What is a community? A community is a group of individuals linked together by underlying similarities such as culture, race, geographic location, economic status, age grouping, sexual orientation, and gender. These similarities unify a community's members. For this reason, the issues or concerns that face a given community tends to have a significant affect on the lives of its members. Whether it be fighting against police brutality of minorities in the urban inner cites, protesting the moving of convicted sexual predators into a given neighborhood, improving the playground at the local middle school, or lobbying politicians for an increase in minimum wage, community members are often called upon to lead. All of us belong to a least one community, but most often we fall into many different communities. The question, however is-Are we truly answering the call of leadership when our communities need us to take action?

A community is much like a family unit, because a common bond is shared. Even though that bond may not be blood, it can be just as strong or even stronger. Therefore, it is not uncommon for our community ties to be stronger than our family bonds. However, what role do we play in developing and strengthening these communities that we claim to hold so dear? Are we doing what is necessary to make sure that our communities' needs are being met, just as we would make sure our family's needs were being met?

Over the years, I have heard different community groups make the argument that not enough was being done to address their issues or concerns. Some of these community groups have appealed to the federal government for legislation, others have made public pleas for help, while others seem to simply self-destruct without any clear vision for properly addressing their issues or concerns. To all of these communities, I ask its members the following questions:

What are you doing to improve your community from within? Are you taking the necessary actions to impress upon others that your issues or concerns need to be addressed for the betterment of society at large? Are you using outdated tactics to bring attention to you cause? Are you still talking about the issues rather than thinking, devising a plan of action, and then working that plan to address these issues or concerns?

You see, appropriate, intentional, and targeted leadership within our communities is essential for them to prosper. However, many community members are not utilizing leadership for the sake of the community, instead they are leading for positional power and influence. When this type of behavior occurs the issues and possible solutions become lost as they are no longer the focus of the movement. This often leads community members to believe that certain issues or concerns may never be resolved, unearthing a feeling of hopelessness and apathy.

This feeling of hopelessness and apathy can be seen on the faces of many people across many communities in America. My question to you is-What will you do to change this? Notice, that I have not used the term "community leaders," because everyone is a community leader, however, it's your choice whether to take action or not. Everyone has the ability to lead and influence the issues and concerns that affect them. The days of waiting for someone "greater than thou" to lead never really existed. As with Dorothy's ruby red slippers in The Wizard of Oz, you have always had the power within you. You just need to believe in yourself and access it.

Do yourself and your fellow community members a favor and take a good look at the communities that you belong to and make the choice to do something about the issues and concerns that affect them and you. Take a stand. Think about how you can improve the current situation. Build a coalition, and then begin to take action (taking into consideration what you read here today). Your communities need your leadership. If not you, then who?