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Changes in beliefs: the capacity of the collective

One hundred percent. Of the twenty-five people I interviewed, twenty-five responded that they believed that when people came together they could bring about change.

In Valley Interfaith, personal efficacy occurs within a context of community efficacy. People demonstrate not only changes in how they see themselves as individuals, in their own confidence levels, but how they see their ability to effect change as part of an organization. Efficacy grows as individuals participate and observe the results of their participation. People believe they can effect change because they are effecting change. The concept of making a difference is not an abstract one, it¹s a central and recurring part of their reality as active members of Valley Interfaith.

"What Valley Interfaith has done is to bring hope to the Valley."	". . . And one day we'll, like it is now, we'll become a tremendous political force that if anything needs to be passed in a legislature it will have to come by us. And I really believe it can happen. It's happening now."	"Maybe one person can't do it, but if you get a group of people together..."
"We don't have the power of money, we definitely don't have it, but we can create another type of power, the power of organized people. I believe that yes, I think that the people united can be even more powerful than organized money. I have seen it in the conventions, when we go and we see there, five, six thousand people. I'm astonished, completely astonished. It's something in me that is waking up, it shakes me up and gives me strength. It awakens my energy."	click here to watch Carmen Anaya speak	"Anything is posssible when the people are organizedŠI have seen it... when we've been in the conferences or when we've gone and we've seen five thousand, seven thousand people from Valley Interfaith. And I'm astonished. Sincerely astonished. It's something that awakens in me. It awakens me more and makes me stronger, It awakens my energy, it gives me strength, Šit fills me and it makes me believe and gives me energy."
"I said, "Wow." I couldn't believe it. This is what a few of us can get done. Think of how much we could do if we all worked together. And like I tell a lot of my parents here, you know, I said, O.K. maybe you might have one issue and maybe she might have another one and I have something else, but if we work all together and focus on one of them and get that finished and then maybe focus on the next one, you know and take it like that. Because if one of us is going to pull in a different direction, we're not going to accomplish anything. But if we all work together, it can be done. Because we've seen it. We've seen that it can be done."

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The Rio Grande Valley