The Community Learning Partnership (CLP) program at Kennedy King College is going strong, marking a major milestone on October 7th, 2025, with its first round of student presentations since launching at the college. Students showcased their growing knowledge of community organizing by applying one of the most essential frameworks in the field — the Problem vs. Issue formula.

In organizing, a problem refers to a broad condition that affects a community, such as lack of affordable housing, gun violence, or unemployment. Problems are often too large to take on all at once. An issue, on the other hand, is a specific, actionable piece of a problem that people can organize around and win — something that builds collective power and brings visible change. For example, while “gun violence” is a problem, “pressuring the city to add more streetlights on high-crime blocks” is a winnable issue.

During their presentations, students selected problems impacting their communities and transformed them into concrete issues they could tackle as if they were already an established organizing entity. From addressing housing insecurity to improving youth mental health resources, each presentation reflected both creativity and strategy — key skills that define effective organizers.

By participating in these exercises, CLP students are not only learning theory but practicing how to turn community challenges into opportunities for action and leadership — the very foundation of organizing

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