Our video gives a brief description of who we are, why we have come together and why community organising matters to us. The Latin American Parents’ Association was formed because after sharing our stories with each other we realised our needs and challenges were very similar. We continue to connect and make links with people who share our interests and concerns through dancing and sharing our cultural heritage at community events like the Big Lunch, Polish Heritage Day and Crossing Borders; taking part in “Space to Think” alongside the GLA, Local Government and other organisations, where we discussed the ways in which we can begin to overcome the key challenges we face as migrant parents in London; organising and inviting people to our fortnightly meetings.
Over the past 2 years, we have been making links, sparking dialogue, reaching out, building our base, and taking action around the issues we face as Latin American migrant parents in London.
Over the past 2 years, we have been making links, sparking dialogue, reaching out, building our base, and taking action around the issues we face as Latin American migrant parents in London. Whilst our approach is very much aligned to the principles of Community Organising, it is a term, concept and practice that is still very new to us as a group. For this reason, we would like to become members of Community Organisers so that we can learn from its vast network of experienced Community Organisers, get training in Community Organising, and be better equipped to build power, form leaders, and organise around the social injustices and inequalities our community face so that we can affect real change. We feel that being a member of Community Organisers will help us to:
- Connect with policymakers, trade unions and professionals that can help us overcome our problems;
- Have more dialogue with and influence over the institutions, services and policies that impact on our lives;
- Work together to understand our rights, initiate campaigns, become better leaders and strengthen our group;
- Learn how to use information technology and social media to further our reach and our objectives;
- Get to know and be known by other organisations, sharing ideas, working together and learning how other groups organise and implementing these ideas to our group;
- Get our voices heard by organisations and institutions that can help us.
- Prepare yourselves in order to better inform, support and organise our community.
We are eager to improve and overcome difficulties so that we can help our community. We believe that being members of Community Organisers will help us to continue moving forward.
