Berea College honors KFTC's and Lauderdale's achievements

In delivering the commencement address to 56 Berea College graduates on Sunday, KFTC Executive Director Burt Lauderdale talked about the power of "organizing communityâ€ to achieve change.

"Community organizing is essential to the success of our democracy and our economy; it empowers us to participate in the often messy give and take of our system of government. Community organizing changes the world.

"And yet, over the past thirty years, I have borne witness to a deeper, even more profound pursuit of transformative justice when our members and leaders, through their aspiration and their love, have transcended the boundaries of traditional community organizing – and practiced organizing community,â€ he said.

Burt noted several Berea College graduates who became active KFTC members and made a difference by organizing community.

When Megan Naseman, class of 2007, used her botany skills to help a community in Floyd County protect their land from mountaintop removal mining, she was organizing community.

When Patty Tarquino, class of 2004, arranged for Eastern Kentuckians to travel to her native Colombia to visit coal-impacted communities, she was organizing community.

And when Patty Wallace, class of 1952, successfully prevented a hazardous waste incinerator from locating in her community and then helped a West Virginia neighborhood do the same, she was organizing community.

Though Berea College honored Burt by inviting him to speak and naming him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, he gave the credit for his accomplishments to KFTC members.

"I would not be here were it not for the thousands of members and leaders of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. KFTC is where I learned that, while we don’t accomplish anything as individuals, together anything is possible,â€ he said.

If you, like Burt, believe in the power of organizing community, you can honor him by making a gift to KFTC during our fall fundraising campaign. Join him in honoring our members – you – who have accomplished so much together.

As Burt said, "Organizing community means contributing instead of acquiring, sharing instead of conquering. It means making a commitment to the most powerful organizing force we’ve ever known – love.â€

To give online, click here.

To watch the video of Burt’s speech, click here.

To read the Berea College press release, click here.