Do you know your neighbors? I mean really: do you know your neighbors?

I wanted to make sure you saw the newest episode of Your Safety is My Safety, our ongoing series that highlights our visions of safety beyond the limits of our fears. In this episode, Jackie speaks about her childhood in West Chatham in Chicago, where her neighbors and neighborhood were a true support system:

“We shoveled out of storms together. We pushed stalled cars. Kids that got locked out, like myself, found refuge…together we created a real Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

Watching Jackie’s episode of Your Safety is My Safety made me think of my own childhood. Growing up, everyone in my neighborhood called my grandmother “Mama T.” It wasn’t just because she was my grandma, but because she fed the whole neighborhood. She provided a vital service and made sure our neighbors had what they needed, simply because it was part of being a good neighbor.

In a future where all of us are safe, our neighborhoods — and the trust we build with our neighbors — will play a large role in that safety.

Watch Jackie’s Your Safety is My Safety episode here.

As we head into Shabbat, take a moment to watch Jackie’s episode and consider your own neighborhood and communities. How can you be a good neighbor? How can you build relationships and community with your neighbors to create a more liberated future?

Shabbat shalom,

Enzi Tanner
Training and Content Manager, Bend the Arc