THRIVE #5 Follow-Up: Building Community and Resilience
Conversation with Lucy's Former Neighbor
Our latest THRIVE meeting featured an insightful discussion with DP, a dedicated community organizer and educator, alongside contributions from Joyce Whitby, Lucy Gray, Wesley Fryer, and other engaged participants. The conversation touched on critical themes of community building, supporting asylum seekers, navigating technological challenges, and preparing for the current political climate.
DP’s Journey in Community Engagement
DP, a fourth-grade teacher and longtime advocate for social justice along with his husband, shared his experiences in grassroots organizing. Growing up in Chicago, he witnessed systemic racism and the power of community support, leading him to dedicate his career to both teaching and activism.
His work includes:
Supporting local schools in welcoming asylum seekers.
Organizing neighborhood events to strengthen community bonds.
Founding High Chair Chicago, an initiative using movable chairs to encourage social interaction in public spaces.
Providing direct support to refugee families by offering housing, meals, and legal aid.
DP and his husband have been instrumental in their community in encouraging others to get involved with park clean ups, garage sales, and various celebrations that bring people together.
The Challenges of Integration for Newcomers
DP highlighted the struggles faced by asylum seekers, including overcrowded shelters, job placement difficulties, and legal roadblocks. He and his husband have taken in three migrant families: a semi-professional soccer player, accounting students, and a naval engineer. They have helped these families navigate job acquisition, marriage, and legal processes, and have started a mutual aid group and legal defense fund. The couple also assists with food distribution and continues to search for employment opportunities for the families despite their struggles in finding jobs.
Key takeaways:
Legal and employment challenges require ongoing advocacy and support.
Grassroots efforts, like meal sharing and neighborhood fundraisers, can have a significant impact.
Representation matters—symbolic gestures like displaying welcoming signs or flags help foster an inclusive environment.
Leveraging Technology for Organizing and Support
Lucy Gray and Wesley Fryer explored technical issues related to Notion forms, particularly the inability to disable anonymous responses. They considered:
Adjusting database permissions and sharing settings.
Using ChatGPT for troubleshooting and streamlining workflow.
Creating Notion templates to standardize processes.
Additionally, they discussed LinkedIn networking issues, emphasizing the importance of professional connections to amplify community efforts and facilitate job opportunities for newcomers. Lucy and Joyce also discussed a debate and discussion tool called Kialo Edu.
Community Advocacy and Social Justice Initiatives
Participants discussed broader advocacy efforts, including:
Charter for Compassion, which promotes compassionate action in education and beyond.
Women on 20s, a campaign advocating for female representation on U.S. currency.
Grassroots political engagement, focusing on policy changes that support marginalized communities.
Preparing for an Uncertain Political Climate
The conversation turned to resilience strategies in response to political challenges. Wesley Fryer introduced his new initiative, “Resist and Heal,” emphasizing the importance of:
Community self-care and long-term sustainability.
Protecting education from restrictive policies.
Promoting civic engagement at local and national levels.
Women on 20s Campaign Success
In the meeting, Joyce shared her sister’s experience with the Women on 20s campaign, which aimed to replace Andrew Jackson's portrait on the $20 bill with Harriet Tubman's. She mentioned that the campaign had gained significant support and had even reached the Smithsonian. Joyce will see if her sister will join us in telling her story at an upcoming Thrive meeting.
Action Items
Support Refugee Families – Identify potential job openings or resources that could help the asylum seekers DP is assisting. If you are in the Chicago area, contact Lucy with any leads and she will pass them on. Also, contact Lucy if you would like to help these families through a mutual aid group set up for them.
Amplify Community Stories – Share narratives of radical hospitality and grassroots activism through blog posts, podcasts, and social media.
Looking Ahead
Our THRIVE discussions continue to reinforce the power of collective action. Whether through community organizing, leveraging technology, or engaging in political advocacy, our efforts contribute to a more just and resilient society.
We encourage all participants to take action in their own communities and join us for the next THRIVE session as we continue to strategize, support, and build a thriving future together.
Join Us for THRIVE #6!
Looking ahead to THRIVE #6, we are excited to welcome David Harris, a former colleague of Lucy Gray and a current colleague of Wesley Fryer. David will share insights about his podcast, The Teacher’s Forum, which explores vital issues in education. You can check out his podcast here: The Teacher’s Forum.
📌 Register here to join us next week: THRIVE #6 Registration
📌 Next Steps:
Share updates on community initiatives and success stories in the chat on our Substack.
Participate as you can in upcoming discussions to deepen our collective impact.
#ThriveTogether #CommunityBuilding #ResistAndHeal #Thrive2025 #Resist #Education
Amazing how you have pulled together this community! Great summary.