Action Friday

Normalizing Activism

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March for Science

This Saturday is Earth Day and people across the country will be gathering for the March for Science. Inspired by the Women’s March, the March for Science is an opportunity for everyone concerned about the current administration’s science policy to come together. If you object to budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, the possible US exit from the Paris Agreement, having Rick Perry as Energy Secretary, or any other anti-science policy, use your Saturday to attend the March for Science.

* Check out the main website for mission, goals, and logistics.

* The main march is in DC (on the Mall) but there are HUNDREDS of satellite marches across the country and world. 

* Organizers are asking people to RSVP in order to get a count of the marchers.

* There is an option to join a “virtual march” - select the DC march or your local march and you will have the option to attend virtually via live stream.

“ Be sure to follow up - post about the march with the hashtag #ScienceMarch and call your reps about the issues you hear about.

Hope to see a great turnout this weekend!

Thanks for your patience through a hiatus (for regular life reasons). I hope to get back to this on a more consistent schedule.

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Get Creative

I have a creative practice that I’ve been neglecting this year. I’ve been so busy working to incorporate direct political action into my life that I’ve stopped practicing my craft and putting it into the world. I have some time off of work this coming week and I want to spend it reinvesting in my creative life. Creative people might feel guilty about putting precious time and energy into a practice that seems like it’s just for them. But civilizations need art and music and poetry, as a way to illuminate the present moment and a way to escape it. This week I encourage you to use your creative muscle and make a piece of art.

There are a few ways that creative practice can be a political act:

* Art can be a direct form of political action. From protest signs to personal essays, there are many avenues to channel your creation towards a political purpose.

* If you’re looking for a venue to place political art, check out these politically-oriented literary magazines (some will also take visual art submissions).

* If your work doesn’t have political themes and you are uncomfortable incorporating them, it can still be used to do good. You can sell your work and donate the proceeds to charity. You can donate your work to a charitable organization. If you’re a knitter, for instance, there are lots of organizations who would love your work.

* Art - including visual art, writing, music, etc. - is an important vehicle for the representation of a variety of voices. Stories have an enormous effect on how we see ourselves. Even if your work isn’t specifically political, representing people of diverse backgrounds is in itself a political act.

* Creative practice is often an act of self-care. To keep our spirits up during our fight for change, we need to take care of ourselves and do what we enjoy so we don’t burn our.

* Think about your artistic community - is there a way to make it more inclusive? Can you set up a women’s artist drink and draw night? Can you open your writers group to a new community? Can you make an effort to include diverse voices in your poetry readings or gallery shows? Creative practice is often community practice, and there’s always room for us to enhance that community.

* Here are a few other musings on creative practice in times of social struggle and change - you might find them helpful in reconciling political action and creative practice: Emotion, Activism, and the Creative Arts No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear Learning in War Time Examples of the connection between art and politics

I will be out of town next week and unable to write a post for the day. Hug your friends and make some art.

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Host an Organizing Meeting

This weekend I will be hosting one of the Swing Left House Parties to drum up community support for progressive candidates in the midterm elections. This is a first for me, and as I’ve been navigating the process I thought I’d share what I’ve learned with you. I encourage everyone to make a plan this week to host a party or meeting for a cause you care about.

* First, determine the cause you plan on supporting, and the purpose of the meeting. This could be as simple as gathering a few friends at a coffeeshop and calling your reps about an upcoming bill, or hosting some acquaintances for a sign-making party before a protest. The meeting should have a definable purpose - while it’s great for us to vent our feelings with like-minded people, the idea behind this is to organize people into action.

* Determine the scale and location of your event. How many people can you accommodate at home? Would it work better to host it somewhere public? Are you comfortable inviting strangers or having invited guests bring friends?

* See if you can get hooked up with a larger organizing body. I’m connecting my event to Swing Left, but there are lots of options for this. Indivisible is a good option for making a larger connection. This is helpful because larger groups can supply you with an agenda, talking points, and other resources for your meeting (including, in some cases, the attendees). 

* Speaking of an agenda, this is a crucial part of your meeting. A meeting agenda will help you feel organized and confident as you lead the meeting. It will also help keep you on schedule.

* Help people get to know each other. Don’t skip over introductions and personal stories - these help us feel connected and motivated to act. Introduce people you know to one another, break people into pairs to chat, or go round robin and have people explain why they chose to attend the meeting. Building a sense of community is an important part of political organizing.

* Create an inviting atmosphere. Provide food and drinks if possible, or ask people to participate in a pot luck. Play some music, set up chairs, and make it a social event in addition to a political one.

* Use social media tools or organizational tools like Action Network to invite guests or find events.

* Be as informed as you can, but don’t worry if you don’t know everything. That’s why we’re meeting - to pool our collective resources and brainpower. It’s okay to be new at this. Don’t let it stop you from acting.

