This week’s organizer spotlight features Lisa Jones, the lead organizer with Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH):
1) What did you learn from the challenges of being an organizer in 2020?
I would have never thought organizing could be done by distance but, in some circles, it can be done. For those of us with computers and access to the internet, it was not difficult to make the shift to virtual. In this virtual organizing environment, it was clear that having technology is a barrier and makes it difficult in organizing those most impacted by systemic racism.
2) What sustains you? Where do you get the energy to keep going with the work?
I do this work not only for the children of today but my future descendants. If my ancestors could be hopeful of someday, then so can I. When I look at my grandson Samuel who is 9 months old, I dream of a society that is anti-racist and anti-oppression. I may not see it but the work I do is a building block for a world free from all forms of oppression.
3) What is your vision for community organizing post-election?
We cannot rest or let up. COVID-19 has devastated so many people, and many Black families in particular. It’s time for real solutions so our communities can be healthy and free from oppression. We get there by leaning into the discomfort of dismantling systems and centering the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
