It isn’t a secret that the political events of the country in recent years have polarized the country more than ever. From the 2016 result to the recent midterms, there has been campaigns and media coverage, and contention, and relentless scrutiny. But regardless of the results that happened, this time that we live in can be an exciting time for change if we let it. Don’t just sit there and become disillusioned with it all. That can be negative and lead to more contention or frustrations. Instead, realize what an important part you have to play in democracy and where you live.
There is good news of late too, with more women than ever, especially women of color, being elected into office in the midterms. So there is progress, especially for women in politics. Look at someone like Cynthia Telles, for example. If you looked up Cynthia Telles Kaiser foundation, you will see that she was on the board of that organization for several years. And after that, it led her onto the White House Commission, being appointed by Barack Obama himself. So there is so much potential for us. With all of that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can get involved in politics, that aren’t scary at all. You can make a difference around you.
Learn About Local Politics
A lot of the time we look at who is in charge of the country and what he is doing, rather than those that are elected a little closer to home. Do you know who is elected in your state or city? These people are going to be the people that are going to make decisions about more everyday things where you live. So you need to know who they are, what they are like, what they stand for, and how you can get in touch with them. The decisions that they will make are around schools, health policies, and public services, to name but a few. So it is important to get to know what is happening at a local level, as well as a national level.
Attend Meetings
All local areas will have town hall meetings from time to time. And you know what? They are always badly attended. But the people that are at those meetings are your local politicians, as well as sometimes congressmen. It gives you the chance to listen to speeches and what is going on, as well as it being opened up for a question and answer session. So if you are new to it all and do want to know more about what is going on, then that can be a good starting point.
Peaceful Protest
The civil rights movement is an example of public protesting and that it can make a difference. Think of the Suffrage movement too; this activism led to change. So if there are marches or protests going on near you with something that you feel passionate about, then why not get involved? As long as it is a peaceful protest, it can be a powerful tool for change, and a great way to get involved with people around you that think alike. When the protest is done well and in a peaceful way, it can be effective.
Join a Political Party
Political parties aren’t just what you choose each time there is an election. They are organizations that you can join and be with all year round. They have conferences and events where you meet others and learn more, as well as protests, and other events. When you join a political party, you can learn from more of a ‘grassroots’ stance about what is going on, what you can do to help, and how you can help others and get them involved too.
Support Existing Organizations
As a busy women, time can be quite limited. So some of these options may not be open to you. But what you can do is think about the issues that you feel passionate about. If you feel passionate about equal rights, immigration, climate change, or working conditions, then you can get yourself involved with an organization that is already working on this. There could be things you could do for them, as well as donating to them. Whatever you choose, you can know that what you are doing, time or money, is going towards helping something that you feel strongly about, without you having to do too much or go too far out of your comfort zone. We as women can make a massive difference in politics.
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