Take Action In order to make positive change towards social justice and ending violence against all people, we must stand up and speak out for what we believe in. We MUST be activists. In other words, rather than just being angry about an offensive commercial you saw, take the next step and write the company a letter, get your friends and family to also write letters, stop buying their products or wearing their logo. If you don’t agree with a law or bill, write or call your congressperson.
Sometimes we may feel that writing letters, protesting, signing petitions, cotting (boycotting), or making phone calls won’t make a difference. In fact, this is exactly how change occurs.
What’s the point?
1. By speaking up for or against what you believe in, you are being true to yourself, a good role model for your loved ones, and taking steps towards cultural change.
2. Doing nothing will change nothing. Doing something can change something. Take a chance, speak your mind. Value your values.
I don’t have time to write a letter, what else can I do?
1. Start a petition on www.change.org
2. Tweet or post articles on facebook to bring awareness to issues you care about.
3. Challenge your facebook friends to write letters, sign petitions, or cott (boycott) certain companies.
Okay, I want to write something, but I don’t know how. Where should I start?
- First think through the issues you care most about. Like them on facebook, join listservs, follow them on twitter, read blogs. Causes often have calls to action.
- Remember that being an activist means also writing letters of support to those who have done a good job.
- Visit the following sites for great tips on writing letters:
- a. http://www.sierraclub.org/takeaction/toolkit/activist_tips.asp
- b. http://www.peta.org/action/activism-guide/letter-writing.aspx
- c. http://waterwatch.org/resources/lte-info
- d. http://www.wluml.org/node/5603
- e. http://reclaimdemocracy.org/effective_letters_editor
Visit these websites for opportunities to take action:
http://www.missrepresentation.org/not-buying-it/
www.change.org http://reproductiverights.org/
http://www.legalmomentum.org/
http://www.now.org/
http://www.naacp.org/action-alerts/
http://www.violenceisnotourculture.org/alerts/tax/form-of-vaw/Sexual%20Violence%20and%20Rape
http://www.equalitynow.org/node/362
http://www.hrc.org/take-action
www.polarisproject.org/
Check back regularly for Chrysalis Network action alerts!
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