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Attend a Town Hall

This past week Congress has been on recess, and many representatives have held town halls in their home states. Town halls are public meetings between representatives and their constituents, and are often spaces of open dialogue, debate, and protest. The town halls that took place this week had great turnout - passionate constituents voiced their concerns and there was a lot of press around these events. While the recess is coming to an end, there are still many town hall and office hours events coming up in the next few days. I encourage you to attend a town hall for your representative, or call on them to hold one.

ATTENDING A TOWN HALL

* The first step is to find an event near you. There are lots of tools for this - the most comprehensive one I’ve found is this Google spreadsheet, which lists events across the country, including town halls, office hours, and open conference calls, for the next few months. You can also sign up to get email alerts from your representatives’ websites.

* Prepare your question(s) in advance. Just as when you call your reps, having a script is very helpful. Phrase your questions around actions, e.g. “What will you do legislatively to solve ____?” or around voting decisions, e.g. “Why did you vote against ____ when it would have ____?” Keep questions concise, but include a personal connection or story if you have one and feel comfortable. Personally moving questions are often the ones that make waves in the media. 

* To ask your question at the town hall, raise your hand immediately and keep it up, keeping a friendly expression. If you get a chance to speak. don’t let your rep dodge your question - keep hold of the microphone until they answer.

* Applaud when your fellow constituents ask good questions or make good arguments.

* Record the town hall with your phone. Afterward, share it on social media and tweet at reporters with the best clips. Tag your reps in your posts. The Indivisible guide has more advice on attending town halls.

WHEN YOUR REP IS MIA

With news of tense and confrontational town halls, many Republican representatives have been avoiding meeting with constituents. What should you do if your representative does not have any upcoming public events?

* Have one without them. Many groups are organizing town halls and inviting their representatives. When the reps decline the invitation, the event is held without them. The Town Hall Project lists these “empty chair” town halls, or you can try Googling “empty chair town hall [YOUR CITY].” If you can’t find one, consider organizing your own!

* Call on your representatives to hold town halls. We are getting very good at phone calls, so if your representative won’t come to your district, give them a call. Here’s the script I used:

Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a constituent of Rep/Sen. _____ in zip code _____. I’m calling to see if the Senator/Representative has any town halls or other public events scheduled in the near future. [Response: no] I would like to urge the Senator/Representative to hold a town hall here in ____ so their constituents can voice their concerns directly.

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Join the General Strike

This post is coming a little early because I’m calling on you to act tomorrow. February 17th has been chosen for a general strike.  The linked article gives a little information on the purpose of strikes and some examples of their success. In a nutshell, strikes demonstrate the economic power of a group of protesters. They show what happens to society when a group of people refuse to offer their services. Strikes are a way of drawing attention to causes and displaying power.

Not everyone is able to participate in strikes, for lots of reasons. Hourly workers may not be able to spare the day of income. Teachers may feel it’s more important to go to work and support their students. Health care professionals may feel the same about their patients. But there are lots of ways to support a strike, and I encourage you to do some today:

* Stay home from work or school (if possible). Call in sick or work with your supervisor to take time off. This is the main action of the strike.

* Decline to buy anything. This is another way of demonstrating the economic power of protesters. If you can’t skip work or school it’s a great way to still participate.

* Use your lunch break or off time to call your representatives, post on social media, or otherwise support the strike.

* Attend a rally or demonstration in your home town. This article lists some activities across the country. The general strike website also offers a search tool for events. You can participate in these events even if you’re not skipping work.

* Support other protesters. Even if you can’t join this particular action, try to support your fellow protesters. Be patient with increased traffic or closed businesses. Tip well if you go out. Donate money to important causes. If you are skipping work or school, be mindful of those who don’t have that option. Support their decisions. We are in this together.

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Start to Prepare for Midterms

This week has shown us the mixed results of activism. On the one hand, the efforts of groups like the ACLU, with help from a massive financial boost and public outcry, have suspended the travel and immigration ban mentioned in last week’s post. Meanwhile, despite dedicated phone call protests, several members of the new cabinet have been confirmed, including the grossly unqualified and hotly contested Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. It can be very discouraging to have our elected officials ignore our voices. It has, in the past week, occasionally made me feel helpless and hopeless. So this week I encourage you to look forward to the 2018 midterm elections, when we will all work to elect representatives who listen to us.

WHY MIDTERMS?

Midterm elections have significant influence on the direction of the country. We are currently working with a GOP-controlled presidency, Senate, and House of Representatives. Flipping control for even one (House of Representatives being the most likely) would help to put the brakes on the current administration. Unfortunately, voter turnout dramatically drops between presidential races and midterm elections. Democrats are notoriously bad at showing up for non-presidential elections. As Obama said in 2014, “Democrats have a congenital defect when it comes to our politics, and that is we like voting during presidential years and during the midterms we don’t vote.” But if we can confront this, we have a shot at flipping some seats. Since 1842, the sitting president’s party has lost seats in 41 out of 44 midterm elections. Let’s make that 42.

WHY NOW?

It may seem early to start thinking about midterms - many of us are still reeling from over a year of election coverage, and November 6, 2018 seems far away. But there are several reasons to get started early:

* Early campaign support gives candidates some cash to start out on the right foot. Campaigns are expensive and it really helps to have some money in hand at the start.

