Community is a Verb: Let’s Get Moving
I attended a powerful and meaningful vigil for Renee Good this past weekend in my local community in Maplewood NJ. Leadership spoke about how we can make a difference as individuals and as a community. One of the speakers said “community is a verb” and that resonated with me. I am watching people step up around the world:
Thousands standing up for Renee Good who was murdered in Minnesota by an ICE officer
Fundraisers for the Mississippi synagogue that was destroyed in an arson attack
The brave women of Iran revealing their faces at the threat of death in the hopes of freedom
The “Walk for Peace: 2,300 Miles of hope” where Buddhist monks are walking for peace across the US.
These large scale acts of community are inspiring.
I have benefited from community on a smaller scale as well. When my kids were little, I relied on my community every day. I was in playgroups where we supported each other during playgroup and beyond. My kids felt safe in many neighborhood homes as we took turns watching each others’ children so each mom could find some peace. I feel so lucky that I could drop my kids off at various friends houses. The kids would play and I would do what I needed to do—whether it was to go to a doctor’s appointment, food shop or just have a couple hours to myself at home or at a coffee shop. My community gave my kids the gift of a happier mother and provided them the comfort of knowing how many people they could trust and rely upon beyond their immediate family.
My community continues to support me. During Covid we walked to our neighbors houses to gather outside and process the craziness of those days. Now, I get together with community to write postcards for elections around the country, attend rallies and protests, and to support vulnerable people. We also support each other when we are battling illness or grieving a loss of a loved one.
Last week I bit the bullet and became a volunteer for Lasagna Love. Lasagna Love’s mission is “to feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities. Through our neighbor-to-neighbor movement, we connect volunteer lasagna chefs who want to help with individuals and families in need, providing home-cooked lasagnas made with love.” I have been cooking a bunch over the past few years and thought it would be a perfect combo of loving to cook and supporting my larger community. I have signed up to deliver a home cooked lasagna that I make to a family I am matched with throughout the year. A friend of mine has made 300 deliveries (!) quietly without fanfare for the past few years. She is my inspiration for doing this.
Wish me luck!
How can you serve your community?
-Think of a community you care about
-What are your skills or interests?
-What is your availability? How can you make time?
-Do you want to do something one time or on an ongoing basis?
-Who inspires you?
