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- The process is about building power within communities so
that people can get out of life what they want
- The power of communities resides in relationships and
connections within the community
- To release the power within a community, it is critically
important to find a way to connect-to weave together-the gifts of community members
- A strong community does not waste people ("labeled
people" have a critical role to play as contributors to the community)
- Only citizens can build their own communities
- Challenging people to do something helps release the
power within a community
- Only the people in a community-not programs-can build
power in a community
- Building power within communities means shifting power
from institutions/agencies
- If nobody's talking about power, it's not changing hands
- Citizens must be trained about what they should expect
from their institutions (and then processes should be developed for citizens to grade/give
feedback to the institutions)
- If the community's strengths and gifts are not used, they
will atrophy (outside services that replace the role of relationships among community
members will weaken the community)
- The only rightful role of a service agency is to do those
things which cannot be accomplished through everyday life/relationships
- "Partnerships" between institutions/agencies
and community associations/citizens will not strengthen the community unless they are
citizen-centered (the citizens/community associations clearly in control, with
institutions/agencies at the table but in the role of servant not lord)
- Community's have the knowledge and strength within
themselves to solve their own problems (the Sufi story of the wise woman)
- There is great power in language
- There is great power in transparency
- There is great power in taking people seriously and
giving them respect
- Believe in real democracy
- Believe that the community has the answer--the power is
in the process
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