Better Civics: Claim Your Space

Last week we talked about the importance of talking to neighbors about making sure voices are heard and votes are counted—not just during an election season but year-round, every chance we get. 

This, of course, is challenging during a time where religious gatherings and resident association meetings are virtual, door-knocking is a health risk, and it is increasingly hard to connect with anyone in general. While limited interaction helps prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, it makes organized networks and neighbor mobilization very difficult. 

We can’t Zoom or Google Hangout our way through civic engagement, you know? 

Remember that civic engagement is defined as citizens acting alone or together to address issues of public concern, protect public values, or make a change or difference in the community. As we noted last week, the issue has never been that people do not care about their communities or their neighbors; the issue is that we are asking them to understand and trust a system that does not work equally for everyone. 

Nonetheless—or because of this—in a crisis that is still being measured in days rather than weeks or months, communities around the globe are adapting individual-led community initiatives to a touch-free world. 

One idea we love tackles the fractured nature of our civic life in a way that touches on the most basic nature of community: In Sandy Springs and Decatur, Georgia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and other cities, residents are hosting  “civic dinners” to bring neighbors together in groups of six to 10 to have conversations and hear different perspectives on three specific questions chosen beforehand. The goal is to break down self-prescribed silos within communities and work towards solutions. In light of Covid-19, many of these dinners have gone virtual.

This same idea could work here, through your chosen video conferencing platform, or you can explore a few outside options while temperatures are still a bit warm: a small lot or neighborhood park (remember to confirm whether or not you need a city permit first!); a neighborhood restaurant or coffee shop with outdoor seating; your neighborhood bookstore like Harriet’s or Uncle Bobbie’s that are practicing safe social distancing for gatherings; or a neighbor’s backyard.

Everyone’s point of entry for civic engagement will be different. What you will find is that, as we rethink civic engagement and we understand one another’s problems more effectively, the understanding and the solutions that we co-create can actually benefit the bottom-line.

You can also consider commandeering a vacant lot for these conversations—or for other civic engagement activities. There are legal ways to do this. Collectively, as has been done in other cities, neighbors can buy one of the city’s thousands of vacant lots, 74 percent of which  are already privately-owned. If the lot is next to a property you already own, you may even be able to buy it for just one dollar (plus closing costs) by going through the Philadelphia Land Bank. And because Philly is a do-it-yourself type of place anyway, some people just simply claim a lot as theirs, like with Dickinson Grove.  

Another example of claiming space in Philly was inspired by the dozen-plus community refrigerators that began popping up across New York City boroughs in order to tackle increased, hyperlocal food insecurity amplified by the pandemic. 

Here, several community fridges have popped up as well, from The People’s Fridge at 52nd Street in West Philadelphia to Mama-Tee Fridge, on its way to setting up 20 free food fridges around the city. These are everyday residents who saw the need to support their neighbors and communities by ensuring they had access to fresh, free food—simply by placing a refrigerator on a block and keeping it stocked with healthy food choices. 

South Philly artist Maria Möller is turning her block into one big get out the vote art exhibition as a way of promoting and encouraging a culture of voting. Over the last few weeks, our DMs and Better Civics inboxes have been filled with people asking how they can get the word out about poll workers, how to “dress” your ballot if voting by mail, updated poll locations, and much more. We’ve been encouraging folks to print out Phillyvoting.org QR Code and put it up in their home or car windows, to direct their neighbors right to a great source. 

In the same spirit as Black Lives Matter signs and words of encouragement to our essential workers, peppering your windows with the information, resources and affirmations that your neighbors need to motivate and educate them during this election season is beneficial. 

Recalling that social distancing can be a benefit and not a deterrent, these are also easy things to do that serve as a great intro to civic engagement. Not every neighbor is social. Not every person finds connecting with their neighbors to be an easy feat. Let’s play with the time that we are in and tap in to what we do feel comfortable doing. Seize the opportunity! 

Any of these ideas are something you and your neighbors can execute; but there exists a lot of room between feeding communities and hosting conversations. So, how can you claim a space for civic engagement to happen—all while being safe and socially distant? 

Here are some other ideas:

• Consider initiating a cleanup for your neighborhood. (Yes we still need these! More so than ever!) You can focus on your block or a local school or playground. This is Civics 101.
• We have an important election coming up and with so many deadline dates and so many pending court cases…people are confused! Help your neighbors go directly to the source by printing out this Phillyvoting.org QR Code and putting it up in your home window, car window, front stoop, wherever. This will help them stay up to date on voter info. 
• Organize a block meet and greet, so your neighbors can reconnect or meet for the first time. You can stand on the sidewalk with a glass of wine and discuss things like the ever-changing trash schedule, block issues, or the election. Or don’t talk about the civics at all and just socialize and have fun at a time when we all need more personal connections. 
• Make something beautiful and add color to your block. It could be as easy as using sidewalk chalk to write inspirational messages or keeping up with the early-pandemic idea of hanging art in your window facing out. With most people still spending a majority of their time at home, this will make your block more warm and friendly. 

None of us know what the world is going to look like after Covid-19. But we do know that civic health relies on vibrant communities, deep social connections, and face-to-face engagement. Our civic life thrives when we’re looking people in the eyes, hearing their voices, actively listening to their concerns, and spending time with them. 

The basic tenets of how we gather and engage in our civic, social, and communal life have shifted, but again, this physical shift invites us to do a psychological shift as well.  When claiming a space for you and your community, let’s also be mindful that we have to meet people where they are—which is one of the reasons we created Better Civics. 

Everyone’s point of entry for civic engagement will be different. What you will find is that, as we rethink civic engagement and we understand one another’s problems more effectively, the understanding and the solutions that we co-create can actually benefit the bottom-line.

Claim your space. Claim an equitable space. Because that’s better civics. 

Looking to do something interesting on your block? We’d love to hear your ideas. Send us a note at megan@bettercivics.org and jen@bettercivics.org.

Jen Devor and Megan R. Smith are co-founders of Better Civics, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to revolutionizing civic engagement and voter participation.