Our nations, states, cities, and communities need better organization now more than ever! As we shift from the industrial age to a more personal/individualist world, it is vital that we stay on course and focused.
President Barack Obama
The current U.S. President, Barack Obama, cites community organizing as a major driver in what shaped his future. From U.S. News & World Report:
As a community organizer in the Altgeld Gardens public housing project in the mid-1980s, Obama, then 23, quickly emerged as a tireless and pragmatic advocate for the community—traits that characterize the kind of president he says he wants to be. “His work as a community organizer was really a defining moment in his life, not just his career,” his wife, Michelle, told U.S. News. It helped him decide “how he would impact the world”—assisting people in defining their mutual interests and working together to improve their lives.
Listening.
In a speech in February announcing his presidential bid, Obama said, “It was in these neighborhoods that I received the best education I ever had.” His work, he added, “taught me a lot about listening to people as opposed to coming in with a predetermined agenda.”
The OMIA Foundation encourages you to join us in shaping a culture of listeners. Please contact our staff to discuss further possibilities for community organizing.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair:
John Girdwood, McLaren Visiting Nurse & Hospice, Davison, MI
Vice-Chair:
Jaime Zerka, Med-Team, Flint, MI
Treasurer:
Corey Ballmer, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, MI
