“Some of us gave a little blood for the right to participate in the democratic process.”
– Rep. John Lewis
It’s that time again! Today is the first day of the next 30 Day Challenge. In the 30 days leading up to Mississippi’s General Elections on November 5th, I will do one thing each day to actively participate in the political process.
In my first two challenges, I donated to candidates and advocacy organizations, wrote postcards to voters, and volunteered for campaigns. I also took time to learn about the candidates and offices that would be on my ballot.
Go ahead and ask me about the Levee Commission. đŸ™‚
It doesn’t take much to participate in the challenge. You don’t have to have a lot of free time to text five friends to remind them to vote. You also don’t have to be wealthy to send a few dollars to a candidate that you support. Candidates aren’t lying when they say, “every dollar helps”.
The best thing about participating in the challenge is watching the candidates you supported doing great work in their elected positions. Congresswoman Lauren Underwood has become an advocate for expanding health coverage, while Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger’s CIA background made her an important voice in the impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump. And even though Stacey Abrams didn’t become Georgia’s new Governor, she’s working to protect voting rights nationwide through a new organization called Fair Fight. These ladies are in these positions because many people did just a little bit to support their campaigns.
I recognize that getting folks to make a 30-day commitment can be a little daunting. Instead, I’m inviting you to do one thing today to actively participate in the democratic process. Do you know what offices you’ll be voting on next month? Do you know what candidates have said about the issue(s) you care about the most? If you have $20 to donate to a campaign, who would you give it to?
When you see how easy it is to do one thing today, perhaps you’ll consider doing something else tomorrow.
But let’s just start with today.
#30Days
Notes From The Cookout 