Unexpected Tools of Advocacy

We are always grateful to those who take the time to read our bi-monthly e-newsletter, but never more so than this month. After a dizzying almost two months of local legislation, Congressional legislation, and Executive Orders, lots of people seem burned out. So, if you are still one of our faithful readers, or if you have joined us recently, then thank you! I would like to take a moment to address that very notion of fatigue that many people are feeling right now. If you are feeling weary of politics, of arguing, of national division, you are not alone. If merely supporting a few issues - even just the ones that matter most to you - is exhausting you, you are in good company. Now, what can be done about it? Please keep writing and calling your legislators, and keep showing up to discussions and town hall meetings. Every voice is important in a democracy, and our country needs your voice! At the same time, please consider the levels of fear and unhappiness in our country right now. There are legitimate concerns with very real consequences, but if we allow fear and unhappiness to consume us, we will paralyze ourselves - we will be unable to act, and we will be unable to contribute in any meaningful way. Please consider using happiness, calm, and gratitude as tools of your activism, as well as tools of your own self-care. Spend some time outside in the sunshine, or doing something that you love, or being silly with family or friends. Check on someone who is ill, unhappy, or over-stressed. Write a thank-you note to a legislator who has stood up for an issue you value, or to a police department that protected and supported a minority group in the face of threats or violence. Not only will this positivism help those who receive it from you, but it will also help reorient you and balance the critique and concern that comes naturally from being on your guard to respond to injustice.