They're things that matter so much to you that they become the reason you take action and step into public life. You might learn that you have different things to offer. You learn how to do politics in public life. Understanding diversity is a key to building the coalitions necessary to solve big problems. Learning to work with other people, even if they aren't like you, is essential to building and using power.
Power is the ability to act and make a difference.
And acting on what matters to you is what public life is all about. It takes practice to know who you are, to deal with diversity, and to act together with other people. Only by experimenting, by putting these ideas into action, can you really make a difference. These are the key ideas of this workbook. We hope they will help you become involved and effective in making your communities your own.