The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Germonique R. Jones 202-339-9331 | gjones@communitychange.org
Mary Moreno 202-339-9316 | mmoreno@communitychange.org

Community Organizers Welcome One of Their Own to the White House

WASHINGTON

Last night, Sen. Barack Obama became the first community organizer and African American to be elected President of the United States. The following is a statement from Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, a 40-year-old national organization dedicated to building the field of community organizing with hundreds of local organizations nationwide:

"Community organizers across the country congratulate the historic victory of one of our own and herald the role community organizing played in revitalizing participation in our democratic process.

"Community organizing helped mobilize voters like never before with grassroots organizations engaging in electoral politics. Sen. Obama's own campaign was modeled on the tools of organizing, building the national groundswell that got him to this moment.

"Election Day is just the beginning. Community organizing will continue to play an important role in keeping an expectant and motivated electorate working together with the new Administration to find solutions for our shared problems. Together we will strive to realize the dream we voted for - an America that works for all of us."

On December 4, thousands of grassroots leaders will host Realizing the Promise: A forum on Community, Faith and Democracy to lay out a strategy to work with President-elect Obama and the new Congress on the people's agenda for change.

Deepak Bhargava and other organizers with the Campaign for Community Values are available for comment and for interviews about the election results, the impact of community organizing and post-election strategy for community organizations nationwide.

The mission of the Center for Community Change is to develop the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change their communities and public policies for the better.