Grassroots Group Looks for Local Solutions, Minus the Politics

A group of local residents have started a grassroots effort aimed at solving problems affecting local communities, free of politics.

Keith Bodden of Morris Plains is a member of a newly launched organization, We Are United and Organized (UNO).

“For decades, the public policy in our towns have been driven by the darkness of special interests and self-serving elected officials; it is time to hold our public officials accountable to higher standards and move our communities forward by mobilizing our communities to demand comprehensive solutions to our priorities,” said Edward Correa, co-founder of UNO.

The group aims at uniting the county’s diverse communities and promoting a priorities-based agenda committed to take their communities to the next level. Here's a look at the 11 charter members, who will be convening an organizational meeting next week to elect its leadership and launch its first action project in the county. 

The members of the Board of Representatives of the We are United and Organized are:  

• Christine Conti-Collins, Morristown Community Leader 
• Christopher Martin, former Morristown Councilman 
• Edward Correa, Dover, co-founder of We are UNO 
• Emiliano Lemos, Dover, Immigrant Resource Center 
• Erika Rangel, Morristown, Latina DREAMER Student 
• Helen Arnold, Morristown, Civil Rights Activist 
• Isidro Luna, Rockaway, Latino Leader 
• Keith Bodden, Morris Plains, ex-President of the Morris County NAACP 
• John Tate, executive director, Morristown - Scholastic Research Associates 
• Pablo E. Garita, Morristown – Young Morristown 
• Silvia Alfaro, Dover - Latina Leader

The organization’s web site at weareuno.org will be launched in the next few days. The mission of We are UNO is to unite, organize, educate, and mobilize our communities to advocate for a better and just society. 

The members of the board will be elected to two-year terms. The membership cost is:

• Students $5
• Individuals $10
• Local Small Businesses $20

For more information about We are UNO, contact Edward Correa at 973-723 4945 or via email at edcolo@aol.com.