In October 2023, I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural diaspora organizer gathering with FCNL. Hosted at Friends Place on Capitol Hill, the program offered four days of learning about community organizing, congressional advocacy, and effective storytelling. Organizers from across the U.S. and the world came together to build connections and exchange wisdom. On the final day, we lobbied on issues ranging from a ceasefire in Gaza to support for the Banyamulenge people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
My prior experiences and goals for the future made me interested in attending. As a U.S.-born daughter of immigrants from Niger, I was familiar with the impact of migration policy on a person’s life. I grew up seeing my parents work as community organizers and advocates for our local refugee and immigrant population. I had also worked as a summer intern for a voting rights organization in my home state of North Carolina. My foundation for being a changemaker was already laid and I was ready to build upon it further.
As a young adult (I celebrated my 20th birthday during the gathering), I was also in a phase of exploration. I knew that I wanted to serve my community through advocacy, but needed to learn more about how I could do so. The gathering offered the insight I needed to achieve all of that and more.
Each of us contributed a piece to a larger puzzle: how can we transform the world to be more peaceful, just, and inclusive.
Our time on Capitol Hill flew by with workshops on storytelling, seminar discussions, and visits from people working on Capitol Hill as lobbyists and legislative assistants. Interactions with other attendees were what truly opened my eyes to the meaning of solidarity and organizing. Hearing firsthand accounts of the global events I had read about in the news expanded my worldview. Each of us contributed a piece to a larger puzzle: how can we transform the world to be more peaceful, just, and inclusive. By reflecting on meetings with lawmakers, global fundraising efforts, and providing direct services, we discerned the various tools that a community organizer could use. We built bridges between individuals and across continents as we connected our assorted issue areas to a larger cause.
I arrived at Friends Place able to define the words organizing and solidarity. The gathering pushed me to cement it into my personal philosophy. As I am writing this reflection, I find myself looking back at the photos from that weekend and I realize why that space made such an impact on me.
Over the course of a few short days, our diverse group built bonds that continue to hold strong today. We were a microcosm of an ideal society centered on unity and respect. It was a space that gave me permission to show up with all parts of myself. It was a space where my ideas could be challenged in a way that led to growth.
I have grown into a person who realizes the importance of placing current events in the wider context of geopolitics and history.
Furthermore, I see the impact of that space on who I currently am as an organizer and advocate. Since the gathering I have participated (and even led) solidarity and equality initiatives in my own city and on my campus. I have grown into a person who realizes the importance of placing current events in the wider context of geopolitics and history.
I have fully internalized that behind every story on news is a person, family, or community with their own complex story. I have a greater grasp on the tools of grassroots advocacy. As I move forward in my journey, I can point to that weekend on Capitol Hill as a starting point. I hope that what I can contribute to this world in the future will be a continuation of its legacy.
