By Marisa Loranger, News Editor.
A group in Saginaw called The New Ezekiel Project is trying to change the community. The New Ezekiel would like to see Saginaw become a better place to “Live, work, learn, and play,” as the city’s motto says. The New Ezekiel sees this in their city but has realized that not everyone else see’s it that way. They would like to help their city become a place where everyone see’s it positively.
The faith-based community organization group is joined with five others in Michigan. The group explains itself as an interfaith, interdenominational congregation that works on social justice issues.
“We are here helping everyday people to actually change the situation that they are in and to change their lives,” explained Jamie Forbes, an organizer for the New Ezekiel Project.
The Ezekiel Project has been around for 20 years and they have recently become the New Ezekiel Project. The “New” in the title symbolizes the rebirth that they are going through. Through the years, transportation, education and police and community have remained their top priority..
“We are changing. We are taking on new issues. We are re-energized to get back on track and to really start affecting the community for the better. We are a new Saginaw,” explained Forbes. “The environment is changing so quickly here with new businesses and new investments and just lots of good stuff that’s happening. So, we need to be changing too,”
Members don’t have to be a part of a church or organization. They look for people who are concerned about their community and want to affect actual change. The group wants people of all denominations and even the non-religious. The New Ezekiel Project wants people who are passionate about their city and are open-minded.
The New Ezekiel Project had a meeting August 29 where it formed three task forces: education, transportation and police and the community. Group members within the New Ezekial Project, called the Listening Campaign, come together to knock on doors in the community. The campaign aims to speak with community members about important issues that they face in their daily lives. Every year the members go door-to-door and this is how they stay aware of the changing needs of the community.
“The idea being that what the board thinks is important, what the organizer thinks is important, what’s important to other affiliates might not be what’s important to our neighbors,” explained Forbes.
The issue of transportation is something New Ezekiel has worked really hard on this year, according to Forbes. The group worked on Proposition 1, the gas tax to fund road repairs, in the spring and then the Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) mileage renewal in August.
“We’re not paid. We’re people of faith and we’re trying to look out for the greater good of the community, because when people are doing well and they can take care of their families, we have a safer community and a more viable community and a place where people want to live,” explained Joyce Seals, member and treasurer of The New Ezekial Project.
New Ezekiel had a big presence in the community after Milton Hall’s death, for example, and called for a citizen review board for police conduct. Hall was a homeless man who was accused of stealing a cup of coffee when officers shot and killed him in 2012.
“Ultimately all of these things speak to systemic racism, the idea is that there is racism and sexism and classism built into our systems which result in the symptoms and troubles we see in our community’s every day. So until we address those core issues, we’re not really going to change the whole of our community,” explained Forbes.
Forbes has realized that people know and understand the problems in their communities, but the problems seem too big for one person to fix alone.
“I think that through the discipline of community organizing, people can learn how to actually impact the stuff that seems so big and so heavy. there really is a way to change things,” explained Forbes.
That’s why the task forces were made. It helps them break down the issues into smaller pieces, helping everyone realize that they can do something to change their community. The meetings are separated in a transportation task force, an education task force and a police and community task force. The task forces are places for people to brainstorm and bounce ideas off each other of ways to talk to higher officials who can help them take their ideas to the next step.
“One thing I’ve learned throughout this is that one person can make a difference,” explained Seals.
Forbes is already seeing the fruits of their labor. This last election, the STARS mileage renewal passed with 10 percent more than it’s ever passed with before. Forbes sees this as a direct result of New Ezekiel getting out into their congregations, reminding people to vote and telling them how important it is.
“This really is about our values, whether it be inspired by our faith or our morality. To try to achieve a level playing field for our neighbors. That’s what’s behind this work in the first place it’s all about our values. Which is funny because that term values has been hijacked, but that’s what it’s about. Values. If we don’t allow these differences between us, separate us, then progress can be made. Not just band aids but real change,” explained Forbes.
