Neighborhood Networks organizing model, both on issues and in elections, is for neighbors to reach out to neighbors.  It's actually the model of the two political parties as well, as their leaders -- committeepersons -- are supposed to be elected by voters in neighborhoods -- called divisions in Philly -- who then elect ward leaders and finally party officers.  It doesn't work very democratically in real life, however, since almost no one knows about the committeeperson elections, and most committeepersons are virtually appointed by their ward leaders who are often totally unaccountable.

In 2004 MoveOn showed how this system could be powerful if utilized by people who actually reached out to neighbors and talked to them.  Unfortunately MoveOn moved out after the election and it looked like they were taking the grass roots version of the model with them.  Neighborhood Networks emerged,  however, to pick up the banner.

Now we're organized in wards and divisions around the City, and we're going into the next round of elections working to mobilize our neighbors again.  We aim to keep our friends involved in progressive politics, not only at election time, and not only in election campaigns, but to work on issues that are important as well.

This is not easy work, but it's vital to creating a progressive movement with real grass roots power.  If you'd like to learn more about it, and to pitch in, you'll want to go to NN's all day organizing conference this Saturday, March 29 at Drexel U.  Here's where to go to get the details and to register:  http://www.phillynn.org/conference/conf.html  The Conference fee, including breakfast and lunch, is $20.  But no one will be turned away for lack of the bucks to pay.

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