* Focusing on state elections this year will help with issues like redistricting and voter enfranchisement. This will make a big difference in how things go in 2018.

* Starting this conversation now puts the midterms in people’s minds, and could help us boost voter turnout.

WHAT DO WE DO?

* There are two groups I recommend joining to kickstart your midterm involvement:

Flippable. This group is focused on key state races that will pave the way for a more progressive federal government. As mentioned above, Republican trifecta states (which have a Republican Governor, Senate, and House) have enormous control over gerrymandering and voter suppression. Breaking up these trifectas will help curb these undemocratic practices.

Swing Left. Swing Left helps to identify your nearest swing district for the House of Representatives. In these 52 districts, the last election was won by 15% of the vote or less. Their kickoff call is this Sunday, 9:00PM EST. You can RSVP here.

* The 2018 Senate map is not very friendly to Democrats, but there are 9 Republican Senators up for reelection. If you live in one of these states, start thinking about how to get involved in the election:

Alabama: Luther Strange Arizona: Jeff Flake Mississippi: Roger Wicker Nebraska: Deb Fischer Nevada: Dean Heller Tennessee: Bob Corker Texas: Ted Cruz Utah: Orrin Hatch Wyoming: John Barrasso

* Start talking. The 2018 midterms should be at the front of our political thoughts. Share resources with like-minded friends and drum up as much enthusiasm as you can for participation in this election.

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Fight the Immigration Ban

Unless you have been taking a serious news and social media detox, you’ve heard about the executive order that bans travel from 7 primarily Muslim countries for 90 days, and refugee admission for 120 days. There has been enormous outcry about this executive order, with many people (including myself) perceiving it as a de facto Muslim ban. If you feel as I do that this order is unethical, unconstitutional, and morally reprehensible, here are some resources for you to fight back.

GET EDUCATED

The first step in pushing back on this executive order is to understand it:

* Here is the order itself - it’s dense, but it’s good to look at the actual source * Here is a CNN overview that breaks down the facts of the executive order * This BBC overview explains who is affected by the ban and why people are critical of it

CALL YOUR REPS

Yes, it’s another chance to get cozy with your elected officials’ staff. The Shy Person’s Guide to Calling Representatives is here for you if you need it.

* First determine where your Senator stands on the issue. Here is a google doc that compiles Senators’ statements about the ban. This list from Vox only includes Republicans, but it has House reps in addition to senators.

* If your representative has issued a statement in opposition, give them a call to thank them. Here is a quick script:

Hello, I am a constituent in [CITY] calling to thank Senator/Representative [NAME] for opposing the travel and immigration ban. I appreciate that the senator/representative is is representing the interests of all of their constituents. I hope that going forward they continue to speak out about unconstitutional and unethical presidential actions.

Feel free to add a request for your representative - perhaps asking them to introduce or support legislation in opposition to the ban.

* If your representative has issued a statement in support, call them to express your disapproval. Here is a quick script:

Hello, I am a constituent in [CITY] calling about a concern I have. I was disappointed to see that Senator/Representative [NAME] had issued a statement of support for the travel and immigration ban. I believe that this executive order is unconstitutional and does not represent American values. I urge the senator/representative to reconsider their statement in support of the ban.

* If your representative has not issued a statement, call them to urge them to do so. Here is a quick script:

Hello, I am a constituent in [CITY] calling about a concern I have. I was disappointed to see that Senator/Representative [NAME] had not issued a statement in regard to the travel and immigration ban. I believe that this executive order is unconstitutional and does not represent American values. I urge the senator/representative to issue a statement to that effect and support legislation that opposes the ban.

WHERE TO DONATE

If you have some spare cash, this is a fantastic time to donate. The ACLU has been on the forefront of the legal fight against the executive order, and they are a wonderful place to donate. They have, however, seen a record spike in donations over the past week, and there are other organization that need support. Consider a few options and throw what you can their way:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees National Immigration Law Center International Rescue Committee Council on American-Islamic Relations International Refugee Assistance Project

Also consider local organizations that are assisting refugees and immigrants in your community. Your money has the potential to go further in smaller organizations that don’t have the resources for nationwide campaigns.

FIND A PROTEST

The national outcry over this executive order has taken the form of dozens of protests across the country. Protests are a great way of rallying support, expressing disapproval, and showing the world at large that we do not support the actions of the president. Here is an extensive list of protests across the country. Many have already happened, but there are some today and over this weekend. I have used Facebook events to find most of the protests I’ve attended. You can also get in touch with your local Indivisible group to find an upcoming protest.

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE

If you are a lawyer or law student, or if you can offer interpretation services in Arabic, Farsi, Somali, or Spanish, consider signing up to volunteer.

