It’s rare you watch a video and think “wow that’s what democracy looks like” but that’s what I thought when I saw this video. And it’s exactly why we want to share it with you today, as our video of the week.

Through good old fashioned organizing like neighbor talking to neighbor, and a great legal team in Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, the citizen’s of Dryden were able to take democracy back and ban fracking.

I was a field organizer on the 2012 Obama Campaign, and while I’m often deeply upset about the administration’s view on fracking, I’m still grateful I was apart of the campaign because I learned a powerful lesson that has guided my work ever since. And it came straight from the President himself.

On a nationwide staff call leading up to Election Day Barack President said, “I still believe that neighbor talking to neighbor is worth more than any amount of corporate spending.

That sentence sums everything I believe about the anti-fracking movement.

The citizens of Dryden have proven the President’s words to be true.  Dozens of other communities across the world, who have passed bans or moratoria, have proven his words to be true. And even those who couldn’t keep fracking out, but now know new neighbors or have become activist for the first time are proving his words to be true.

The industry wants people to feel isolated, like they have no choice but to sign a lease. They want to fracture communities and stay in control.

But if we get organized and talk to our neighbors, we can build something they can’t buy.

I hope this video inspires you as much as it did me to keep up the fight.  We are truly building something worth more than any corporation’s yearly profits.

Please watch and share tour video of the week with your community.

What you’re doing is democracy at work.

Lee Ziesche, Gasland Grassroots Coordinator.