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One Conversation at a Time: How Neighborly Connection Can Inspire Civic Action
Over the past few decades, our neighborhoods have changed. People move frequently, work long hours, and spend more time online than outside. Many of us don’t know our neighbors anymore—and that lack of connection can leave us feeling isolated. But the consequences go beyond social isolation. As I wrote in my previous Substack essay, Wake Up, Rio Grande Valley: Your Power, declining civic engagement weakens our communities and erodes our collective ability to affect change. Voter turnout is low, participation in local meetings is minimal, and too often, people feel that their voice doesn’t matter.
What if we could change that? What if we could take small, intentional steps to reconnect, strengthen our neighborhoods, and inspire civic participation?
I started calling my precinct fellow Democrats. As a precinct chair, this is an important responsibility, but you don’t need to be a precinct chair to get involved. Anyone can do it. You can ask your local Democratic Party office for a phone bank list, which gives you the names and numbers of voters to call. The script is included, but it helps to practice first—on a separate sheet of paper—so you don’t sound awkward.
When I make a call, I usually say:
"Hello, my name is Fabiola Escalon, and I’m a volunteer with the Hidalgo County Democratic Party. I was just calling to introduce myself, see how you’re doing, and ask if you have any concerns about our politics."
If someone doesn’t answer, I leave a voicemail with the same message. When they do pick up, some may ask, “Who is this again?” I repeat my name, explain that I’m a volunteer with the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, and let them know we’re reaching out to fellow Democratic voters. Some people will hang up or say they’re busy—and that’s okay. Most, however, will stay on the line. And this is where the magic happens.
Yesterday, I made about two dozen calls. Most didn’t answer, some I left messages for, and a few were wrong numbers. Among the calls I connected with, three were to neighbors, three to strangers, and one to someone I’d met through a postcard-writing event. I felt glad—and a little relieved—that some of my neighbors vote Democrat.
One person was thrilled I called. We spoke for twenty minutes. He had left the Valley for a while and recently returned, and he was happy to know someone else in the neighborhood. Another person called me back after receiving my message. She’s a realtor who travels a lot, mostly Spanish-dominant, and was appalled by how many people don’t vote.
A third person, in his sixties, thanked me for calling and said he’d been a Democrat all his life—he even said he’d keep my number. Another gentleman, an independent, didn’t know what a precinct chair was, but he had worked on campaigns before—it was unusual, but interesting.
All agreed to have a group coffee. They liked the idea of getting to know their neighbors—not just as voters, but as people who share the same streets, concerns, and daily lives. We talked about how easy it is to feel disconnected in modern neighborhoods, how often we see each other’s houses but never knock on the door, and how much stronger a community can feel when people actually meet and listen to one another.
I know that reaching out to strangers can feel intimidating. Cold calls remind us of telemarketers—we hang up without a second thought. I get it. But these conversations are different. With Trump-era policies like no-due-process deportations and fascism on the rise, the stakes are higher. Each call is an opportunity to connect, build trust, and strengthen our community. Even brief conversations can spark meaningful connections and inspire civic participation.
Everyone I spoke to works hard and said they’re busy, yet they still want to meet up. I reminisced about times when people walked the streets and everyone knew each other. A not-so-recent but still relevant article from Apartment Therapy explains why that sense of community is fading: fewer friendships, weaker trust, and less civic engagement. But we can reverse it. Even small steps—like making a call or hosting a neighborhood coffee—can rebuild those connections. Knowing your neighbors makes you feel safer, more connected, and nourishes the soul.
Community matters not just socially but also politically and environmentally. The Rio Grande Valley faces serious challenges—from water contamination to environmental health risks. TCEQ reports, Texas A&M studies, and RGVHealthConnect.org show elevated exposure to pollutants like lead, arsenic, and pesticides, disproportionately affecting low-income neighborhoods. Staying connected allows neighbors to share information, advocate for safe drinking water, and organize collective action. Civic engagement becomes a tool for protecting both democracy and public health.
If we can duplicate this process across all 259 precincts in Hidalgo County, we can remind each other to vote and understand the importance of participation. Seeing or hearing that our neighbors are engaged motivates us to be engaged, too. We shouldn’t live in silos—we live in communities. Over the past 20–30 years, community culture in Texas has shifted, and Trump-era policies have further fragmented it. They are capitalizing on that divide.
You don’t need to wait for someone else to start—pick up the phone today. Call your democratic party, email them, find them on social media and ask for a phone list to your precinct. Then, introduce yourself, listen, and connect. Every conversation strengthens our community, reminds us why voting matters, and helps build the kind of neighborhoods we want to live in. One call can spark another, and together, we can keep our democracy—and our communities—moving forward.
Update: I actually did not go through the local Democratic Party. As a precinct chair, I receive emails from the state party. It was through their messaging that I was sent a phone bank list. If you’re reading this and want to make calls, contact your local party. There’s no reason they shouldn’t respond quickly. But if you don’t get a response, message me—I’ll connect you with a grassroots organization doing the same work.
Sources:
Apartment Therapy. “Why We Don’t Know Our Neighbors Anymore.” Apartment Therapy, 2023. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/why-we-dont-know-our-neighbors-36988803
Escalon, Fabiola. “Wake Up, Rio Grande Valley: Your Power.” Rio Grande Current, 2025. https://riograndecurrent.substack.com/p/wake-up-rio-grande-valley-your-power
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Arroyo Colorado TMDL Reports. 2025. https://www.tceq.texas.gov
Texas A&M University. Drinking Water Study, Alamo & Progreso, Texas. 2025.
RGVHealthConnect.org. Public Health Indicators Related to Environmental Exposure. Hidalgo County, Texas, 2025.