“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities” Testimonies from the 2nd U.S. Mentors Delegation Visiting Europe November 24 — December 15, 2012 Adam Keck, Youngstown, Ohio Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) “I attended an international organizers meeting in Richmond, VA in April of 2012. The conference was one of the last events for the first exchange program of Eastern Europeans to the United States and I went there with organizers from Romania and Slovakia who spent time with me and my organization in the Mahoning Valley. From this conference, I had several expectations for the program: I wanted to 1) gain a better understanding of organizing in an entirely different cultural, social, historical, and economic context than I’m used to in my work, 2) continue to build the relationships that I built in the States with ambitious organizers here in the target countries, as well as continue to foster organizing skills with these colleagues and their peers, and 3) understand the complex issues surrounding minority communities in Eastern Europe and, when possible, help to come up with strategies to engage them in the process of community organizing. My 21 days in Eastern Europe took me to diverse communities that seemed to share one thing: each is a richer place because there are dedicated people thinking creatively about how to apply the concepts of American community organizing to their own unique community contexts. It has been exciting to see the progress that each of the members of the delegations have made. Despite needing more resources dedicated to community organizing in each country, the delegation participants are adapting the skills that they learned in their American exchanges to their own work. For my own experience, I can say that each of my expectations has been fulfilled. Speaking with people in Eastern Europe has made me struggle with how to express organizing universals through language and cultural barriers. Advising my colleagues in Europe and gaining better clarity about their unique challenges has been incredibly rewarding and I look forward to keeping up with each alumni through email and Skype about how to push forward. Finally, strategizing with local groups about how to engage minority communities in their work has given me hope that Roma, immigrant, and other minorities will soon be a part of community efforts to organize.”
Louis Goseland, Wichita, Kansas Sunflower Community Action (SCA) “My experience in this program has become a milestone in my path as a community organizer. By sharing my work with participants in developing democracies, I have been prompted to reflect on the effectiveness of the community organizing method in raising marginalized voices in the larger decision making arena. I have also been inspired by the enthusiasm and actions of those who have participated in this program, and I have observed a real potential to successfully implement this method in Eastern Europe. Overall, the present program has been effective in reaching across borders, cultures, and professional experiences to bring people together to explore the possibilities of community organizing, and to imagine a democracy that works for everyone.”
Martha Valadez, Detroit, Michigan Harriet Tubman Center (HTC) “I wanted to thank you for this opportunity and this experience with the Great Lakes Consortium exchange program. My time in Europe has pushed me to think deeply about my work and I have been moved by the people I have met in Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary. Coming from a minority background and working with youth and parents who also share the same background I was excited to participate in this program Coming here strengthened my awareness of why I am organizing in Southwest Detroit and allowed me the opportunity to see how strong the hunger for organizing is here in Eastern Europe. I am more humble because I met people who are developing a strong network to fight for democracy in Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. Visiting the developing organizers and nonprofit organizations resulted in deep conversations, sharing of meaningful experiences, and long lasting relationships. The program was set up so that the U.S. mentors could present, facilitate, consult, and engage Eastern European aspiring organizers. This happened, but I also realized that I gained much of the same experience. There were times where we were able to sit back, listen, and process much of what was presented to us on behalf of former European alumni or presentations by social service, advocacy, and community development nonprofit organizations. I heard stories of success and stories of struggles related to the engagement of community in the three countries we visited. What was exciting to me is that I was able to push people to think about their work through new lenses and push them to think about engaging people in a more empowering way. As a participant in this program, I was able to share, engage, and relate to diverse populations in this part of the world. I was able to share stories about really great people I have been fortunate to work with through community organizing and I now have really great stories to return home with. With new concepts introduced, European application of community organizing practices presented, and grassroots folks inspired and motivated, I feel that it is safe to return back to Michigan!”
Rachid Elabed, Dearborn, Michigan Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) “During my three weeks visiting Eastern Europe I have found that communities are facing the same issues as the U.S. today. This trip overall really had an impact on my life! I had no idea us Americans have common issues Europeans face today. Growing up and becoming a community organizer, I really only focused on issues my own country is facing. I never took the time and research what other parts of the world is dealing with day to day. I was too happy to have the opportunity to meet community leaders and organizers that want change for a better Europe. Since community organizing is new to Eastern Europe, I was happy that I could share my experience and resources in Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary. All because of this trip I have expanded my network to Eastern Europe where I plan to follow up with new potential community organizers so we can share strategies and resources on common issues.” Sponsored by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division. Organized by Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development with its collaborating partners in Europe: CEGA in Bulgaria, CeRe in Romania, CKO in Slovakia and CCF in Hungary
Jennifer Hadlock, New York City, New York Organizer for Community Voices Heard (CVH) “After hosting a first pair of exchange participants from Romania and Hungary I realized this is a chance to explore the difference in economic history and appreciation for democracy and maybe support some other people being exposed to the power and benefits of community organizing. In Slovakia, we were exposed to neighborhood organizing in Banska Bystrica which reminded me of my old organizing issues in Hartford. We also visited two different Roma communities which had differences and similarities with poverty and racial disparities in the U.S. The delegation was excited to expose some people to organizing and to hear about some victories through advocacy that could build to organizing. It was also great to meet future applicants for the program and to imagine how the organizing internship in the U.S. could help to build stronger organizing in the LGBT community particularly. In Romania, the Theater Favorit citizen group really inspired me because the history is almost identical with the story of the West End Community Center that I helped to organize. In Hungary, Balint Vojtonovszki who was with CVH for three weeks came back to organize public workers which is one of the founding campaigns of Community Voices Heard. CVH members are very excited to have international contacts fighting this issue. By coming here and attending their organizing meeting this became even more real and I believe the reality of this will be translatable and we already committed to do Skype conversations to support each other’s organizing. We also were in Szeged and Miskolc and met some people who could be connected with Balint’s organizing campaign through the other alumni of the program. I am energized and inspired to continue organizing in the U.S.A. and excited to hear about the future of the organizing happening a few years from now in the Eastern European countries.”
The 2nd U.S. Mentors Group in Europe with Alumni & Friends
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U.S. Mentors Volunteering in Szeged, Hungary As the Europeans volunteered in the U.S. helping our community, the 2nd U.S. Mentor delegation offered to assist in Szeged to pack the Christmas gifts sent from the Toledo-Szeged Committee from Toledo, Ohio to the needy children of Szeged and Csongrad County.
On December 10, 2012 they went to the AGOTA Foundation and St. Agotha Child Protection Service Agency and opened five large cartons with gifts for Csongrad County children. They worked with Zsolt Balogh, Director of the Agency and with the children group home leaders from Tape, and other volunteers to select and pack gifts for their Christmas celebration on December 19 and 21st.
On December 11, 2012 the U.S. Mentors went to the Szeged City Hall and helped Dr. Tibor Papp, Foreign Relations Officer and several volunteers to wrap the Christmas gifts for 50 needy children from Szeged sent from the ToledoSzeged Committee. The gifts were presented to the children on December 15.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER TIME AND ASSISTANCE TO THE 2012 TOLEDO CHRISTMAS PROJECT IN HUNGARY! SPECIAL THANK TO THE TOLEDO-SZEGED COMMITTEE OF TOLEDO, OHIO, U.S.A. FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO NEEDY CHILDREN IN SZEGED AND CSONGRAD COUNTY AS PART OF THE SISTER CITY PROGRAM!
2nd U.S. Mentors with Elizabeth Balint, Project Manager (in the middle)