At Neighbor to Neighbor, we make democracy work for us.
That means all of us, whether you’re Black, white, or brown, immigrant or lifelong local, and no matter how much money you have. Together, we build power for our collective wellbeing.
A handful of wealthy elites make the decisions that shape our lives here in Massachusetts. We believe we can shift the balance of power by bringing people together in key cities for bold change, local and statewide.
From the streets to the State House, we fight for a new way of doing things and put democracy into practice along the way.
The Problem
Power is concentrated in the hands of just a handful of wealthy elites who stack the cards in their own favor. And too many people feel like it’s impossible to change the policy decisions that impact our daily lives: what homes we can afford, what jobs we can get, and our ability to live well. Even people who decide to do something about it often lose trust in our political process and give up trying.
That’s not how our democracy is supposed to work.
We believe that true democracy is possible, and we’re taking matters into our own hands. We’re challenging power by stepping into our own, from rallying in the streets to making sure each member in every meeting has their say. Neighbor to Neighbor believes that we can – and we will – make democracy work for us.
Our Solution
Support members in becoming leaders. Our people are powerful. We get to know our members one-to-one, invite them to step into their power, and support them while they take on leadership roles. We are at our best when members lead the charge to make our communities better for us all.
Meet people where they are. Most politicians making decisions about our lives are not knocking on doors and listening to what people have to say. At Neighbor to Neighbor, we knock on doors. We host meetings in public parks and community centers. We’re constantly meeting new people, inviting them in, and gathering input to inform our next steps.
Lead bold efforts for local and statewide change. Our local work is the backbone of our statewide work, and our statewide work is the backbone of our organization. Each chapter of Neighbor to Neighbor leads initiatives at the city level for local change. Our assemblies bring together all our members to build up plans for change statewide.
Run members for elected office. When we look around, we don’t see our people in office. That’s why our 501(c)4 sister organization teaches people about the election process and encourages members to step up to run. We get out the vote for our people – real people who often are running for office for the first time – in every election.
Our Values
Solidarity
I am not free until you are free. We fight for our liberation in the city and statewide arena. I am not well until you are well. We take care of each other in our day to day lives because community is everything.
Integrity
We make the road by walking–so how we walk matters. We embody the values we propose for our society at large, and first and foremost that means being accountable to our community.
Self-determination
We believe in our communities stepping into our power to determine the course of our lives. We claim our power as Black, white, and brown folks, immigrants and lifelong locals, and no matter how much money we have.