STAY AWARE

I’ve seen several articles/opinion pieces circulating arguing that the immigration ban is a distraction, either for his supporters or for his opposition. I am of the opinion that we can all hold more than one thought at once - that we can be appalled by this executive order and also disturbed at the degradation of our system of checks and balances. I also believe that we can care about this and not forget about other important issues, such as the president’s unqualified cabinet picks. So in addition to this weeks action, I urge you to stay aware of distraction tactics that might be in play, and keep pushing back.

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Start Volunteering

It’s been a tough week for many of us, who have found our fears about the new administration confirmed. I know that I’ve felt overwhelmed, downtrodden, and discouraged many times in the past week. But tomorrow I’m going to volunteer training for an organization I care a lot about. I’m new to volunteering, as I’m new to a lot of activism. But in this national climate it’s become a necessity to get more involved in my community. It’s also been rewarding and healing for me personally. In addition to helping my community, volunteering helps me by forcing my to shut down my screens, make connections with new people, and see my direct impact on the world around me. So this week I encourage you to do some research, make a commitment, and reach out to an organization to volunteer.

* First, assess your availability. Determine how many hours you can commit in a week or month, and what days and times you have free. Determine the number of months you will be able to volunteer at one location. This information will be handy when you are seeking opportunities and connecting with volunteer coordinators.

* Consider what kind of organization you’d like to volunteer for. What issue concerns you the most? Which excites you the most? Women’s rights, immigration assistance, LGBTQ issues, environmental concerns? Look for organizations that align with your values and passions. Don’t be afraid to pick one thing. I’ve hesitated in the past because it’s been hard to choose one issue as the Most Important to me. That doesn’t help anyone. Choose something that interests you and dive in. If enough of us do that we’ll cover a lot of ground.

* Think about what you can offer. Do you have any special skills? Most of you reading this are social media savvy. How many of you knit? Can you program? Are you good with kids? Can you cook? Are you a good public speaker or good at organizing files or good at writing? Play to your strengths. Most importantly, choose something you enjoy. This will keep you committed.

* Do some research. A fantastic source for finding volunteer opportunities is Volunteer Match. You can filter by location, cause, and date. This is an incredible resource that was written a few years ago but has a lot of sound advice and links to different ongoing volunteer opportunities sorted by cause. I also recommend that you talk with some friends - I found my volunteer position by asking a very involved friend if she had any recommendations.

* Actually apply. It’s easy enough to do research, poke around a bit, and wander off without actually applying to anything. I am guilty of this myself. Once you send in an application or make a call, you are much more likely to follow through. Remember that it doesn’t have to be the perfect fit, the perfect organization, or the perfect cause. It’s volunteering - if you don’t like it you can find something else. Find an application, fill out a form, give your email, and submit it.

* Give it a chance. It takes time to warm up to something new. Volunteering is often a big commitment (although there are drop-in and occasional volunteer opportunities too!) Organizations rely on consistent volunteers. Give it some time to pan out, and if it doesn’t work for you don’t be afraid to try something else.

Quick link roundup of some national organizations that take volunteers (be sure to look at your local organizations too!):

ACLU The Trevor Project Red Cross International Rescue Committee Big Brothers Big Sisters Sierra Club volunteer vacations Planned Parenthood Habitat for Humanity Meals on Wheels Humane Society

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Join a Women’s March

Today in inauguration day, and tomorrow hundreds of thousands of citizens across the country will join in protest of the incoming administration. The Women’s March on Washington is one of the largest of these planned protests. The goes of the March is to signal to the administration that women’s rights are non-negotiable. Whether or not you identify as a woman, the March is a great opportunity to stand up for your community and exercise your rights. If you’re not in Washington, there are hundreds of affiliated marches you can join.

I’ve heard many arguments against public protests, mostly based on the belief that a protest is meant to change the outcome of a situation. That is certainly a very good reason to protest, and it has worked before. But there are other good reasons to join a public protest:

* To exercise your constitutional right to assemble. This is an essential right that is often under threat; the more it’s used, the harder it is to take away.

* To gather together with like-minded people and make connections with allies. Protests are a good place to meet people, or to bond with people you are already close to. In a more general way, they’re also an opportunity to not feel alone in your opinions, hopes, or fears.

* To illustrate your presence with elected officials. While they might not change hearts and minds immediately, protests of this magnitude do get attention. Elected officials will see that their constituents have strong feelings on this issue.

* To make your opposition known to the rest of the world. Protests may not change the outcome of a situation, but they do show other countries that not everyone here thinks or feels the same way.

If there aren’t immediate, noticeable changes made as a direct result of a protest it doesn’t mean that protest has failed. Go out tomorrow and exercise your rights.

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Block Cabinet Appointments

Remember my first post, Shy Person’s Guide to Calling Your Representatives? Well, now that you’ve had a chance to practice (and perhaps to recuperate), this week’s action involves some important phone calls. Confirmation hearings have begun for the president-elect’s proposed cabinet, the richest and least educated cabinet in history. The action for this week is to call your Senators to oppose these nominees.

* First, take a moment to read up on the proposed cabinet members. Form your own opinions about who you oppose to help you target your calls.

