James Glover II / Star staff 4/29/8 VENTURA- Rev. Dennis Jacobsen speaks to a group of community leaders from along the central coast at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ventura on April 29, 2008. Jacobsen was speaking at The Central Coast Organizing Project's Faith, Democracy and Justice! which explored the possibility of many diverse groups coming together to create an interfaith community organization.

James Glover II / Star staff The Rev. Dennis Jacobsen talks about the need for an interfaith community organization.

James Glover II / Star staff Dr. Manuel Pastor speaks to a gathering Tuesday of community leaders from along the Central Coast at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ventura.

Organizers are hoping to gather enough interest among local churches to help form a grass-roots coalition to address regional issues ranging from affordable housing to transportation to toxic waste.

An audience of about 70 people composed primarily of clergy members met at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ventura this week to hear about efforts to form the Central Coast Organizing Project.

"It's not exclusively a religious organization, but a main component of our base will be churches," explained Cesar Hernandez, lead organizer.

CCOP will be launched from local churches, Hernandez said, "because of the deep values they already have of value and justice."

The Tuesday presentation included a speech by the Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, a Lutheran pastor from Milwaukee and director of Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus, which trains and helps organize these types of regional organizations all over the U.S.

The caucus is currently 1,500 members strong, with plans to add the Central Coast to its ranks.

"It would be a citizen-driven, multiracial, multiclass, interfaith community organization," Jacobson said, later adding, "We can't work in isolation and expect change."

His community organization, called the Milwaukee Interfaith Congregations Allied for Hope, has been able to make several regional changes, not the least of which was fighting perceived unfair mortgage lending practices in Milwaukee. "Rejection was five to one for African-Americans when it came to loans," Jacobsen said.

The other keynote speaker on Tuesday was Dr. Manuel Pastor, director of the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at USC. He also co-authored "Searching for the Uncommon Common Ground: New Dimensions on Race in America" (2002, W.W. Norton).

Pastor, who often speaks on issues of economic inequality and community empowerment, said his research shows communities that work together to create more equitable circumstances for all citizens tend to be more productive and have less sprawl because people aren't trying so hard to separate from one another.

Pastor said he believes it's important to get away from "cocoon citizenship."

"People are actually now tired of being separated from one another," Pastor said. "The leadership you can provide around a strategy that is fair can play a big part in reconnecting America."

If you know of a community organization that might be interested in the local effort, call 658-0810 or e-mail cesar@coastalalliance.com.