What does it mean to be a leader?  Does it mean that you have an army of followers ready to do whatever you ask of them?

Does it mean that you’re the best in the world at something?

Does it mean you have thousands of followers on Twitter or thousands of friends on Facebook?

Or does it mean that you saw something happening that you knew was wrong and acted to change it?

That you brought people together to create change in your community.

That you started something that made real, lasting change in the lives of people.

We think that everyone can be a leader when they have an idea that they’re passionate about.  There isn’t a special handshake or password that you need to know.  All you really need is a cause and the desire to make a change.

We want to help you to make that change.  You can use the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday as a springboard to starting change in your community.  Plan your own volunteer project in your community that addresses an issue that’s important to you.

You don’t have to plan a volunteer event of your own; you can take part in an event that has already been planned. Join forces with a group that works with an issue that’s important to you and work with them after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

You can be a leader without being a volunteer, too.  You can bring people together to start the discussions that lead to action in your community.  You can host a Sunday Supper or attend a Community Cinema event in your community.

A Sunday Supper doesn’t have to be a meal in your home.  Bring people together in a community gathering place like a coffee shop, library, or community center.  You don’t have to provide all of the food yourself; ask people to bring a covered dish, or hold your Sunday Supper at a restaurant.  A Sunday Super is about bringing community members together to talk about issues impacting your community over a shared meal.  Be sure to register your Sunday Supper so people can join you on Sunday, January 16, 2011.  If you need help planning a Sunday Supper, check out our Sunday Supper toolkit with tips and materials to help you host your own discussion.

You can attend a Community Cinema event and take part in a discussion about documentary films highlighting communities that are being changed by their members.  Community Cinema events support discussions about the films that can turn into changes in your own community.

Although there are many opportunities around the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to become a leader in your community, you don’t have to wait until January to do it.  Reach out to your local HandsOn action center to start affecting change in your community, or listen to a recorded webinar with tips for becoming a volunteer leader in your community.