* This is a useful (if clunky) guide to the hearings, the committee overseeing the process, and the Senators who are members of that committee. Here’s how I suggest using it:

Step 1: Go through each nominee that you oppose and see if one of your Senators serves on the committee that will be considering them.

Step 2: Using the proposed script as a starting point, as well as your initial research, create a call script you feel comfortable with.

Step 3: Prioritizing nominees with the earliest hearing times, use your script to call your Senator and oppose their confirmation.

* Members of Congress are pretty much exclusively interested in phone calls from constituents, so unless you are willing to lie about being a constituent (and provide a zip code to prove it), target your calls to your own Senators.

* If your Senator is not on the relevant committee, you can still call them to let them know you are concerned and how you’d like them to vote once the nomination gets to the floor. Be sure to thank your Senator if they are standing in opposition to the nominees.

* Keep up to date on these hearings as they progress, and don’t let yourself be distracted by rumors and tweets. Stay focused on what’s important.

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Boycott for Your Conscience

Throughout history, boycotts have been effective tools for protest and activism. A boycott is a focused refusal to financially support businesses, organizations, or individuals. The idea is that the corresponding loss of revenue will motivate these entities to change their behavior. Usually boycotts are one-time events, aimed at one issue, and have defined end points (see the Montgomery bus boycott and Delano grape boycott for examples). Boycotting is also a tool of ethical consumerism - a form of long-term activism where consumers choose where they do or do not want to spend money based on their moral standings. Today I will present a few options for products, companies, organizations, and individuals to boycott, either as part of a coordinated movement or as a long-term ethical choice. This is not a complete list of options, but a starting point to help you decide where you, personally, want your dollars to go. It can seem daunting to try to buy ethically, but remember that it isn’t a zero-sum game. Just make conscious choices and try your best to move in the right direction.

OPTION 1: Boycott the president-elect and first family

In October of last year, after the leaked tape in which the current president-elect described his sexual assault on women, Shannon Coulter launched the Grab Your Wallet campaign. This boycott is designed to boycott companies that do business with the first family. Their very handy spreadsheet can be found here and includes contact information for the companies and a sample script to state why you are participating in the boycott. There has already been positive response to this boycott - the retailer shoes.com has removed offending products from their site because of the boycott.

If you want to extend your boycott to companies, individuals, and newspapers that endorsed the president-elect, head to this list and make your choices.

OPTION 2: Boycott the worst fossil fuel offenders

It’s very difficult for an individual to boycott fossil fuels, especially if they need to drive or fly for work, school, family, or other obligations. While going car-free is a great way to personally boycott the fossil fuel industry, there are a few options for those of us who need to drive. According to The Carbon Underground, three of the top oil and gas companies with the highest carbon emissions are Exxon, BP, and Chevron. These companies are also responsible for some terrible environmental disasters. You could choose to boycott these particular companies, including events, teams, and media they sponsor, for environmental reasons.

Another option is to boycott non-fuel products sold by fossil fuel companies or those opposing climate change legislation. The Koch Brothers have consistently opposed any regulation of fossil fuel use. Here is a list of Koch products (including many home paper products) that you may want to boycott.

OPTION 3: Boycott police brutality

Journalist Shaun King has been instrumental in the founding of the Injustice Boycott, launched December 5th with phase 2 beginning January 16th. To be honest, I find the current plan a little vague and the demands nebulous. However, this is a deeply important cause and King is right to remind us that the cities some of us consider safely liberal are often among the worst offenders. I encourage you to check out the site, stay tuned for updates, and decide whether participating makes sense for you.

OPTION 4: Build your own boycott

The above are just a few of many options for companies to boycott. Take some time to explore Ethical Consumer’s list of current consumer boycotts and look for categories that matter to you - animal rights, labor practices, political affiliations, environmental impact, etc. A great way to make decisions and keep track of your ethical consumption is Buycott - a site and app that lets you join crowdsourced movements and check individual items before buying. Make choices on what to buy based on what matters most to you.

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Reflect for the New Year

I took an unscheduled break last week for the holidays. I hope you all spent time doing things that made you feel calm and warm, with people you care about or with your own beautiful selves. I will be honest - with holidays and personal life, it’s been hard for me to focus on big-picture action. I’ve felt an urge to curl up into my own life and leave activism to other people. Maybe you feel that way too. The new year is a good time to renew commitments and refocus energy. So the action for this week involves refreshing our will to act, resist, and care for others and ourselves.

* Thank someone who got you through this year. We made it! 2016 was hard on a lot of us (though not all - some people had wonderful years, especially in their personal lives, and that should be celebrated). Take a moment this week to reach out to someone who helped you in your hard moments. Call a parental figure who gave you the wisdom of their experience. Hug a friend who sat with you when you cried. Tweet at a politician who stood up for your rights. Write a card to a teacher who offered you a space to exist. Don’t just think of these people - reach out to them. Solidarity and connection will strengthen us for the year ahead.

