Community Action Committee
We are the Community Action Committee (CAC), a group of Allensworth residents dedicated to leading, engaging, and educating our community about local projects and progress. Formed in 2023 through the APA, our intergenerational team focuses on nurturing leadership especially among local youth. We host monthly Cafecitos, informal gatherings at the community center where residents voice concerns, ask questions, and hear community project and program updates. As compensated community liaisons, we bridge communication between the APA and Allensworth residents, ensuring transparency, collaboration, and shared leadership in shaping our community’s future.
Our Core Values
SOLIDARITY
A powerful force that implies generosity, amor, and the action of supporting and helping others in times of need, by showing empathy and commitment to their Well being.
RESPECT
Valuing and appreciating one another regardless of background, lifestyle, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, and culture. Promoting equality and active listening, consideration, and kindness while still valuing each others boundaries and beliefs.
LEADERSHIP
Is leading by example with commitment, discipline, responsibility and sustainability in order to develop, grow, and earn trust within our community and we work toward shared goals.
How it all Started
In 2023, the Allensworth Progressive Association (APA) used funding from the Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Planning Grant to build a formal, resident-led community leadership structure.
This led to the creation of the Community Action Committee (CAC), which now serves as the core of APA’s community outreach and engagement.
The initial funding supported:
Monthly community meetings (Cafecitos)
Monthly bilingual newsletters
Participation in APA programs like Summer Night Lights and Town Hall events
In late 2024, APA welcomed the first CAC cohort of five residents. The committee is intergenerational and focused on developing local youth leaders. CAC members continue to lead Cafecitos and help share community updates and resources.
Today, the CAC includes seven active members, several of whom have transitioned into full-time roles within the APA highlighting the committee’s role in building leadership and supporting workforce development.
Our Structure
Within the committee, members are geared towards three goals
Inform and update residents about APA projects, programs, and community opportunities.
Collect resident feedback on community needs, priorities, and future direction.
Build leadership and capacity by educating CAC members on APA work, matching interests to skills, and preparing members for future staff or board roles.
The CAC meets weekly to coordinate responsibilities, plan monthly Cafecitos, and share updates with APA staff. The committee practices horizontal leadership, supporting shared decision-making and collaborative action. Regular check-ins with APA staff help ensure CAC priorities align with ongoing projects and community needs.
Our Role
The Allensworth Community Action Committee (CAC) plays a central role in supporting local outreach and engagement. One of the CAC’s main responsibilities is organizing monthly community information sessions called Cafecitos, which provide a space for sharing updates and gathering resident feedback.
Working with the APA’s Community Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, the CAC engages residents around the Allensworth Community Plan Priority Projects. The committee will also help guide future community-led initiatives, including cooperative development, the community farm, and the multi-purpose community land trust once it is established.
Over the next two years, the CAC will help keep residents informed about project progress, timelines, and updates through Community newsletters, Cafecitos, and Community town halls
The CAC will also collect community feedback through open discussions at Cafecitos and town halls, as well as through surveys distributed at community events and food distribution days.
The Road Ahead
The APA views the CAC as the future of the organization and supports its members as community leaders. We know that lasting change comes from resident participation and ownership. That’s why the APA is committed to educating and empowering residents to eventually take leadership and continue APA’s work on behalf of the community and its families.