Many Inner Sunset-based doers have devoted considerable thought to how we can inspire more of our neighbors into getting active in the ‘hood. The subject comes up at ISPN board meetings all the time. How can the pool of engaged neighbors grow beyond just the current relatively small number of people doing most of the work?
This is a question to which I’ve devoted considerable thought. Having been out there rabble-rousing in the community since around 2008, trying to create real change has been foremost on my mind. Sometimes, a few new people come in, sometimes a few drift away, but all too often it seems that only a few folks are really doing things. The most familiar scenario to me is organizing a community event, doing most of the preparatory work, then people show up and enjoy it and leave again. Then we repeat the next time!
The answer to this riddle that’s trendy nowadays is beefing up one’s online presence – be it Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, one’s own website, and so on – and getting as many people as possible to join those groups. The problem is that I’ve not really seen this approach by itself achieve very much. The vast majority of people still stay at home, no matter what you post.
We don’t need any revolutionary thought here. History shows what works. It’s the one not-so-secret strategy that we must face if we want a movement with momentum: Physically going door to door.
Many people, even those active on the neighborhood scene, don’t like to hear this. They don’t want to do it. Going door to door can be humbling. I’ve had doors closed on me, people hang up on the intercom, I’ve stood out in the freezing cold fog, people grill me. It’s certainly easier to hide behind the computer.
But going door to door is key if you really want to achieve anything. Even presidential candidates for the United States integrate door to door into their strategies. They understand that the personal touch is the best and first way to create a movement. Other organizations throughout history have done the same thing.
My experience has shown this to be true. A few months ago, I personally visited my neighbors with a survey to find out more about them and how we can work together. Not only did I collect all kinds of useful information but a warm bond was created between myself and many new people. Some people invited me into their homes for the first time. And we have been on better terms ever since.
Last week, I challenged myself by finding some blocks in the neighborhood on which I didn’t know anyone. I then tried to encourage them to have a block party, something that always seems to produce more neighborly streets. Going door to door like this was tremendously valuable. I met many new people, put a good idea into some heads, I got to learn who the natural leaders are (that’s called “asset mapping”), was able to offer my support to them, and thankfully also got some people to agree to pursue the idea of a block party. At the end of it, I felt more connected to those people and some more active neighborhood folks had been identified.
Certainly, the internet is useful for many things, which is why I’m typing this blog right now. But it has to an extend overshadowed the primary need to meet one another directly. The more people going door to door, the more this neighborhood will thrive, the more people will participate, and the happier we will all be.
Who wants to join me?
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Adam Greenfield (bio/contacts) President, Inner Sunset Park Neighbors And proud Inner Sunset resident! |