Community Outreach
“People come to their first meeting because they have a specific problem they want addressed, and they initially keep coming because their problem is addressed… People keep coming over time, and a lot of people come even after their problem is solved because they found something profound here… People go from feeling like victims to being activists on their own behalf, and then they take a step beyond that and they become activists on other people’s behalf, other people that were in the same situation they were in. Then they become activists on other issues besides housing, and pretty soon they’re trying to change the system.”
(Steve Meacham, City Life Vida Urbana describing the process of people becoming inspired to work for systemic change.)
Change does not occur in a vacuum. When an individual or community is affected by an air pollution issue, it is not always clear where to seek assistance or how to initiate action to achieve a desired solution. Solutions are not always easy to identify or easy to reach. Neighborhoods compete for and rely on local, state, and sometimes national governments. Developing relationships with communities and understanding their needs can help expedite the process by providing direction and capitalizing on broader momentum. Air Alliance Houston (AAH) works with individuals and communities with air pollution problems to link them to the responsible regulatory agencies and assist in the on-going process. When people affected by an issue receive support,identifying problems and taking action to achieve solutions are possible.
Community organizing helps to bring out many voices to add collective power and strength to an issue. It is key to the overall strategy to make changes in a community that are widely felt and reflect the wishes of the people who are directly affected. The staff of Air Alliance Houston listen and are responsive to the voice of the community, but also help community residents develop the skills necessary to address their own issues in an ongoing way.
