In light of yesterday's post about how connected we are in the world, and how much power campaigns could have to work within the community, I wanted to share the experiences the DC for Obama group had during this Saturday's DC Public Schools beautification day. If we're going to move the needle at all in terms of getting Democratic supporters, and specifically those inspired by Obama, involved in their communities, they need to know it's happening out there already, and how rewarding it can be.
What really made the day a success was the number of volunteers that signed up. We were able to spread everyone out around the city so we could be in different communities. But everyone seemed to get so much out of the experience, no matter which school they were.
We were scattered at six sites around DC, with anywhere from 4 to 15 Obama supporters at each site.
At my site, Gage-Eckington Elementary near Howard U., the Obama volunteers worked, interestingly, with local Mormons (general election preview??) to recreate an infield from the overgrown weeds and grass that had once been a baseball field. Man, it was hot. The heat index at noon was 100. And I made the rookie mistake of not drinking water all morning. And the mototiller really didn't work very well at all. But we toughed it out and even formed a cooperative chain that allowed us to turn the dirt and separate the grass in a slightly more efficient motion.
I think we came close to sunstroke. But when the DCFD came to wash down the school, and they sprayed their hose in the air for us to stand under, we got a good reprieve, and we had the satisfaction of a diamond-well-done.
Over at the Adams-Oyster Bilingual Elementary across the city, according to DC for Obama's Adam Barr:
We were well received by... the parents that were there. Our group was put to work in no time transforming a run down "garden" into a beautiful place to relax and play. The group began by trimming an overgrown tree and setting aside all of the branches for mulching. This "trimming" took close to an hour to complete and there were enough branches to fill the backs of four full-size pickup trucks. Once the tree was properly trimmed we could get to the other areas of the plot. Trash had to be removed and taken to the dumpster. On the way back we helped transport flowers and plants that had just been brought over from the nursery. These would eventually be planted in our garden. Once the debris was cleared, we got to work on the soil, which was riddled with large embedded rocks. Shovels were used to pry these rocks from their homes so that they could be used to create a walkway and border for the garden. We worked in teams of three or more to move some of the larger rocks. A mallet was used to crush an old decayed concrete bench and the remnants were scattered around the walkway to improve the aesthetic. During the deconstruction of the bench, a family of mice were uncovered and we did all that we could to ensure that they didn't make there way into the school via a nearby open door.
Once the heavy lifting was done, I began pulling petrified ivy from the side of the school building. Some of the strands came down rather easily while others still remain. The effort proved to be relatively fruitless so I moved on to using the high-pressure water hose to clean the building. After an hour with the machine I was covered in dirt, weed remnants, rock particles, and moss. By the time I finished up with the hose around 12:30, much of our group had gone home. We definitely left the school a much prettier place than it was when we came.
Adam had way too much fun with that power washer. I saw. And Reverend Philip Gaines, a local Lutheran minister who'd signed on to help the team, was having just as much fun with the leaf blower. Everyone seemed to have had a great time.
Elsewhere, one of the Obama volunteers, a really nice guy named David Glasgow, said he'd be willing to be "team captain" for one of the sites -- this in addition to the few extra friends he brought along to help out. He was going to work out of Malcolm X Elementary a school in Southeast (DC has four quadrants), in an area long recognized as one of the low-income, challenging areas for educators and children alike here in the city.
I spent quite a while these past few days trying to digest his "recap" of the day, because it was so obviously sincere, and reflected someone who'd so obviously been moved by the experience. David isn't a DKos member, or even really a reader, so he didn't really know what to do when I asked him if he wanted to share with readers. He told me I could post his words. What I decided to do was simply to present large chunks of it here, with only a few edits for clarity:
We had a strong turnout at Malcolm X Elementary. We had a dozen DC for
Obama members (or prospective members) and were joined by 4 police
officers from the Violent Intervention Task Force.
There was a lot of work to be done and we stayed until 2:00 trying to
get it done. We left the school a lot better than we found it. We
painted doors, planted plants, swept, power washed, etc., but there
was still a lot more work to be done before the students arrived.
The group was most disturbed by the fact that Malcom X serves as a
school by day, and squatting ground at night and on the weekends. We
arrived to find puddles and piles of human waste, smashed beer
bottles, prophylactics, etc. in the hallways. The principal explained
that because it is pitch black, folks can carry on as they please.
Yes, there are lights, and yes, they are broken and don't work.
Our team picked up everything. Yes, everything. As we did, we wondered
how a school in such shape can exist in our nation, which we often
tout as the greatest on earth. It is fair to say that we were all
touched indelibly.
...there has been talk of taking action to help out Malcolm X elementary. I was planning on drafting a letter to Mayor Fenty and [Schools] Chancellor Rhee detailing our experience and our concerns.
My old friend Vidisha, a fellow NY-to-DC transplant who'd also volunteered at Malcolm X Elementary, couldn't believe the shape of the school when they got there, but was clearly moved in describing the progress they'd made. There's nothing like hushed tones to bring the best in a New York accent. It didn't stop there. Many of the volunteers expressed interest in staying involved.
But the parents and local residents at the schools were effected by us, as well. It's why I think Devilstower was so right in his post that campaigns could do more to develop political goodwill simply by acting in interests of the community. Adam Barr, another volunteer who had WAY too much fun with the power-washer, put it best:
The experience of cleaning up Adams-Oyster was further enriched while I was waiting for my lunch a few blocks away. While sitting outside, I was approached by a family that had been volunteering at the school. The mother asked me if I had been at the school volunteering. When I answered yes, she pointed at my Obama '08 shirt and said she was really impressed by us. She then said that Obama would have her vote because of our altruism.
There's very little about this that really needs to be picked apart. Americans of all stripes want leaders who they feel best represent their communities, whose supporters are willing to put their time where their mouths are. You roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, you invest yourself in the community. That person will always win elections.
It's because we're all so interconnected that this is the case. Like I wrote yesterday, you can't predict whom your actions will effect. I bet Devilstower had no idea his post would resonate with me so much. I bet my friends, some of whom were only lukewarm supporters of Obama, had no idea what a positive thing the day would become. I bet even the staunchest supporters had no idea that their service would influence the people around them so sincerely -- or that some would be called to continue to serve.
There's a future in all this. It's a change that's coming because $50K TV commercials are going the way of the radio ad. Because the Internet gets people real information, fast, and gets campaigns access to more people, money, and resources, faster, than ever before. Because who cares what your position on Net Neutrality is if you can't motivate your people to do well by the world? It's people that will make the difference.