How I’m doing my part today

I decided to start trying to do more and help others to do more too. I’ve been trying to think of what I can do and encourage others to do, that doesn’t seem too scary for those who are afraid to go to protests, or who can’t go due to other reasons… work, health, safety. Whatever it is, there are other ways we can effect change in our communities and country.

First, we need to educate ourselves and learn all we can about the many issues at hand. Read articles, read books, watch documentaries. EDUCATION is a great thing, it’s a privilege, it’s a right, it’s an obligation. Take time for it every single day.

Next we need to contact our legislators weekly or daily. However often you can. Call, write, email or do all three! If you are afraid to talk to someone, call in the evenings or early mornings and leave a message. If you can’t afford a stamp or envelope, then email them. Use 5Calls I wrote it about it here on Sunday. It makes it easy and it also helps educate us. Please take a few minutes a week or daily to do this. If you don’t know who your legislators are the 5Calls site/app will tell you or you can go to https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials and put in your address and it will give you a list.

We also NEED to talk about it. You don’t have to post on social media, you don’t have to get in people’s faces but we need to talk about what is going on in general. Share your thoughts and concerns. Don’t be argumentative, be curious. Listen and share. Friends let friends do this. If your friends and family aren’t letting you, aren’t listening to you, then they may not be friends. And that goes for you too. (me too)

If you are able, we need to donate. Make donations to the ACLU, IMPACT, and other organizations that help those who are marginalized. Donate to your local food banks or little pantries. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just what you can, whenever you can. Remember the Widow’s mite.

And now, this one, is so very important. Get to know your neighbors. We live in a busy world with fences and garages. We don’t always see our neighbors and right now it’s cold so we aren’t out working in the yard either. But find a way to say hello and introduce yourself to your neighbors. Get to know them, learn their stories, share your story. Be neighborly. Let them you know you care.

Now, here’s what I’m doing today to do this.

I read this article https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/how-united-states-immigration-system-works-fact-sheet/ to learn more about how the immigration system works in the U.S. It’s not too long. I didn’t skip around, I read every word and so that I can try to better understand the system.

After I finish here, I’m going to try to contact my legislators. Today, I’m writing to all three of mine, about my concerns about ICE and how they are acting atrociously.

I do plan on talking about all this. I’m talking about it here and I’ll talk about it on social media too.

Today, I’m giving to IMPACT FUND . They equip lawyers to help in social justice cases. Think Immigration, LGBTQ, Racial, Women, Environmental type issues. I am also going to go my a little pantry in our town put a few things in to help my neighbors.

And as far as getting to know my neighbors, I have a lunch planned with one today and I think I’ll go to the mailbox at a busy time and see if I can say hello to at least one neighbor.

This is my plan for today, what will you do? Will you do any of these? Which one? Will you do something else? Share your ideas! I’d love to hear them. We need to do this together. Let’s crowdsource our ideas on what we can do to fight back, to resist, to protect our country from a corrupt administration. I can’t wait to see your ideas.

Until next time…♥️