Shifting the Ban into a Dynamic Bang
Yesterday, the State of Texas became the first state to official support President Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants from seven nations with significant muslim population, see story here. What many people may not know is that the state has a significant muslim population in most of its major cities including Dallas and Houston. These populations are organized, tightly knit, and contain some politically motivated and activated citizens, which is why Texas is one of more than a dozen states that has an officially recognized statewide democratic club.
While many, rightly so, bemoan the "Muslim Ban", they are also overlooking the opportunity that lies within. As was discussed in our last post, Dynamic Community, requires Foundation (Built Community) and Activation (Environmental Spark). In the ever growing Muslim community which already exists in Texas, there is an already built community that is not that far off from Foundation. The "Muslim Ban" is a perfect point of Activation. With some organizing and direction, the various Muslim communities in Texas could serve as a dynamic flashpoint for Muslim communities nationwide. Getting more Muslims into elected office, community leadership, and pushing for Islam to be more accurately and holistically represented in the mainstream, so that it can no longer be singled out for such high level acts of discrimination and injustice. This is how Dynamic Community works, we build a strong Foundation of diverse community which is able to move as one unified or disparately connected body so that once a point of Activation presents itself, that Foundation can transfer the energy from the point of Activation into substantial change.
Newton's First Law of Thermodynamics offers that energy can neither be created or destroyed, only transferred between objects. Dynamic Change is a way to use local communities as a way to take energy that come from national issues and transfer it into both local and widespread change.
What national issue(s) could give your town or city energy through Dynamic Community to create local/widespread change?
Cornell Woolridge is the founder and President of CivicSolve, LLC. He's been an active proponent of increasing access and lowering the barrier to civic engagement for even longer with his increasing involvement in numerous political campaigns, as well as down right boots on the ground protesting. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his Wife Candace and their dog Jack; where he is continuing to expand CivicSolve's future projects and provide his own personal insight along the way.