🗣️ WOKE Word of the Week:Grassroots

When you hear grassroots, you might think about the grass in your yard 🌱 but in politics, it means something powerful: change driven by everyday people.

✨ What It Means

Grassroots movements are built from the ground up. They aren’t led by billionaires or corporations they’re fueled by neighbors, families, and communities working together. Think of it as the people’s power.

📖 A Little History

Some of the biggest moments in American history started as grassroots movements:

• Civil Rights Movement – Ordinary folks organized sit-ins, marches, and voter registration drives.

• Women’s Suffrage – It wasn’t politicians who first pushed for the vote, it was everyday women fighting for decades.

• Environmental Justice – Communities hit hardest by pollution fought for cleaner air and water, sparking today’s climate action.

📌 Local Spin: Wilson, NC

Grassroots is alive right here in Wilson. When parents show up at school board meetings, when neighbors rally around a local candidate who listens, or when community groups push for better parks and safer neighborhoods that’s grassroots at work.

💡 Why It Matters

Top-down change is slow. Grassroots reminds us that we don’t have to wait for permission to fight for better schools, safer streets, or fairer policies. Power grows when people connect, organize, and keep showing up.

🚀 This Week’s WOKE Challenge

Find a grassroots effort in your community and plug in. Whether that’s signing a petition, volunteering an hour, or just sharing their message on social media your voice adds to the movement.