There are a couple of things that we are trying in our community.

1) Encouraging people of like mind (i.e. people who recognize a problem, people who are enthusiastic about the efforts needed to find solutions, people who are open to input no matter from where) to run for the City Assembly, the local School Board and State legislature.

2) Encouraging those people already in the system to work within their ideals, get behind them, publicise their ideas and their accomplishments.

3) Setting up town hall type meetings and connecting with others already in existence, recognizing that no one person has all the answers and that we all take sustenance from each other.

4) Writing letters, speaking loudly and clearly, encouraging others to do the same.

5) Watching for other opportunities as they arise.

I would love to get more ideas from Mudcatters.