Connected Communities: Seven Things You Can Do to Become More Involved in Southern Arizona
One of the Sonoran Desert’s many remarkable examples of mutualism happens after dark: the lesser long-nosed “tequila” bat gathers nectar from agave flowers and, in the process, pollinates the plants that help sustain our desert ecosystem. It is a small exchange with a large lesson. Communities, too, thrive when each part contributes to the health of the whole. That exchange between bat and agave is a useful desert reminder: communities thrive when each part contributes to the health of the whole.
Civic Leadership Highs and Lows
A few weeks ago, I was honored to attend the graduation of the Greater Tucson Leadership Civic and Political Leadership Academy as a mentor. A crowd of excited families, mentors, and sponsors heard graduates deliver speeches about road safety, improving schools, personal journeys, and a willingness to step into accountable local leadership by running for office.
Former Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, one of the forces behind the academy, complimented the attending supporters, telling the graduates, “That’s good; you’ll need them,” as they enter a new phase of public life. Most heartening was the way the graduates cheered one another on—another type of mutualism in action.
I walked away full of heart about what civic leadership can look like in Southern Arizona: people bringing others together to solve local problems, strengthen neighborhoods, bridge business, nonprofit, and public sectors, and make sure more voices help shape our region’s future.
That inspiring experience also points to why civic connection matters. According to the Center for the Future of Arizona, Arizona ranks 37th among U.S. states in the Connected Communities element Belonging to Groups. Community organizations and associations are essential components of civic and democratic life in America. Belonging to groups sounds simple, yet it is fundamental to mutual support, with research showing that this kind of engagement can improve health and well-being, support stronger governance, and help build safer communities.
Be a Civic Leader—Become a Part of Something:
I went down a huge pocket-gopher hole of intriguing civic leadership options for many interests and phases of life. The examples below range from formal leadership programs to informal community groups. Find a group, project, or leadership opportunity that suits you.
· Greater Tucson Leadership hosts leadership programs for youth and adults.
· League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson offers many ways to support local elections and voter engagement.
· The Chamber of Southern Arizona Emerging Leaders Program offers a cohort experience for mid-career professionals on the rise.
· Pima County Library Book Clubs and the Solutions Focused Community Book Club at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona offer ways to connect through shared reading; the CFSA discussion of Karen Hao’s Empire of AI is on August 26th.
· Attend the Santa Cruz Community Foundation’s Civic Leadership Award Dinner Honoring Evan Kory on September 10th.
· Finally, my favorite new-to-me group is the FrogSong Community Science Project, which helps preserve our desert amphibians—truly, there is a group for everyone.
One Last Action Item—Nonprofits Need Your Help!
Civic leadership is not only about joining a group or showing up at a meeting; it is also about protecting the systems that allow communities to solve problems together. Take a civic leadership moment on behalf of nonprofits and other federal grantees by sharing your thoughts on a proposed new federal rule that would make sweeping changes to grantmaking, essentially allowing any administration to disqualify a grantee it disfavors. The deadline to comment is July 13th.
Connected communities do not happen by accident. They are built through small acts of participation, advocacy, and care—the human version of mutualism that helps our desert home thrive. Steady on!
Jenny Flynn
President & CEO
Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
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