WELCOME TO ECCO
ECCO is a non-profit, interfaith, broad based community organization
on Boston’s North Shore that include churches, synagogues, a
family housing project, school parents’ groups, and labor unions.
ECCO’s mission is to develop leadership to build power and collaboration
among families and communities on the North Shore. We are guided by
a firm belief in the democratic principle that all people are created
equal and have the right to make decisions about important issues affecting
their neighborhoods. Founded in 1981, ECCO has organized around a variety
of issues affecting families on the North Shore, including activities
directed at affordable housing, public safety, quality education, childcare,
workforce development, health care and youth activities.
WHAT DOES COMMUNITY ORGANIZING DO EXACTLY?
Community organizing empowers people of faith to make real world, positive changes to their communities. By simply listening to the concerns of others, and engaging people to act by their sides, ECCO leaders address some of our regions most pressing issues in a positive, informed and effective way.
HOW DOES LISTENING TO MY CONGREGATIONS' DEEPLY FELT CONCERNS TRANSLATE INTO JUSTICE?
More and more often in our community, people are getting used to things "happening" to them without being asked what they would prefer. Politicians making decisions that neglect the poorest populations of people, criminals running amok on our streets, schools becoming worse and worse in the poorest regions of our state. The simple act of "LISTENING" to a persons concerns can in itself be very empowering.
When we listen to a community members concerns, we are also agitational, we will ask them "are you fine with the way things are, or are you ready to do something about this?". If a person answers "yes" to this question, we work with them to identify others that may have the same concern, and research how their concern might be addressed, over time that person has become a leader.
WHAT DOES LEADERSHIP MEAN?
A leader is a person who listens to people's concerns, and empowers them to act.
Often in our community people get caught up in what skills leaders "tend" to have, such as: Being a good public speaker, or following through on commitments they have made to others. In ECCO we like to say that these are some things that leaders "do", but they aren't what leaders "are".
We believe that in all people, rests the potential to become a leader, consider Moses, certainly knowone was more surprised, and reluctant that they'd be called to leadership than he. Though Moses's great public speaking abilities may be defining characteristics that he possessed, it was the courage to engage the enslaved Hebrew people, and journey with them through the desert that makes him a leader. In the faith community this is often referred to as a "following", which is a characteristic that we feel no leader can be without.
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