Sarah Eikleberry
Sarah Eikleberry summed up the motivation behind the grass-roots organization Take Back Davenport with a few words about the difference between politics and community building.
"A vote is a thing you cast," Eikleberry blurted out during an interview Wednesday. "A voter is a human being."
Eikleberry is among a small number of Davenport residents who have banded together to help people who face issues of access to technologies like broadband, health care and food security.
Take Back Davenport is committed to helping people register to vote and running candidates committed to raising issues of access and representation.
To start what Eikleberry hopes will be a campaign that appeals to a wide range of Davenport residents, the group will host a virtual meeting it's calling The People's Forum from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
You can find the link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85702304783?pwd=YTVwVDl2eGFvdFZoTjRoZFRBWXp3UT09.
Some of the other founders of Take Back Davenport include Athena Gilbraith, Lori Janke, Tim Kelly, Bill Peterson and Amanda Jo Sharpe.
Eikleberry said the group would like to hear from residents on a wide range of topics, including what drew people to or keeps them living in Davenport, what do the participants think of the school system, and if are there issues of discrimination in the community and what form it takes.
The organizers also hope to speak about issues of race and racism.
"We would like to appeal to a wide range of people because we would really like to hear a wide range of opinions and ideas," Eikleberry said. "We don't want to sit around on a zoom call and do much talking. What we really want to do is listen."
