An op-ed piece on the importance of community organizing and recognizing the people in politics.

1. The Importance of Community Organizers in a Democratic Society:
This recent primary season in American politics has proven that the lack of community organizing and
efforts can play a big role in leadership development and hope for those affected by political elections.
The failure of Obama For America not capitalizing on its thousands of trained community organizers and
leaders plays somewhat of role in the way many people voted in the primaries of 2010.
Community organizing has carried many politicians to deeper community connections and success in
recent American politics. Democrats and Republicans have been successful and strengthened in their
organizing efforts. Democrats have been more successful, outside of 2010, in rallying and training troops
to bring in the votes. However, failing to concentrate on previous efforts has turned many community
organizers away, allowing them to disappear.
Get Out The Vote trainings were popular and hugely successful all across America. The Democrats, with
the leadership of Obama For America and MoveOn.org, spoke to millions in neighborhoods all across the
nation with their offers of togetherness and strategy building. The closeness of these groups and
workshops brought to politics a family environment to politics unseen in recent times. These gatherings
allowed leaders to be developed and political junkies to join forces to fight for a change they all believed
in. It is important for any political movement to create this environment for politicians to win, and for
people’s votes to really mean something. This is the essence of community organizing.
With the Obama Administration not nurturing the same people that helped them win, the
administration is not as strong and as focused as it used to be. A lot of these community organizers and
activists have lost their connections and friends they made in these movements. From New York, to
Delaware, to Pennsylvania, to Ohio, many of these local leaders are no longer involved and inspired by
the leadership of Organizing For America. In that regard, OFA failed them.
We can’t have real change without community efforts and organization. The change always comes from
the people who are trained and inspired to be leaders in their communities. If the Obama
Administration realizes this again, they will do better come 2012, and beyond. Keep the leaders and the
organizers involved, energized, and motivated.
Obama For America and MoveOn.org trained me in Manhattan, New York in the fall of 2008. Along with
three dozen other people, we were given the best training any group could offer regarding getting out
the vote. From Wilmington, Delaware to New York City, I shared rooms and groups with people who
were talented and ready to give their all for the change the current administration pushed us hard to
help bring forth. Passionate stories, dreams of a better America, and politics for all were on the table.
These community organizers and activists had goals of also sticking with the campaign – some even
applied for jobs after Obama won. Sadly, the administration dropped the ball.
Thousands of those people were overlooked and ignored after Obama and his leaders got to the White
House. It was the biggest mistake any group who trained many people to push their movement could
make. Obama for America had all it needed: concerned people willing to use their talents and resources
to involve and engage their families, friends, and communities nationwide.

2. I am disappointed that I did not receive at least a letter in the mail after I applied for a position with the
Obama Administration. It was an opportunity to keep me involved, and to use my gained political
organizing and intellectual gifts.
Obama and his leaders have suffered. The primaries of 2010 have shown that. I am meeting with
community organizers and activists who feel the same disappointment, and realize the same failures.
2012 will prove to be an important time for elections once again, and watch the lack of or involvement
of community organizers play a larger role come that time. Involvement of community organizing is the
key for Obama’s second election as the president of our country, and the health of our nation.