Letter to the Editor

TIME FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO SHOW LEADERSHIP

by Art Leal on 12/18/2014

All organizations have a shared responsibility to our communities. Building Safe Communities must be a priority. Ensuring that events that have happened around the country do not happen here…..in Odessa. And there is real possibility for it to happen if we do not have these conversations with law enforcement.

But to do so, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) must show leadership in making sure the community is informed. This can’t be left up to law enforcement to accomplish alone. We need to work together. Our responsibilities go beyond organizational mission statements.

As a representative of Una Voz Unida, I encourage all community based organizations (profit and non profit) especially those that receive tax payer funds from the City of Odessa to fulfill THAT mission statement to go beyond that and start awareness programs within their membership and groups. Start inviting law enforcement to your events and give them time on your program and continue the conversations. Some organizations and an elected official didn’t come to our first community meeting. I hope to see them at our next.

As the proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child” and together we can build safe communities and end the culture of fear and misunderstanding. Thank you.

Art Leal – Una Voz Unida



TAG: Odessa American, OA, Letters to the Editor










 
 

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