Just about through our 3rd week of DemSummer, already?!. Up and down the road, meeting after meeting, both shoulders indented by heavy bags, armed with voter registration, petitions and not to mention legal pads full of notes documenting our journey to becoming a bona fide organizer – not just any organizer – but the finest, a Democracy NC organizer. One of my goals with Democracy NC is growth: identifying my comfort zone and then daring to stretch beyond that. I spontaneously decided on the way to a city council meeting that I would go before the council and speak in support of the greenway plan. Although I knew I was way down the list to speak, I anxiously waited as I heard each name called, one after the other. I wrote and rewrote what I planned to say at least six times. All the while I’m practicing breathing techniques and chanting ‘they’re just people.’ Somehow my body managed to take over my brain and my heart began to pound. OMG! I couldn’t get it back to a calm steady beat. My name was called, I stood up and began to walk and literally felt like I was going to pass out, but I made it to the podium. ‘Keep eye contact’, I said to myself. I managed to get through it as my eyes raced back and forth. The longest three minutes of my life! All of a sudden I was done. Whew! After my closing remarks, I turned and walked away greeted by soothing smiles and whispers of ‘you did great!’ I’m not sure how great I actually was but one thing for sure I did it! Democracy NC has challenged me to be a voice for the people and gosh darn it, I spoke! I did something I was afraid to do and now I want to do it again…
It’s great when you love what you’re doing, who you’re doing it for and with whom you’re doing it… Keren and I agree Democracy NC is our new home and Linda has welcomed us with open arms…
As we are attending community fun days, meeting with City Council members and active community leaders, we are jumping right into serving our community. Already beginning to take action by participating in the statewide phone banking campaign to release HAVA funds the sweet sound of “Yes, I will call!” and “thank you for the work you do” reminds us change can and will happen.
On a more personal note, a few words about “Citizens United”… The Supreme Court, who is supposed to represent the wisest of our Justice system, is okaying new ways for corporations to spend unprecedented amounts of money to influence elections. Exactly whose justice are the Justices granting and whose interest are they serving? ‘Of, for and by the people’ … is this cliché, rhetoric, or truth? The Citizen’s United decision clearly is not representative of democracy. The powers that be don’t seem to have the people in mind. They are clearly irrational in defining corporate entities as one of us, the citizens. This is not a partisan issue but an attack on our democracy. Corporate money is to our democracy what terrorists are to our freedom. Corporations, strapped with money, are inciting fear of the death of our democracy. This is another reason why I am excited about the work we do at Democracy NC: because we believe in We The People…
Tyshia
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