Grassroots organizing led by parents and community members in Norfolk shows how shared leadership can make schools safer, expand care for working families, and strengthen democracy from the ground up.
This essay is part of an ongoing Gender & Democracy series, presented in partnership with Groundswell Fund and Groundswell Action Fund, highlighting the work of Groundswell partners advancing inclusive democracy. You’ll find stories, reflections and accomplishments—told in their own words—by grassroots leaders, women of color, Indigenous women, and trans and gender-expansive people supported by Groundswell. By amplifying these voices—their solutions, communities, challenges and victories—our shared goal is to show how intersectional organizing strengthens democracy.
Norfolk, Va., is a city of contradictions. A historic site with cobblestone streets from before the Revolutionary War, that today houses the world’s largest naval base. It is also a place where shopping centers sit empty, housing costs are out of reach for many leading long-time residents to be displaced, and schools are so underfunded that many are on the verge of closing.
Through organizations like the New Virginia Majority, we talk directly to community members and know that far too many have lived through generations of lackluster investment in public infrastructure and education.
Among the stories that surprised even us? Parents concerned about their children getting off school buses safely because of an uptick in gun violence that coincided with school dismissal times. Enter Campaign “Take Back the Bus Stop.” The community petitioned for emergency call boxes and showed up in force so that when students got off the bus in Calvert Square and Young Terrace neighborhoods, organizers and members were onsite to greet them and help to keep violence away.
The campaign reduced shootings and other violent behavior around bus stops – and even cut down on cars’ speeding. Local news started reporting on the issue. The petition for emergency call boxes and the bus safety campaign is now being implemented in other nearby areas, where it’s called the Be Safe program. The Norfolk City Council is funding the campaign’s legacy and training volunteers. In a follow-up interview about the program in 2024, one student said the volunteers helped her, “feel like I have body guards.”
Earlier this year, we conducted a needs assessment, polling 265 parents. Three out of four identified before- and after-school care as a major need. Advocacy has since prompted the Norfolk School Board to approve funding in the 2025 budget for Equity and Excellence Learning Centers at four at-risk schools, restoring before- and after-school care at those serving a working-class community of color. This win is a strong example of collaborative leadership among parents and an advocacy group whose work is member led.
Collaborative leadership is also exemplified by Norfolk Vision Now, a group of organizations that advocate for housing, health and safety, education, workforce and employment, environmentally resilient neighborhoods, and transparency and accountability within city government. The platform has shown city councils how to treat their constituencies, as well as how to connect with residents as more than just voters.
Keenen Baskerville, one of our organizers, says, “Norfolk is my home. I started elementary school here and it laid my foundation for community relations and my analysis of external struggles. We envision a future where students can have all their needs met in their community and city at large. Where public schools serve as hubs for the students and their community and are fully funded and supported to achieve improved student outcomes.”
As organizers, we are able to see how our work can positively affect communities, and although there is still much work to be done, we are encouraged that when people work together, we can create changes that benefit all of us.
Great Job Monét Johnson & the Team @ Ms. Magazine Source link for sharing this story.