* Make a commitment to action. What will political action look like to you in the new year? Are you involved in a professional project that could be more inclusive? Will you have extra time to volunteer or money to donate? Do you have friends or relatives you will try to engage more? Commit to a specific amount of time or number of actions per week. Here is my commitment:

In 2017 I will spend at least 3 hours each week on political action. One hour I will spend volunteering for an organization I care about. One hour I will spend writing this blog to normalize action and help people find information. One hour I will spend completing the actions I recommend and any other miscellaneous political actions.

* Care for yourself. I tend to be hard on myself when I need rest. But long-term commitment to activism requires offering care and attention to yourself. Burnout is real and you will lose a lot more valuable time recovering from it than you would have lost if you had taken a break when you needed it. So take some time this week to breathe, and do something nourishing. Take a bath or go for a walk, spend time with loved ones, get a good night’s sleep, read or watch something funny, pet an animal. Do this with the intention of using your refreshed energy to fight the good fight in the coming year.

Happy new year.

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Learn How to Write a Letter to the Editor

In the first week after the election, I signed up for a few volunteer opportunities in a bit of a panicked haze. One organization I joined was Citizen’s Climate Lobby, a group focused on creating political will for climate action. One of their main strategies is writing letters to the editor. I have never written one of these letters, so today I’m going to learn that process with you. This week I encourage you to write and submit a letter to the editor of a local publication. I used this source while compiling this guide.

WHY SHOULD YOU DO THIS

In social media age, letters to the editor might seem a little quaint and outdated. But believe it or not, some people still do read the newspaper. Letters to the editor are one of the most widely read sections of publications. I see a lot of wonderful and passionate political writing from my friends on Facebook and Tumblr. Printing that writing in a paper gives it weight and reach that social media can’t provide. A letter to the editor helps your opinion reach beyond your immediate network. It helps shape public opinion and legislative action. Your representative doesn’t read your Facebook, but they might read your newspaper.

WHERE DO YOU START

* The first step of writing a letter to the editor is, of course, choosing a topic. Choose an issue that concerns you in your community or in the world. It helps to respond directly to an article the paper has recently printed. I am going to write about climate change. Here are some great examples of letters to the editor on this topic.

* Next, choose a publication. For our first letters, I think we should all stay pretty local. If you are a millennial who does not know much about your local publications, do what I did and Google “letter to the editor [MY CITY].” It should give you a couple of options. Local publications will be much more likely to publish your letter than the New York Times. This will also help you find the email address or web form you can use to submit your letter.

WRITING THE LETTER

* GOOD NEWS: Letters to the editor are SHORT. 300 words or less is a good guide. Papers have limited space and are more likely to publish something brief and to-the-point.

* Begin with a salutation. “Dear [EDITOR’S NAME],” or “To the editor of [PUBLICATION NAME],” of “To the editor” will do.

* Start the letter with a clear statement that says what your letter will be about. Examples from the sample letters linked above include “Congratulations on running the recent Kansas City Star article on climate change,” and “Climate change is a real problem that has already caused devastation in many communities due to rising sea levels and fiercer storms.”

* Explain why the issue is important to you, to your community, and/or to the world at large. This might seem obvious, but go ahead and state it. Be clear and concise.

* In addition to describing a problem or praising an action, your letter should support a solution or propose a further action. For the issue of climate change, you might consider writing about Citizen Climate Lobby’s pet issue, the carbon fee and dividend (one of the sample letters above proposes this solution.)

* Use local statistics, personal stories, recent events, scientific evidence, or references to the paper’s other articles to make your letter concrete and relevant. This will increase its likelihood of being published.

* Close with your full name and title (if you have one). You can publish letters anonymously but editors at least need your contact information. Your name adds credibility to your letter. If you are nervous about your first letter, you can write it with another person or several people. Sign with all of your names.

* Edit. Before you submit your letter, edit it for length and content. Try to say your piece with as few words as possible. Ideally, have someone else proofread it. At minimum, run it through spellcheck.

* Share your success! If you get a letter published, share it with your network. Raise awareness for the issues you care about.

[actionfriday-blog]

Get Your News in Order

We have access to an unbelievable amount of information, and it can be difficult to know what to trust. Unfortunately, this difficulty leads many people to trust everything. Fake, false, and misleading news has real consequences. Being informed is a huge first step in being an activist. You can’t advocate for what you believe if you don’t know what’s going on. Here’s a reference for how to get your news in order and stem the tide of misinformation.

WHO

* Look for attributed authors. A lot of clickbait-y news sources and “content” seems to spring out of midair. A source is easier to verify if you know who is responsible for writing it.

* Remember that liberal news is not always reliable. Throughout the election cycle I frequently saw my liberal friends repost content from clickbait-y sites like Now This and Occupy Democrats. While these sites can sometimes contain useful information, they do not present an objective reporting of information. They are more concerned with page views than with truth.

* Don’t rely on your friends and family to filter your news for you. They are probably lovely and intelligent people, but fake news is very easy to fall for. This is just one fake story I’ve seen my own friends repost. Do your own research.

