Taking Action in D.C.

My road trip led me to Washington, D.C. not just because of the great museums, but because I wanted to be on the front lines of making a difference. I arrived in D.C. to participate in two marches for causes I care about. I also wanted to meet my representative and ask her what more I could do politically to help the causes I care for.

So I am going to share what the lessons learned from participating in two huge, amazing marches, and from my meeting with my congresswoman's chief policy advisor.

1.) Be Aware - Paying attention to what is going on in politics is a very good idea. Use reliable and unbiased news sources to stay current on all issues. News now-a-days can be hard to watch, but being informed allows you to be prepared for taking action.

2.) Take Action - This is a big one and what my representative's staffer had the most to say about. It's surprising that not many people know they can contact their congresspeople. Well you can, and it's very easy! If you have any concerns about what is going in the political world such as, upcoming votes on bills, presidential appointments, executive actions, etc., you can contact not only your senators and representatives, but any member of congress to express your opinions. The staffer told me that when a constituent contacts the congressperson, they not only take note of what is wanted, but it also shows the congressperson that the actions of congress are being watched and they will be held accountable by the voters. So the more people contact congress, the more congress will listen. A good tip she told me was if a vote on a resolution or bill is coming up and you know your congressperson is likely to vote with you, contact other congresspeople from different states or districts that you aren't convinced will side with you. You can also become involved with groups and societies that lobby in Washington. For example, I care a lot about environmental and public lands issues, so I am involved with the National Park Foundation and the Sierra Club. They keep me involved with threatening issues, do a lot of work outside of politics to help, and they also do plenty of lobbying to congress.

3.) Don't Give Up - It's easy to be discouraged by our current political drama, but this is still the United States and we still have a representative democracy. If we the people do not like something, we the people have the power to change it. The only reason we are in this political mess is because we voted these people in. So don't turn your backs because you don't like what you're seeing on the news, do something about it. Find other people to work with you too; it makes it funner and more effective.

To sum up, be involved! It was such an incredible feeling to be a part of two incredible marches with so many passionate people. I could feel the power of making a difference around me. Taking action is so rewarding and our beautiful country is worth fighting for. I'm very passionate about this topic, so if you need any help on contact congress, please ask!

Helpful Links:

Congressional contact information and current activities: Congress.gov

Legislation tracker: Govtrack.us

Very easy calling site with scripts: 5calls.org

Many congresspeople have social media accounts and their own websites too.

See my pictures from D.C. in the Gallery!