Until recently, I’ve viewed politics as something to study, read about, and complain about. Not something that I actively participated in (aside from voting every year…okay every other year). Despite that fact that I majored in political theory, I’ve not been super politically active. I was not sure how to get involved, who to contact, or what to say.
That all changed recently.
Yesterday and today, my “Say Yes” action has been contributing to the political process. Neither of my actions have been super grand, but I have stepped out of my comfort zone to participate in the political process.
Yesterday, I signed up for the Colorado Springs Feminist group. I have been lurking on their meet-up site for a while, but I had yet to become a member. I often think, “Oh, but I never have time to go to anything.” Well I decided it was important for me to become a member and make time to go. So, I added my name to their Meetup list and Facebook group. It’s nice to know there’s a community of like-minded people around me. One of these days, my “Say Yes” action will be going to an event!
Today, I made 5 Calls to my representatives or to committees in Congress. As mentioned before, I hate talking on the phone. I have avoided calling Congress for so long because I would have to speak to someone and come up with something intelligent to say. Thankfully…there’s an app for that. Apps like 5 Calls or Daily Action provide you names of your representatives, give you the phone numbers, and give you a script to follow based on an item in which you are interested. Today, I made 5 calls (and, mercifully, left 5 voice mails) about causes that are important to me. I had easy talking points, and I felt myself becoming more confident as the calls progressed. While this isn’t a ground-breaking form of action, I feel accomplished, and I know I had done my part.
These are small actions, but they make a difference. With consistent effort and practice, I plan on becoming more active and more vocal. There are easy ways to become involved in the democratic process, and I feel lucky that I have the ability to act.
A Trip Around the Sun 