How to (really) make a change
It’s easy to get fired up these days. The world is on fire and politics are just as hot. There is war abroad and social injustices in your town. School board meetings now make headlines and even online neighborhood watch groups make it a breeze for everyone to share opinions on that camper that’s been parked in front of ‘the guy down the street’s’ house for weeks.
When there is a cause you care about or even a concern, it can feel good to share your thoughts online for a second; but, is it doing anything?
Not really.
If you want to help and try to move the needle and really make changes for causes or concerns important to you (but don’t know where to start) stick around.
We are sharing our best ideas, practices, and places to help bring good changes to your local and global community:
Go to the source
Say the food at your child’s school is less than desirable or there are not often options for gluten-free students. It’s easy to rage about it on your social media profile. It’s also easy to complain about it with other parents. And yet, neither is helpful.
Instead, a much more productive use of your time (and a great way to avoid potential drama!) is to go straight to the school and learn who is the best contact to discuss the meals provided.
Going straight to the source of the problem in a kind, curious, and helpful manner puts you in a position to share and learn.
“Generous assumptions” are a great practice where you drop any anger or judgment and come to the conversation with an open mind, kindness, and even a little grace:
Maybe there are gluten-free buns in the school cafeteria and your student just needs to know to ask for them.
And, maybe the family with the camper didn’t know it was against the HOA rules to park it there, because when they moved in 2020 the documents with all the rules never got to them amid Covid isolations.
Listen and listen some more
We all have ideas, and we all think our ideas are the ones that can make a difference. But sometimes, the best thing we can do is listen to other people, especially those directly impacted by a particular issue.
Individuals who have experienced hardships or issues firsthand can provide great context and suggestions on the true needs of an organization or group. More than anything, being truly helpful is key to making a change. This requires the practice of generous assumptions, a little humility, and a lot of good listening.
Get involved in local government
The presidential election gets a lot of air time and there is tons of awareness raised about the candidates and where and when to vote. Results are even played out live on TV! However, local government elections can feel like barely a blip. You may not even know any of the names listed on your ballot! (Don’t fret. We can help you.)
Local elections deserve more coverage. Their results impact a variety of vital services for your community including housing, social structures of care, schools, waste management, and more.
But, while we wait for the press to get on board, it is up to us to learn what we are able:
Ballotready.com is a great tool for seeing who is on your ballot based on your address. It also helps explain each role and you can see the background of all candidates listed.
(While you are thinking of your plan for election day and learning who will be on your ballot– make sure you are registered to vote at vote.gov)
If you still don’t feel like you are being heard, run for local office or the local school board or as a state rep. Often the only qualification hurdle is proof of residency for a certain amount of time and your age (typically you need to be over 30) to run for public service.
BOOKMARK THIS…
Start small
There is an expression that asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” Only to answer, “One bite at a time.” Change is a lot like this and that is great to keep under advisement and to help motivate you. You don’t have to create a huge black-tie gala or a community 5k to raise awareness for a cause important to you. You don’t have to dedicate your career or all your free time to saving the planet or the dogs at the local shelter.
We all have easy access to platforms of our own on social media where we can share the things that we believe are worth paying attention to and point our peers in the direction of ways to help, too.
And, if you want to leave social media out of it, there are still plenty of ways you don’t even have to leave your home to participate in taking a stand or expressing your political opinion:
Myreps.datamade.us is a great place to find the names and contact information of all your local elected officials. If there is something important to you that they vote on or have power to uphold, call them. Make sure your voice is heard. If you are unsure of what to say there are countless prompts for leaving a voice mail or sending an email on the internet on topics from gun control, women's rights, zoning concerns, and more.
Don’t let the fear of the size of the project or cause stop you from trying at all. Speak up, volunteer, do a little something. Take a bite of the elephant.
LOOKING FOR IDEAS TO GET INVOLVED?
Sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel
Think of causes close to you and things you would love to get involved with. You might want to create a fundraiser for women impacted by domestic violence. Or, create a place where low-income families can come grocery shop for free. Or, lead a march against gun violence at your state capitol building.
These are all great ideas. But there is a good chance a group already putting in effort towards a cause near and dear to your heart.
Creating something new is wonderful, but it may be worth considering if the group that is already established would benefit from your support instead of you starting from scratch. Volunteering your time may be as beneficial as giving dollars. Your involvement and drive may bring some of your great ideas to life on a bigger, more established platform as you join in.
For these ideas in particular check out: The YWCA (Many towns have local chapters), Local Churches and Feeding America’s Mobile Pantries, Moms Demand Action
Practice the world you want to see
Smile at strangers, speak positively, pick up trash at the park, and be a good neighbor. Sometimes it really is the simple stuff that helps make big changes.
How are you bringing about positive change in your corner of the world?
