State of the Re:Union would like to welcome our newest contributor to SOTRU, Garlin Gilchrist II. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Garlin created Detroit Diaspora, an active Detroit community network of people looking to stay connected. As a National Campaign Director for MoveOn.org, he currently resides in Washington D.C. with his beautiful wife, Ellen.

After graduating with degrees in Computer Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Michigan, he became a Software Engineer at Microsoft. By day, Garlin helped build SharePoint into the fastest growth product in the company’s history. On his personal time, Garlin sought out opportunities to connect his technical skills with community building efforts across the country.

This led to Garlin’s co-founding The SuperSpade: Black Thought at the Highest Level, a leading Black political blog. He served as Social Media Manager for the 2008 Obama campaign in Washington, and then became Director of New Media at the Center for Community Change.

Today Garlin works at the crossroads of traditional political organizing and online activism. He speaks before diverse audiences on empowerment in revolutionary new organizing spaces, increasing civic engagement & participation though emerging technologies and protecting civil rights in the age of the Internet.

Now, as the latest contributor to our website, Garlin lends his experience and sage advice, helping SOTRU continue engaging with and connecting community. Look for his first post next Wednesday.

Winter is well on its way, as many living in the north east can attest to. So, in the spirit of creating warmth and wellness, State of the Re:Union is highlighting an unusual community-led effort to go green that started in Washington D.C., but is sparking interest around the country.

Just a short while ago, seven families near the Washington D.C. area (Silver Spring, MD) decided to pursue a Neighborhood Weatherization Project in an team effort to conserve energy. After a meeting with Weatherize DC, a nonprofit advising people in the weatherization process, these families signed up for the process as a group. With Weatherize DC’s assistance, requests were sent out to five local businesses, choosing the best company for the job. (To read this article in its entirety, click here.)

Going green as a neighborhood really helped keep the cost down (they saved 15 percent or more on the process, with an average reduction in energy bills by 15 to 25 percent). Cracks in walls and ceilings were repaired, gaps were closed and additional insulation pumped into walls, all at a reduced cost.

This project was the first of its kind, but is gaining in popularity for families who want to save some green while becoming green. A few additional D.C. neighborhoods have followed suit and created their own neighborhood projects, including the Hill neighborhood near Capitol Hill. Bulk purchasing of energy improvements, services and products is trending, not just for neighborhoods, but churches and other community organizations are getting in on the actions.

As if saving money and the earth wasn’t enough incentive and being comfy and cozy, there is an added bonus that badly-needed jobs are being produced with these projects. Weatherize DC’s Director of Communication Elizabeth Condon stated, “People like the idea of lowering the costs of home energy efficiency upgrades, having the momentum of working with others to make sure they get it done, and creating local jobs for people from disadvantaged communities in the process.”

And as Condon says, “The Hill neighborhood also provides a nice juxtaposition — being in the shadow of the actual Capitol building which represents top-down change — and these small community-led efforts which can have a profound impact in individuals’ lives.”

There are quite a few reasons to consider going green together. Cost is certainly one, but more than that, as the old adage says, “There is strength in numbers.” This meaning that banning together and committing to make small changes in your neighborhood can ignite a spark and be the change that’s needed for your community. If you could keep costs down, is this a project that you might consider? Do you know of projects similar in nature going on in your community? Is this something that can work for everyone? Send us your thoughts, comments and/or inquiries to let us know.

Yesterday’s opening of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial has remained a poignant reminder of how we must engage to re-shape our nasty politics and public life. On the side of the memorial is this inscription: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” At issue is how we take these words in and live them, especially at a time when our politics are so distasteful and sorely lacking in a sense of possibility.

This line is from one of my favorite King sermons, “The Drum Major Instinct.” It asks, “What does it mean to step forward to lead and serve?” This is especially important for any of us with a burning desire to create change in society. So, what is the nature of your own path … to lead and serve? And what is the path we find our politics and public life on today and how can we and others help shape that?

I have selected a few lines from the sermon for you to consider. No, the fact is that I really don’t want you to “consider” them at all; I want you to engage with them – to open yourself up and let them touch you. I urge you to do so alone; then maybe find a partner or two to sit with and together examine your responses. Do this – all it takes is 20 minutes; it’s really worth the time.

So here are three segments from The Drum Major Instinct and some questions I’ve posed to each of us:

•    “…deep down within all of us [is] an instinct. It’s a kind of drum major instinct—a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first.” Is that true for you? If so, what’s motivating you?

•    “I guess that’s the most damaging aspect of it: what it does to the personality.” King said the desire to be out front can lead people to be “boastful,” even “lie,” to engage in “activities that are merely used to get attention,” to “push others down in order to push himself up,” for “snobbish exclusivism” and to justify “prejudice.” What does the desire to be out in front of the parade do to you? What damaging aspects can you identify within yourself?

•    “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice… for peace… for righteousness.” So said King about himself; list three things why you’re a drum major—and don’t worry, they can be big or small.

Some people might say that my own desire to focus on the Drum Major Instinct misses the point in today’s rough-and-tumble world. Our focus should be on winning in partisan politics and destroying our opponents.

But what King taught us is that there is a different way to lead – a different call we must answer. As he said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.” Well, what “light” are we bringing to politics and public life? How are we illuminating the real issues and concerns among people? How does our own rhetoric add further to the negativity and closing down of room in the public square to engage with others?

None of us alone may be able to re-shape our current negative public conditions; but, surely, each of us can play a role. To keep the spirit alive, let’s figure out how we want to help lead the parade.

Send me your responses so we can all share them, reflect on them, and support one another.

*This post is adapted from my 2007 MLK Day posting, and was used at our August 2007 Annual Public Innovators Summit.

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A dynamic public speaker, Rich Harwood is a frequent keynote for foundations and national organizations. He is an expert contributor on national and syndicated media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN’s Inside Politics, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Special Report with Brit Hume, C-SPAN, and many others. He is also the author of Hope Unraveled: The people\’92s retreat and our way back (2005), Make Hope Real: How we can accelerate change for the public good (2008) and numerous studies, articles and essays chronicling vital issues of our time. His most recent written work, Why We\’92re Here: The Powerful Impact of Public Broadcasters When They Turn Outward, is being published and distributed in Spring 2011. You can follow him on twitter @RichHarwood and facebook.com/richharwood.

You can read Rich’s posts every Tuesday on State of the Re:Union’s website.