Approximately 15 people attended the JONAH June Public Meeting. Some joined via Zoom, which provided a great option for those who live outside Eau Claire but want to be part of justice advocacy in the Chippewa Valley. Many attendees were not connected with a congregation. Did you know that everyone is welcome, and that you don’t have to be part of any faith tradition to be an active member and leader in JONAH?
Each of the participants had various connections to JONAH. Some were new to the organization and/or the Chippewa Valley, while others had long-term involvement. Leadership experience and issue interests varied widely, as did age, background, and gender. It created a wonderfully diverse group that was celebrated and worked seamlessly in our model, where all perspectives are needed.
The meeting began with the participants introducing themselves and sharing their connections to the community or to JONAH, their place of residence, and a wish. Here is what we heard in response to “I wish that…”:
- Legislators listened to their hearts (shared by two people).
- There was no more violence.
- People could hear each other.
- People would feel loved and love others.
- Demonstrations of love were louder to drown out the negative.
- Everybody got the same accurate news source.
- People showed respect for one another.
- All people feel hope.
- People were blessed magically with understanding.
- People would realize the consequences of their actions.
- Love overcomes fear, and that truth is louder than hate.
- Education and children are valued, and we teach love.
- Everyone could have the wisdom to know how to show up in the world right now.
- Homelessness would end.
An active JONAH volunteer, Kim Vleck, led a reflection to spark connection, hope, and thoughtful discussion. She shared feelings of disappointment and being disheartened by the state budget. She reminded the attendees that many people are working to support others and not to feel isolated or alone.
Our organizer, Lynn Buske, gave an overview of JONAH including highlights of the work/accomplishments of each task force and committees within the organization. These included housing education events, an environmental issue involving trees on the city council agenda, fundraising team updates, responses to questions about our Immigration Task Force’s work, mental health initiatives, the restart announcement of the Criminal Justice Task Force (with new leadership), updates from the Religious Leaders and training teams, Bike Week information, and Voices United’s civic engagement plan to connect residents. A full list of upcoming events was also shared.
JONAH actively engages its members in its work, not only to hear from them, but to encourage their contributions. We emphasize that both our actions and inactions shape the experiences people have in our community. We want people to feel they belong, are invested in, and are capable of meaningful contributions. There are many ways to contribute, and all are highly valuable. This is something not all nonprofits prioritize, and it’s part of what makes JONAH unique.
Here are some of our current volunteer needs:
- Canvassers
- Stories and artists for our November Encounters exhibit
- Fundraising support for specific needs
- Donations to support our capacity growth
- Tote bags for the Environmental Task Force to distribute
- Help spread the word about JONAH to build our base
- People to staff JONAH booths at summer events
- Postcard entries for the CV Postcard Project’s “Humanizing the Immigrant” campaign
Just send us an email if you’re curious to hear more about any of these opportunities.
We had such great discussions that we ran out of time for the relationship-building portion we typically include in the first hour. But before shifting to the training, we asked everyone to share how they were feeling. This is how we evaluate everything we do in JONAH. Each word below was shared by a participant:
Busy, connected, still learning, encouraged, hopeful, valued and grateful, thoughtful, grateful, connected, grateful, educated, encouraged, uplifted and loosened, informed, and educated.
Then ten people stayed for a powerful training on Power Mapping! They learned about self-interest, the importance of building relationships, expanding a team, and exploring the Power Mapping tool. The public meeting ended with a discussion of overall takeaways.
In follow-up conversations, a couple people shared why they were glad they attended:
“I’m glad I came because I learned a little more about JONAH, and found out about the Hmong storytelling/art project, which I’m interested in.” – Kirk
“It was wonderful to be surrounded by like-minded people and inspired me to become involved.” – Linda
“I’m glad I came because I understand now the huge impact JONAH is able to make on our community.” – Larry
Our hope is that these meetings help people feel more informed, connected, inspired, heard, and encouraged to become more involved in the community.
Our next Public Meeting is August 18 at 5:30pm. It will be hybrid again.
The training topic is: Social Determinants of Health. Register here!