If we were to look at ourselves in the mirror while helping our community – our neighbors – how would we see ourselves?

Change in a community is a combination of willingness, collaboration, intelligence, resources, and strategic organization, blended with collective action based on values and solidarity. Community action is a method of social intervention aimed at mobilizing and engaging community members to promote autonomy and community development. It is a crucial factor that should not be overlooked, as it is the members of the community who must contribute to its growth.

Effective action allow us to influence the development process and actively contribute, so that we can all reap the benefits together. This is why every citizen must participate in taking meaningful action to help their community advance more quickly toward change. As the proverb says, "Many hands make light work.” Participation in the community helps us gain better support and empowers us in the process of change.

It enables us to maximize existing resources to improve service quality and expand accessibility. The only way to achieve this is through strategic community organizing – by coming together, we can address and solve community issues, even in the absence of government support.

 All community action is based on these key steps:

• Organization

• Diagnosis and prioritization

• Developing and implementing an action plan together

• Evaluating our collective actions

These steps are interconnected, like the links of a chain, keeping the community in constant motion. When we strengthen our ties with our local area, we realize that through organizing, planning, and shared efforts, we take on more responsibility as well as ensure order and success in our activities. This enables us to make informed decisions that benefit everyone in the community.

In this way, we build a united community, one that solves problems together and moves toward meaningful change that propels our country forward. Let us collaborate for the common good!

Laurie Sabrina Dieudonné, APA alumni ambassador