* When you have a good relationship with someone who posts misleading news, do take some time to point it out gently. Be a reliable source for other people.

WHAT

* Check the language of the piece to see if it’s being described neutrally and objectively, or seems to push you to believe one thing or another. In other words, check for bias.

* Make sure it’s not satire. This doesn’t seem like it should need to be said, but there are high-profile instances of news sites reblogging pieces from The Onion as fact.

* Before reposting anything, check to see if more than one source has reported it. Sometimes media bias leads to underreporting of events, but other times it indicates that the source is unreliable.

WHEN

* Before reposting something, check the date it was reported. Sometimes news can be framed in a way that makes it seem relevant to current events, but the article is about something that happened weeks or months ago.

WHERE

* Make sure you are getting your news from reputable sources. Familiarize yourself with this list of false, fake, or misleading news sources (this link includes more tips for finding reliable sources.) Always check the source before you believe something and especially before you repost it.

* If you haven’t heard of a source, look them up on Snopes at the very least.

* Read multiple sources. Even generally reputable sources will often spin events a certain way, and can make things seem like a bigger or smaller deal than they are. More sources give you more perspective on an issue and helps to avoid developing bias.

* Try to reach the root source of your news. Avoid aggregators that repackage news from unspecified sources.

* It’s difficult to provide a list of reliable sources because no one is reliable all the time. I can say that I typically trust The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, Al-Jazeera, and The Atlantic, among others. But the most important thing is to read widely and critically.

* Consider paying for your news. So much information is available for free, but quality news sources require income to provide reliable information. Websites that provide free news and generate ad revenue based on clicks will sensationalize stories to maximize their income. Remember the adage: if you’re not paying, you’re the product being sold.

WHY

* Many people get their news from Facebook and other social media platforms. Mark Zuckerburg himself has recognized the problem of fake news spread through Facebook. In addition to Facebook combatting this issue, we should combat it internally by posting reliable information.

* There’s even evidence that a Russian propaganda campaign was responsible for the fake news during this election cycle.

* Consumers of fake news are the reason it spreads. We can work to stop the flow of misinformation by being critical of the news we read and especially of the news we choose to repost.

[actionfriday-blog]

Stand With Standing Rock

I have a confession to make. In the past few months, as tensions have risen at the Standing Rock Reservation, I have turned away from a lot of the coverage. I was stressed out about the election and felt overwhelmed with the magnitude of the protest. It seemed too big for my comprehension, like to form a full opinion I’d have to dive deep into the history of native oppression, indigenous law, the economics of the domestic oil industry. And that’s probably true. But in the aftermath of November 9, I have started to feel that I don’t need to be perfect to do something. If a little knowledge can do a lot of damage, it can also do a lot of good. So today, in addition to encouraging you to support efforts to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline, I also encourage you to confront an issue you’ve been shying away from because it seems too big.

GET EDUCATED

* Here is a one-sheet description of the very basic issues – what the Dakota Access Pipeline is, who is responsible for it, and what the concerns are.

* CNN also provides a pretty good overview of the issue.

* The Sacred Stone FAQ provides a lot of helpful information.

* Read around and try to get a sense of the various perspectives and stakeholders. Even if you know where you stand on an issue it helps to have a well-rounded perspective – this will make it easier to talk about with other people.

PLACES TO DONATE

* Once again, I know money is tight for a lot of people. But if you have a few extra dollars, that is a great way to contribute to this cause. The Sacred Stone camp website provides a lot of avenues for support. My understanding is that the Oceti Sakowin camp in particular need of donations. Legal defense donations are also very helpful.

* If you are more interested in donating items rather than money, the camps have Amazon wish lists and lists of needed supplies.

PEOPLE TO CALL

Jack Dalrymple North Dakota Governor 701-328-2200

Morton County Sheriff’s Department 701-667-3330

President Obama [phone] [phone]

Army Corps of Engineers [phone]

Department of Justice Civil Rights Division [phone]

* There are some good phone scripts for various officials here. Personally, I find them a little long - be sure to adapt them for your own comfort. Refer back to the Shy Person’s Guide for Calling Your Reps.

PETITIONS TO SIGN

* The White House petition is closed, and there has been a statement issued.

* There are several other petitions you can sign.

WAYS TO VOLUNTEER

* On the off chance that you have the means to join resistance efforts in the camps themselves, they are open to join. However, it’s recommended that you only go this route if you are able to stay for enough time to learn how to help and pitch in. Tourist-style visits are not so helpful, as they use camp resources without adding assistance. If you’re thinking about traveling to volunteer, consider donating the money you would use for the trip. There’s a good chance it would be more useful.

* The camps are specifically calling for people with legal and media skills to donate their time. If this sounds relevant to you, contact the camp at [email protected] or by phone: [phone].

SPREAD THE WORD

* Media coverage of the protests is beginning to increase, but there’s still a lot that isn’t covered. Talk to friends and family about this issue, raise support and solidarity. Here are some tips on social media sharing.

