My name is Parker Reid, and I am a 23-year-old social worker in Little Rock. I have been officially involved in community organizing spaces for the last two years, working with organizations like The Van, Food Not Bombs, AR Community Advocates, and more. Most of my organizing efforts have focused on building community connections and networks of support, emphasizing the need for education and mutual aid along the way. I cofounded the central AR Food Not Bombs chapter in November 2023 with some friends, and over the last two years we have built deep connections with neighbors who come for community meals through each month. We have also connected with many organizations to assist in their efforts such as additional meals, free stores, and house shows for raising donations.

For me, organizing within my community is a way to push myself to learn and connect more, as well as a way to invest back into my surrounding neighbors. The connections I have made through my time organizing has pushed me to evaluate myself, the world, and how I fit into my local ecology. I truly value experiencing a constant state of learning, and organizing has given me that in ways I never imagined.