There's been something on my mind for a few days now and I hope you won't mind me sharing it.
I know that all of us, the people of the United States, the state of Georgia, the City of Atlanta, the community of Fourth Ward West are still coming to terms with the heinous actions that unfolded before our eyes last week at the U.S. Capitol Building, our temple to democracy. I know my feelings swing between extreme gratitude for the brave Americans who stood up in the face of a cowardly insurrection to protect the public servants at the Capitol building to anger at those who sought to tear our democracy down.
It is ok – it is right - to want more, to demand more from our elected leaders at all levels of government. If this feels like an overwhelming national crisis out of your reach, I encourage you to shift your perspective. Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist in the mid-1900's, said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
We the residents of Atlanta's Fourth Ward West Neighborhood demand better. We demand better from our fellow Americans who seek to divide us rather than unite. We demand better from elected officials who use their positions for self-gain or promotion. We demand civility. We demand justice.
We want you to join us. Really what is our country but a collection of neighbors, a lot like this one? If you want to make your neighborhood a better place, if you care about your neighbors, if you want to speak up about injustices that you see every day, or bring an idea to the table that could make your block a more beautiful place to live, do something with that feeling. Join us.
To borrow a phrase from our late representative - time to get in some good trouble.
- Jeff Cullen, President, Fourth Ward West Neighborhood Association
2020 has been rough all around, but we are so glad to see more community involvement in the FWW and in NPU's across the city! Check out NPU-M's chair (AND FWW resident 😎), Rebecca Rice, quoted in this article about increased civic participation.
Keep up the good civic engagement, Atlanta! Let's build the city we want to live in.
saportareport.com/covid-pushed-public-meetings-online-more-atlantans-are-going/columnists/maggie-...
COVID pushed public meetings online; more Atlantans join in neighborhood planning - SaportaReport
saportareport.com
Read COVID pushed public meetings online; more Atlantans join in neighborhood planning by Maggie Lee for SaportaReport here.It's been a tough year for everyone, but we hope you find joy and happiness this December. Happy holidays!