Mark_Allen's Blog

As a community organizer for over 32 years, and one who worked directly with Barack Obama on what I think is his most significant work as a community organizer, your Sunday, September 7th editorial shows why it is easy for the GOP and others top down play the work of community organizers. The most significant accomplishment of Barack Obama as a community organizer was when he was the head of PROJECT VOTE (GOTV) that made political history in 1986 when that city-wide voter registration, education and Get-Out The vote campaign put over 100,000 new voters, that made it possible for the historic election of Carol Moseley Braun to the U.S. Senate, the 1987 reelection of Harold Washington as Chicago's 1st Black Mayor, and a new Chicago City Council.  

The GOP and others would have to rethink the challenge to the work and real leadership responsibilities of community organizers when they are clearly reminded of the historic nature of many of the campaigns of community organizers. Consumers of all kinds immediately check and rely on expiration dates on foods and other products, never making the connection to the work of community organizers that led to the laws being passed that required expiration dates on food. The core reason that there are more Democrats elected to office and States like Illinois and the U.S. Congress with Democratic control is because on the continuous work of community organizers and their voter registration, education and GOTV campaigns.  

New community development benefits for ordinary citizens to new legislation of all kinds start at the core with the work of community organizers who assess community based needs and work on those improvements to make peoples lives for the better.  Too many times when mentioning community organizers and their work, those major accomplishments are not noted, and thus today critics do note the 1986 community work and leadership of Barack Obama and other community organizers as historic and not worthy of how they try to downplay its significance.  

Mark S. Allen Community Organizer and Activist 773-392-0165