Is there a way that we can be politically active while staying home?
What can we do in 2020 to get people more involved with politics if we can’t leave our homes or interact closely with other people? Don’t you worry!
In this post, I’m going to tell you 5 things you can do from your couch, while in quarantine, and still be politically active.
Here are 5 ways to be politically active from your home! And here’s an extra bonus – you don’t have to be a citizen for any of these!
OPTION # 1:
CONTACT your representatives.
Did you notice I didn’t specifically say CALL your representatives? Yeah, that’s right. Because I’m going to give you some options. But before you even call, you need to know who your representatives are… and for that, you can simply use Google or visit a website like Common Cause.org.
Once you got their names, this is what you do.
“Hello, my name is Pepita Mendieta. I’m a constituent from XXXXX, and my zip code is XXXXX. I don’t need a response. I am concerned about the upcoming election and I strongly encourage the senator to please vote for a funding package that allows all states to vote by mail. Thank you for your hard work!”
That’s it!
– “BUT WAIT! You promised we didn’t have to necessarily CALL!”
Yes. This is another option for introverts like me: RESIST BOT! Visit resist.bot and you can contact your representatives with the help of this awesome tool.
OPTION #2:
Get Involved! And I’m going to give you a few ways to do this.
Join groups like Indivisible, which is a great resource for people who don’t even know where to start. Other options are Move On or Swing Left.
You can also visit Change.org to find petitions you can sign and share with your friends.
Or you can help write letters to voters in key states and districts. Visit votefwd.org. NO matter what method Americans use to safely vote this year, receiving a hand-written Vote Forward letter will make them more likely to cast a ballot.
OPTION #3
Stay informed. And, please, I beg you… use sources like the AP, Reuters, and others. You can listen to NPR’s Up First podcast and get caught up in less than 15 minutes every morning, sign up for free newsletters from the NYT, Washington Post or follow brands on YouTube and Instagram that give you just enough to keep you updated but not enough to make you depressed (like me!).
OPTION #4
TALK – Talk to your friends and family during those zoom call happy hours, maybe?
Talk about the news that you’ve been hearing/reading/watching. Tell them to get involved, to write letters to voters, or ask them if they already filled out the census!
If you don’t know why the census matters so much, I really need you to check out this video because you’re going to understand why I freak out about the census every time.
OPTION #5
Donate. If you don’t have a lot of time but can spare maybe $5 or $10, this is a great way to be politically active.
Do your homework to make sure that the organizations you want to support are doing the work that you really want to help move forward.
If you don’t know where to start, we would suggest Voto Latino, which is working to register Latinos all over the country, or Fair Fight, an organization founded by Stacey Abrams, fighting for free and fair elections.
So there you have it! 5 ways to be politically active from home… and you do not have to be a citizen of the United States to do any of them! Because even if you can’t vote YET that doesn’t mean you get to sit on your hands and look at the ceiling. This is your government and your country too, so let’s create some change!
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