One of the best ways to engage your friends and colleagues on a social justice issue that you care about is to organize a letter or email writing event. Around crucial votes in Congress, you can write to your congressperson to urge them to vote a certain way. During other times of the year, it's still good to write because it helps to keep an issue "on the radar" of whoever the target is.
For specific and timely action ideas, visit Our Campaigns and our Action Center.
Here are some tips:
- Letters or emails do not need to be very long. Your main goal is to talk briefly about your issue, express your concerns, and make a simple request.
- If you have lived or studied in the country or have met people from the country (during speaking tours, etc.), mention it—personal experiences lend more credence to your concerns.
- Make sure your letter has a concrete "ask" at the end—that the member vote a certain way on a bill or amendment.
- Don't assume that your congressperson knows a lot about the issue you're writing about—their job by nature makes them generalists. Don't condescend, but raise specific, concrete points in your letter to strengthen your "ask."
