2nd Out US Mentors Testimonies

Adam Keck, Youngstown, Ohio Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC)

“I attended an international organizers meeting in Richmond, VA in April of 2012. The

conference was one of the last events for the first exchange program of Eastern Europeans to

the United States and I went there with organizers from Romania and Slovakia who spent

time with me and my organization in the Mahoning Valley. From this conference, I had sev-

eral expectations for the program: I wanted to 1) gain a better understanding of organizing

in an entirely different cultural, social, historical, and economic context than I’m used to in my work, 2) con-

tinue to build the relationships that I built in the States with ambitious organizers here in the target coun-

tries, as well as continue to foster organizing skills with these colleagues and their peers, and 3) understand

the complex issues surrounding minority communities in Eastern Europe and, when possible, help to come up

with strategies to engage them in the process of community organizing.

My 21 days in Eastern Europe took me to diverse communities

that seemed to share one thing: each is a richer place because there

are dedicated people thinking creatively about how to apply the con-

cepts of American community organizing to their own unique com-

munity contexts. It has been exciting to see the progress that each of

the members of the delegations have made. Despite needing more

resources dedicated to community organizing in each country, the

delegation participants are adapting the skills that they learned in

their American exchanges to their own work.

For my own experience, I can say that each of my expectations

has been fulfilled. Speaking with people in Eastern Europe has

made me struggle with how to express organizing universals

through language and cultural barriers. Advising my colleagues in

Europe and gaining better clarity about their unique challenges has been incredibly rewarding and I look for-

ward to keeping up with each alumni through email and Skype about how to push forward. Finally, strategiz-

ing with local groups about how to engage minority communities in their work has given me hope that Roma,

immigrant, and other minorities will soon be a part of community efforts to organize.”

“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities” Testimonies from the 2nd U.S. Mentors Delegation

Visiting Europe November 24 — December 15, 2012

Louis Goseland, Wichita, Kansas Sunflower Community Action (SCA)

“My experience in this program has become a milestone in my path as a community or-

ganizer. By sharing my work with participants in developing democracies, I have been

prompted to reflect on the effectiveness of the

community organizing method in raising margin-

alized voices in the larger decision making arena.

I have also been inspired by the enthusiasm and actions of those

who have participated in this program, and I have observed a

real potential to successfully implement this method in Eastern

Europe.

Overall, the present program has been effective in reaching

across borders, cultures, and professional experiences to bring peo-

ple together to explore the possibilities of community organizing,

and to imagine a democracy that works for everyone.”

Martha Valadez, Detroit, Michigan Harriet Tubman Center (HTC)

“I wanted to thank you for this opportunity and this experience with the Great Lakes

Consortium exchange program. My time in Europe has pushed me to think deeply about my

work and I have been moved by the people I have met in Slovakia, Romania, and Hun-

gary. Coming from a minority background and working with youth and parents who also

share the same background I was excited to participate in this program Coming here

strengthened my awareness of why I am organizing in Southwest Detroit and allowed me the opportunity to

see how strong the hunger for organizing is here in Eastern Europe. I am more humble because I met people

who are developing a strong network to fight for democracy in Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania.

Visiting the developing organizers and nonprofit organizations resulted in deep conversations, sharing of

meaningful experiences, and long lasting relationships. The program was set up so that the U.S. mentors

could present, facilitate, consult, and engage Eastern European as-

piring organizers. This happened, but I also realized that I gained

much of the same experience. There were times where we were able

to sit back, listen, and process much of what was presented to us on

behalf of former European alumni or presentations by social ser-

vice, advocacy, and community development nonprofit organiza-

tions. I heard stories of success and stories of struggles related

to the engagement of community in the three countries we vis-

ited. What was exciting to me is that I was able to push people to

think about their work through new lenses and push them to

think about engaging people in a more empowering way.

As a participant in this program, I was able to share, engage, and

relate to diverse populations in this part of the world. I was able to

share stories about really great people I have been fortunate to work with through community organizing and

I now have really great stories to return home with. With new concepts introduced, European application of

community organizing practices presented, and grassroots folks inspired and motivated, I feel that it is safe

to return back to Michigan!”

