When I heard that the President was encouraging average citizens like me to host their own local Jobs Summit, I was jazzed.So like the President, having a bit of experience in the community organizing venue myownself, I knew the first task was to design an event agenda. Here’s what I came up with:Opening: I introduce the concept of a Neighborhood Jobs Summit (NJS) and link it to the one going on in the White House hosted by our President. Self-Introductions: Each attendee stands (one at a time, of course) to introduce him/herself and say (1) what their last job was; (2) why they lost their job; (3) and how they’re coping in the meantime.  They start by saying, “Hi, I’m ___ and I’m unemployed.” (This self-introduction thing is a classic time-eating formality for community organizers, even though people often know each other.) No “shout-outs” will be necessary since there are no attending dignitaries.Transition:  At the close of...(Read Full Post)