A short while back, I wrote a bit about how community is not magical:
When we talk about community being magical, it starts to feel unattainable. That you must have special skills to make it happen. That it requires expensive expertise. That everyday people or actions make no impact.
But I'd argue it is not special or magical. Infact, it's the opposite.
Community is boring. It's doing the hard work. It's looking out for one another. It's lifting people up, when you are also down. It's about doing the invisible work. It's about good communication in a million different ways. It's about learning about neurodiversity, accessibility, disability and human nature. It's about taking action even when you think can't.
Honestly, these thoughts came from a place of frustration. From the dissatisfaction of the communities around us. And of course, the disappointment when people fail to see, value, or contribute to important things.
Community, movement-ing, organising, and educating is hard work. All too often, we think we can gather to talk about the work, but then not do the hard part of taking action in a meaningful way. People then, understandably, become disillusioned.
But, there is another angle, the thoughts also come as a result of focusing on building our own community product and my realisation that if we build for ourselves, we can simply do so much more than we realise.
We have to get better at backing community organisations that are serious
I was reminded of this when reading What Margaret Mead Left Out, where Margaret's quote was shared in a way of saying that gathering is simply not enough.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
And honestly, it's not what Margaret Mead has left out, it's what communities everywhere are leaving out, or not able to continue with sustainability and a long term mindset.
Micah, the author, goes on to say about a friend who stopped organizing because she felt like nothing was working:
Getting back to my friend who is feeling like nothing is working. The problem, I think, is that she – like the vast majority of grassroots activists – isn’t part of an organization with a clear strategy for building the power that we need to get the things that we want.
None of this stuff happens overnight. None of it is easy.
Partly, members need to choose better organisations to align with. Those that are serious, caring and have ethics about where they are heading.
And then on the other side, lets get better at building organisations that are serious about the work they do. There's a place of fun, hype and engagement hacks that can contribute to the conversations. Do not confuse that with serious community building.
But it's possible. Often it fails, as do many things in life. But it can also work. And when it does work, it feels magical, or like Micah referred to in the video shared in the post, a it can feel like a 'miracle'.
This example comes with political examples, which isn't what many of us are building, but we can apply the same thinking.
Look for communities that care. Those who are doing their utmost to create change. Those who seek sustainability, and who are trying their best to build strong networks.
And stick with them. That is when change happens.
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