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2011 Student Excerpts For Information and Application on student incentive program Click student name for their entire student report “In my time at the Inland Empire Sponsoring
Committee (IESC), not only have I learned the techniques and importance of being
a community organizer, but have found the value in human relationships for the
purpose of building a sustainable, abundant and powerful people. I have found
that the greatest power a people have is the power they have in themselves,
individual meetings are key to building relational connections, and reflection
is essential for effective action. Once
the community identifies its own power and uses it to make change, the people
begin to see the importance of the common good and will continue to find wealth
in each other.” (Moriah Williams) “While
many churches value helping the poor and improving the lives of the people
within their community, many don’t realize that the traditional strategy of
service to the poor is not always very effective and can actually be harmful.
Rather than doing for others what they can do for themselves, community
organizers believe in empowering others to improve their situations on their
own. By allowing others to solve their own problems through
relational power and their community’s assets, community members are able to
take ownership of their issues and learn to solve problems on their own.” (Rebecca
Hurley) “When you are seeking justice there is often
pressure to act without critically reflecting on what you’re experiencing or
whether the action you are taking is actually accomplishing your goals. However
the concept of Praxis introduces the idea that one needs to be constantly
integrating theory and action into cycles of action and reflection, each
building upon the other. Through my internship with the Inland Empire Sponsoring
Committee I was able to be part of an organization which valued praxis as a core
part of what it was doing. Through the group exercising praxis I came to value
the grounding that reflection
gave to action pursued by the group, and the critical reflection which
helped hone future action. The
following represents one practical example of how praxis was part of the work
done by the Inland Empire Sponsoring Committee”.(Chad
Horsford) “Community organizing is an approach that focuses
on meeting peoples’ needs by organizing people together to create change. Many
churches have used the traditional method of charity, but are not working for
substantive change in their community. I believe that when the church uses
community organizing as a tool, they actively get to know their neighborhood, to
make their presence known, and are able to fight for the justice of the people
– showing Christ’s love through their actions. This internship has given me
a new perspective about community organizing, especially from a Christian
perspective. … I want to not allow injustice, oppression, and marginalization
to take place, but to stand up for what is right. I also desire to make God
known in the world through this – to make it known that He is an active God,
working in and through each community. Overall this was a great experience that
left me wanting to learn, know, and do more. (Ali
McHodgins) “
I was able to listen to how communities fought and prayed for their rights,
heard how much planning went into a single meeting, and learned how important
the reflection process is after planning meetings. My eyes were opened to this
world of community organizing in local communities and how God really is working
toward justice all around us. This internship has developed in me a desire to
organize in poor communities globally, given me lessons on how to do this, and
taught me the steps to take in order to be successful at it.” (Michelle
Olivier) “In
this paper I briefly discuss what initially sparked my interest in community
organizing and why I chose to pursue an internship with an IESC affiliated
institution. Several of my internship responsibilities and experiences are
highlighted including my involvement with the development of a Pomona Health
Corridor, shadowing community leaders and organizers, learning to conduct
individual meetings with local residents, and observations made from witnessing
IESC’s opposition to a Waste Transfer Station proposal. Additionally, I
consider what my internship has taught me about community organizing as a whole
and how Christians should respond to current problems and corrupt systems that
are keeping their entire community from enjoying the best quality of life
possible.” (Kianna Gill) |
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