people don’t need to 4. Move in a common direction – wait for Washington to get going. In too often volunteer and community fact, the real energy and spirit lives efforts are based on episodic, ad in our communities. So, let’s start hoc activities where the emphasis is now. Let’s mobilize people. Let’s on making the individual volunteer rebuild America. “feel good.” The focus is often This article appeared in scattered, all too often not directed at the public good, and as a result Rich Harwood’s “Redeeming Hope yield limited impact. Simply calling Blog” on January 4, 2011 and was on people to volunteer will not help reprinted with permission. Richard Harwood is the people rebuild their communities. We must create, together, in founder of The Harwood Institute individual communities and across for Public Innovation a non-profit, the country, a common sense of non-partisan organization that direction to guide what we do, and seeks nothing less than to spark to make sure what we’re doing add fundamental change and authentic hope in American public life. up to something real. In Memory of: Dan Molling Dorothy Sassewalker Coady Nellie Tipton Bob Frederickson Norv Wikstrom Irene Minger Wayne Welch Tom Holce Ruth Vealey Rena Brady Miller Wilbur Jones - - Oregon American Logger Jack Heenan Virgil Hiveley Elizabeth L. Holsey Mike Cook Opal Counts Bob Jackson Frank Harlan Enyart 3 Publisher and Managing Editor Scott Laird 503-367-0098 scott@vernoniasvoice.com Photography Scott Laird Copy Editor Dennis Nicks Contributors Lynn Berry Joan Gailic Rich Harwood Shannon Romtvedt Burt Tschache Want to advertise? Contact: ads@vernoniasvoice.com Have an article? Contact: news@vernoniasvoice.com One year subscriptions (24 issues) $35 PO Box 55 Vernonia, OR 97064 503-367-0098 www.VernoniasVoice.com Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Look for our next issue January 25th. In Memory of: Jane Dennis White Maxine Shaw George & Irma Johnson Micky Bruers and Don Bruers Irene Kerns John Ricker James Kopp Frances Lentz “Kitty Bones” In Honor of: Barbara Jackson Vernonia Foursquare Congregation Bill Langmaid Patty Stacklie