Rachid Elabed, Dearborn, Michigan Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)

“During my three weeks visiting Eastern Europe I have found that communities are fac-

ing the same issues as the U.S. today. This trip overall really had an impact on my life! I had

no idea us Americans have common issues Europe-

ans face today. Growing up and becoming a com-

munity organizer, I really only focused on issues my

own country is facing.

I never took the time and research what other parts of the world

is dealing with day to day. I was too happy to have the opportunity

to meet community leaders and organizers that want change for a

better Europe. Since community organizing is new to Eastern

Europe, I was happy that I could share my experience and resources

in Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary. All because of this trip I have

expanded my network to Eastern Europe where I plan to follow up

with new potential community organizers so we can share strategies

and resources on common issues.”

Sponsored by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,

Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division.

Organized by Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development

with its collaborating partners in Europe:

CEGA in Bulgaria, CeRe in Romania, CKO in Slovakia and CCF in Hungary

Jennifer Hadlock, New York City, New York Organizer for Community Voices Heard (CVH)

“After hosting a first pair of exchange participants from Romania and Hungary I realized

this is a chance to explore the difference in economic history and appreciation for democracy

and maybe support some other people being exposed to the power and benefits of community

organizing. In Slovakia, we were exposed to neighborhood organizing in Banska Bystrica

which reminded me of my old organizing issues in Hartford. We also visited two different

Roma communities which had differences and similarities with poverty and racial disparities in the U.S.

The delegation was excited to expose some people to organizing

and to hear about some victories through advocacy that could build

to organizing. It was also great to meet future applicants for the

program and to imagine how the organizing internship in the U.S.

could help to build stronger organizing in the LGBT community par-

ticularly.

In Romania, the Theater Favorit citizen group really inspired me

because the history is almost identical with the story of the West

End Community Center that I helped to organize. In Hungary,

Balint Vojtonovszki who was with CVH for three weeks came back

to organize public workers which is one of the founding campaigns of

Community Voices Heard. CVH members are very excited to have

international contacts fighting this issue. By coming here and at-

tending their organizing meeting this became even more real and I believe the reality of this will be translat-

able and we already committed to do Skype conversations to support each other’s organizing. We also were in

Szeged and Miskolc and met some people who could be connected with Balint’s organizing campaign through

the other alumni of the program.

I am energized and inspired to continue organizing in the U.S.A. and excited to hear about the future of

the organizing happening a few years from now in the Eastern European countries.”

The 2nd U.S. Mentors Group in Europe with Alumni & Friends

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U.S. Mentors Volunteering in Szeged, Hungary

As the Europeans volunteered

in the U.S. helping our commu-

nity, the 2nd U.S. Mentor delega-

tion offered to assist in Szeged to

pack the Christmas gifts sent from

the Toledo-Szeged Committee from

Toledo, Ohio to the needy children

of Szeged and Csongrad County.

On December 10, 2012 they went

to the AGOTA Foundation and St.

Agotha Child Protection Service

Agency and opened five large car-

tons with gifts for Csongrad County

children. They worked with Zsolt

Balogh, Director of the Agency and

with the children group home lead-

ers from Tape, and other volunteers

to select and pack gifts for their

Christmas celebration on December

19 and 21st.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER TIME

AND ASSISTANCE TO

THE 2012 TOLEDO CHRISTMAS

PROJECT IN HUNGARY!

SPECIAL THANK TO THE

TOLEDO-SZEGED COMMITTEE

OF TOLEDO, OHIO, U.S.A.

FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO NEEDY

CHILDREN IN SZEGED AND

CSONGRAD COUNTY AS PART OF

THE SISTER CITY PROGRAM!

On December 11, 2012 the U.S.

Mentors went to the Szeged City

Hall and helped Dr. Tibor Papp,

Foreign Relations Officer and sev-

eral volunteers to wrap the Christ-

mas gifts for 50 needy children

from Szeged sent from the Toledo-

Szeged Committee. The gifts were

presented to the children on De-

cember 15.

2nd U.S. Mentors with Elizabeth Balint, Project Manager (in the middle)