- Spencer Isabel and Delmy
ISABEL MELENDEZ AND YWW LAWRENCE
By Delmy Rosales.
It was July 2005 when I met Isabel Melendez. She is one of the most respected community activists here in Lawrence, MA. I was looking for a job in her office of The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council. She asked me to collaborate in her VOTERS IN ACTION OFFICE. Isabel is also the person who introduced me to Lawrence CommunityWorks. There, she is one of the founder members. Isabel continues supporting and colaborating in the most of initiatives, projects, campaigns and events of LCW through her radio show and in her office.
Being a newcomer in the city and while I familiarized myself with my new place, I agreed to volunteer to register people to vote and to give information about civic education.
While working there, Isabel received some invitations from LCW for the Poder Leadership graduation (2nd Group). She extended the invitation to me and I attended the event. Then, she also introduced me to wonderful people. I first met Nelson Butten and Alma Couverthie. After that, many other kind and powerful people from LCW network and staff.
On May 22, 2009 Spencer Buchholz and I met with Isabel asking her for support and help to our YWW LAWRENCE campaign, which is working to ensure that 2009 Election season in Lawrence is the best and most inclusive process ever. For me the meeting with Isabel was an example of the work that I have been doing in our community coming full circle. 4 years ago I met Isabel Melendez and began volunteering with Voters in Action. Because of our passion to push people to get involved and to use a greater percentage of our brain to think about how voters and residents can make their community better I’m still doing this work today.
I have worked to build connections between different organizations in the community as a continuation of the work which I learned from Isabel. I have been pouring my heart and soul into the work that LCW has been doing with YWW, building on the work that I began with Isabel 4 years ago. She was very receptive to this campaign idea, providing us with her support and help.
Thank you Isabel and Lawrence CommunityWorks.