[actionfriday-blog]

Support Foster Campbell  for Senate

Thanks to all of you who are joining me in taking a weekly action to resist despair and promote progress. There are many issues facing us, and it’s difficult to choose just one to highlight for the week. I applaud all the efforts you make to donate your time and money to good causes, volunteer, call your representatives, sign petitions, and exercise first amendment rights. The particular issue has a looming deadline, so this week I urge you to support Foster Campbell for Senate.

THE FACTS

In the November 8 election, Louisiana held an “all comers” open primary. The two candidates who received the most votes, Republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell, are facing off in a runoff election on December 10. Electing Foster Campbell would lead to a 51-49 Republican-Democrat split in the Senate, rather than the current 52-48 split.

WHY SHOULD YOU SUPPORT HIM

* Foster Campbell has served the public by directing money into public schools and lowering energy rates for victims of domestic violence and rural consumers. His major platforms include supporting equal pay, an increased minimum wage, student loan debt forgiveness, and Medicaid expansion. If you like these things you will like him!

* A narrower split in the Senate would help put the brakes on the scariest proposals of the new administration.

* Senators serve 6 year terms, and this seat could tip the Senate Democratic down the line. In the Senate every seat counts.

* Activism in this race shows the new administration that we are active and engaged. It paves the way towards greater engagement in the midterm elections, and congressional races in general.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

* Donate $5 to his campaign. I will try not to ask you to donate too much, because I understand that it can be really hard to find the money. But sometimes it’s the best way to help. A little goes a long way in this instance.

* If you don’t mind phone canvassing, sign up to phone bank.

* If you are in Louisiana VOTE. Early voting starts tomorrow, November 26. Turnout in runoff elections is generally low.

* Reach out to friends and family in LA and encourage them to vote too.

* Raise awareness of this election by posting on social media and talking to friends and family. This works towards the larger goal of raising engagement in the democratic process, especially lower-ticket races. Even if this seat goes Republican, getting involved now will make it easier to be involved in the midterms.

[actionfriday-blog]

Shy Person’s Guide to Calling Representatives

In the coming weeks and years you will be seeing a lot of requests to call your representatives about issues facing our country. But maybe, like me, you hate calling people SO MUCH. This is a guide for you.

I’m anxious on the phone. My blood pressure rises when I need to call a customer service line, or even just ask the hours at a restaurant. So calling representatives about political issues is one of my least favorite things to do. I posted on Facebook recently about my experience calling my reps and it got a good response. I think there are a lot of us who want to pitch in but hesitate to pick up the phone. With that in mind, here is my shy person’s guide to calling your representative.

BEFORE YOU START:

* Pick an issue. This week I suggest calling to oppose the incoming administration’s cabinet picks: White nationalist Steve Bannon for chief strategist Climate change denier Myron Ebell for EPA Administrator Jeff Sessions, who has a history of racist comments and voting, for Attorney General Islamophobic Michael Flynn as NSA advisor

* Know that it’s FAST. It takes maybe 2 minutes to call one person, including the time it take to look up their phone number. Think of it like ripping off a bandaid.

* Know that you don’t have to be persuasive. You are really just calling to put yourself on a tally that will be passed along to your representative. You don’t have to convince anyone and no one will try to argue with you. Just say your piece (as awkwardly as you want! they won’t care!) and get off the phone.

* Know that calling is better than emailing. I would much prefer to email, but your message is more likely to get lost in the deluge. When you talk to a staffer you know for sure that your opinion is being recorded.

* Find your reps’ numbers. Go here or here to find out who they are. Call their local lines when possible. Write down the numbers or save them as contacts so you don’t have to look them up every time.

* Take a deep breath.

DURING THE CALL:

* Start with an introduction. I use: Hi my name is _____ and I’m a constituent of Rep./Sen. ____ calling about a concern I have. I see many scripts that omit how to start the call, and it helps me to know for sure how to begin. Be sure to say you are a constituent. They might ask for your zip code, so have that ready.

* Have a script. This is 100% the best way to keep you focused and calm. There are lots of good scripts you can use here or you can write your own. Say what you are comfortable saying. Remember, you are just calling to be counted.

* Expect their response. The thing I see missing from most instructions for calling reps is what to expect in their response. Most of the time they will just tell you they will pass on your concern. Congrats - if they do this then you are done! They might read a prepared statement in response. They might even say that your rep is not going to take action on the issue you brought up. What they WON’T do is argue with you or say, “what a stupid thing to be concerned about.” Don’t let your anxious brain convince you they will do this.

* If necessary, reiterate your request. If they read a statement or say the representative will not take action, don’t get flustered. Just say, Once again, I’m calling on the Rep./Sen. to _____. 

* Thank the staffer and hang up.

AFTER THE CALL:

* Take another deep breath.

* Congratulate yourself.

* Do some self-care. Maybe start here. Or here. Do whatever makes you feel happy and rewarded.

* Know that it gets easier. The more you call, the more you know what to expect. You may even get to know some staffers. You might never like calling but I promise it gets less awful.