The Power of Community is a zine by Sarah van Gelder, lifelong activist, writer, and founding editor of YES! Magazine, for anyone who wants to nurture belonging and shared power toward the beloved community envisioned by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The zine addresses a country in trouble, recognizing that stocking up on food and guns won’t save us and self-care alone isn’t enough—it was community that kept our ancestors alive, and it will be in community that we support each other through today’s crises. Van Gelder offers ten practical tips: 1. Gather in person, 2. All voices are heard, 3. Build on what you love, 4. Take space, make space, 5. Share food, 6. Share the work, 7. Circle up!, 8. Create brave spaces, 9. Tell your truth, 10. Celebrate wins & keep learning.
Why it matters: Community is how we resist fascism, combat isolation, and build the power that everyday people—not elected leaders or corporate CEOs—need to support one another. Many people deal with mental health issues, substance abuse, interpersonal abuse, and political extremism, and community can help address all of these. As john a. powell writes, belonging means “being seen, knowing that I matter, knowing that I am with people who care deeply about my well-being…being part of something but with the added elements of dignity and even love.” Van Gelder’s ten tips offer the practical guidance and humility needed for shared empowerment, healing, and the possibility of thriving rather than just surviving.
