Road Ahead for Community Builders

Azher Quader
Executive Director
Community Builders Chicago (CBC)
www.mycommunitybuilders.com

(Comments delivered at the 5th Annual Community Builders Convention, May 31, 2010, Holiday Inn, Skokie.)

Some eight years ago we embarked upon a daunting journey to bring about a change in the lives of our people. As we looked around us then we saw widespread apathy, an absent sense of purpose, a lack of motivation to excel and a resigned attitude to live in the average. We saw an unusual preoccupation with either the politics of distant lands or the politics of our local centers. We saw people operating through hidden agendas. We saw people fearful and intimated from the fallout of 9/11, unwilling to engage and participate in the affairs of their neighborhoods. Community Builders came into existence to change some of this through a process of education and promoting the works and ideas of those with similar vision and similar goals.

Today Community Builders meet monthly at two locations, one in Skokie at the Holiday Inn and another in Rolling Meadows at the Northwest Suburban College. These monthly forums have provided thus far two important functions: First education by an open platform to discuss community issues and share information regarding community problems ranging from health care to immigration, education and the economy. Second a networking opportunity for the attendees to share their business interests and for non-profits to market their services.

While many have benefited from the networking opportunities that CBC provided, we have felt there is room for us to improve the form and quality of our educational programs in order that more might benefit.We realized the need for concentrating our efforts over a few select topics that would be important in the growth and development of individuals. The following 6 topics have been chosen as areas of major concentration.

1. Core Concepts of the Quran 2. Personal Health 3. Personal Productivity 4. Parenting & Family Preservation 5. Financial Management & Investment 6. Political Participation & Empowerment

The best way to teach these topics may vary from interactive workshops and seminars , to the use of radio, TV and web based technology. Eventually we hope to graduate groups of individuals through this educational program who will move on to live proactive, productive, purposeful lives fully invested in building strong families and peaceful communities. As a by-product of this effort we hope will develop a training model to counter the radicalization of our youth.

Let us take a brief look at why these topics are important and why we believe we need to focus on them.

First on the issue of the Quran, we believe that understanding the core concepts of the Quran is basic if we are to live at peace with ourselves and with others. Here we believe a strong understanding of the Quranic concepts of justice, compassion, unity, accountability, the sanctity of life, the power of trust are some of the areas of critical importance. We believe that comprehending the Quran in a way that it would inspire us to lead a moral life, free of dichotomies and double standards are where a life of purpose and purity begins.

Second in the matter of personal health, it is obvious to us that good health is a gift from Allah we all receive and often take it for granted till something goes wrong and it becomes too late. Sharing information on essential areas of healthy living like nutrition, exercise, stress management, weight management can go a long way in promoting health awareness. Without good health every other effort and endeavor falls by the wayside. Our partners at the Compassionate Care Network have already been doing some of this work. We will join them in organizing and conducting workshops promoting health awareness and healthy living.

Next is the area of personal productivity. The dimensions of personal productivity are many and include such critical subjects as goal setting, time management, communication skills and delegation of responsibilities. Many of us go through our entire lives sometimes without giving any thought to the relevance and importance of these principles, which so often can transform an ordinary life into an extraordinary one. This work has been neglected and needs to be organized as a priority.

Next is parenting and family preservation. Family structures in America are constantly being threatened by forces that are both internal and external. Our young people are finding it more and more difficult to find spouses as more and more of them move away from homes and families in search of careers and education to locations where communities are small social networks deficient. Our parents are juggling their hectic schedules to be good parents and provide quality time to their children as they try to balance their lives between work and home. Our marriages are dismantling at an alarmingly high rate. We believe that we can bring the resources within our community to reverse these trends, ease the burdens of parenting and help the process of spouse selection through proper education, networking and counseling.

The need for financial literacy to allow individuals to make sound financial decisions, understand rules of investing, learn of profitable investment opportunities, set up retirement plans and appropriately use strategies to minimize taxation and preserve family wealth are equally important in building our community’s financial strength. We will arrange workshops to meet this need as well.

Finally, we believe also that meaningful political participation of any people can only happen with their awareness of societal problems that threaten their welfare. It is only when they become aware of the issues that can harm them that they can be motivated to get involved and take action to bring about change.. For far too long we have advocated over issues of America’s foreign policy. It is time we pay attention to what is happening within our backyards and the neighborhoods we live in and advocate for their improvement. To become significant players in the arena of politics we will have to engage in the domestic issues of health care, immigration, energy, gun control, abortion and alcohol to name a few. CBC has provided this education in the past and we will continue to provide it in the future.

Here then are the guideposts that we believe provide the direction for us to pursue. How we deliver this educational program is a challenge. It will require organization and infrastructure. It will require resources both human and financial. It will require systems for promoting, operating and assessing progress. If we are serious about changing our condition and improving our future, we cannot shy away from this work.
The lessons that we have learned thus far cannot be ignored. The partnerships that we have made will need to be nurtured and strengthened. Community building will not occur in an atmosphere of isolation or competition. Community building is a multidimensional task and requires collaboration and cooperation by individuals and organizations. If we are not keepers of one another we will sadly fail..

One thing is for sure. Community building can only occur at the grass root level and needs the involvement and support of patrons and well-wishers like you. We are pleased that you are here and we are honoured to know that you believe in our mission and our work. On your tables in front of you are some pledge forms. We request that you fill them up and hand them to a volunteer. The amount you pledge is irrelevant. Whether it is $5 or $5,000 that is not the issue. Participation by everyone is important and is what we request. Our needs are modest, our ambitions are high. Together we can realize this vision of creating a community, which is strong in its faith, secure in its finances, productive in its work, committed to the protection of family values and just in the advocacy of its political agenda.

We thank you for your presence here tonight and we thank you for your support in the past. May Allah bless you all and reward you.