Through our work this summer, I have come to realize that the two key components to effective organizing are: education and exercise. From the film festival we held a couple weeks ago on voting rights and money in politics to distributing thousands of legislative report cards, I have seen first-hand the power of education. On the other hand, I have also seen the power of action, with Moral Mondays and petitions. All in all, this internship has taught me that not only are action and education important but that these two principles go hand in hand, that one cannot progress without the other.
Last weekend, I attended Democracy North Carolina’s “Pathways to Power” workshop, where I experienced the effective partnership of education and exercise. The first day was dedicated the education: we watched informative films, had a question and answer session with local officials and learned the ins-and-outs of North Carolina’s political climate. However, the last day was dedicated toward applying that education to action, whether it be volunteering with voter registration drives or setting up events to spread awareness about voters’ rights.
The workshop struck a balance between education and action and certainly struck a chord with me. In church, members are encouraged to extend their knowledge of the Word to other realms in life. In schools, students are taught to apply their education to realizing their goals. And now, as I have seen, it is paramount that residents of North Carolina apply their knowledge to bettering the future of their state and their lives. It is only through education and action that progress can be achieved.
-Triad Team
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