OPINION: Thriving communities are a core principle of The Forward Movement

Mark Harris, a first-year student at Ohio University and an opinion writer at The New Political, writes from his position as a district captain for the Forward Party in Ohio House District 94.

Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.

No matter who we are or where we live, we all are part of communities with unique needs. Such needs are best met when community members' voices are heard by those who represent them. 

Elections are the best way for the public to voice their needs; however, there should be other ways constituents can communicate with those in power. There should be a regular dialogue between the members of the community and those who represent their interests. This is one of the issues the Forward Party is taking on in our movement to build a different kind of political party. By engaging community members in our party, we will gain knowledge of the needs of local people, those we hope to represent.

The Forward Party has three core principles: free people, thriving communities and vibrant democracy. I believe thriving communities is the most important element of the Forward Party platform. The two major parties in power care very little about the health and well-being of people nationwide, but Forward is different. We are building this movement with the success of individual communities in mind. 

We seek to "reinvigorate a fair, flourishing economy and open society where everyone can live a good life and is safe in the places where we learn, work, and live," as the national Forward website states. The national party intends to create the kind of society that encourages the growth of local communities. Forward is a grassroots, bottom-up movement and we are building our party community by community. 

With that in mind, I contacted the Ohio Forward leadership team to see their thoughts on building thriving communities here in Ohio. 

"Forward Ohio is working to create the next generation political environment," said Donald Wiggins Jr., state lead for Forward Ohio. "One which advances the principles of free people, vibrant democracy, and thriving communities."

To parody, Chris Hendrickson, fellow Forwardist and executive committee member for Arizona Forward, said, "I believe 'thriving communities' are ones in which there is flourishing and rich civic participation, which extends beyond voting." 

Hendrickson believes thriving communities involve caring people who develop and maintain their neighborhoods' social, physical, and civic infrastructure. 

"In short, (thriving communities involve) people helping and empowering people," said Hendrickson.

When I asked Debby Descheneau, interim director of organizing for Forward Ohio, about the importance of building thriving communities, she said, "Thriving communities are one of the Forward priorities; (Communities are spaces) in which we gather and organize."

Descheneau believes the organizations' efforts are an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of local matters, each other and Forward Ohio. She hopes to see Forward flourish and persist in a productive manner.

Forward is committed to creating thriving communities here in Ohio, and I see the extreme value in doing so. We will not wait to start this mission. 

This month in Athens, the local Ohio House District 94 Forward party is collecting canned goods and essential items for those in East Palestine through March 20. Drop off locations include: Red Brick Tavern, Pawpur's, Lucky's, Cat's Eye, Goodfellas on Union Street, Chase Bank, Hocking Valley Bank, Avalanche Pizza and Christ the King Church. We are hoping to start collection efforts throughout the state as well. 

The situation in East Palestine is not going away anytime soon; the more we can do to help, the better. We are also planning more community aid efforts this year, so stay informed about local events. We engage the community by having meetups in person and online throughout the state. In Athens, there are bi-weekly meetings Mondays at The Red Brick Tavern, 14 N Court St. These meetups are crucial to understanding the public's needs and general feelings. We are a new movement, so all connections we can build with local communities are important.

For too long, people have been undervalued by the American political system. It is time for the communities of America to be heard, and their needs met. We are social creatures; interacting and working together is part of what makes us human beings. It is so important that those with the power to make choices on behalf of entire communities have genuine connections with the people they are tasked with representing.