Daley-Harris is the author of “Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy” and the founder of RESULTS and Civic Courage. This is part of a series focused on better understanding transformational advocacy: citizens awakening to their power.
Recently I received an email from Alan Leiserson, a volunteer leader with Citizens’ Climate Lobby in Nashville, Tenn. “The lobby day was fantastic!” he wrote. “I'm so up about it. About 1000 CCLers from all 50 states had 442 meetings with Congressional offices, of which 97 were Senate offices! … I was in five. It's looking good for some [members of Congress] to sign on to some of our bills.”
Leiserson’s email reminded me of something Robert Hubbell wrote a few days earlier in his “Today’s Edition Newsletter.” He is often approached by readers expressing how they are distressed “by the current political environment and fearful about our nation’s future” and thanking him for the hope his newsletter brings them. He outlined four things people can do to address powerlessness.
First, if you feel that way, you are not alone. Millions of Americans share your feelings of anxiety and worry.
Second, one of the most effective things you can do is to seek out community. Being with others who are working to defend democracy is uplifting! As the saying goes, “Come for the cause, stay for the people!”
Third, action is the antidote to anxiety. If you are able, funnel your nervous energy into action! You will feel better while doing good!
Fourth, if you are one of the lucky people who can maintain a hopeful outlook in the face of anxiety-producing news, display your optimism and confidence! It is contagious! If you model hope and optimism, you will lift others in ways you will never know.
Leiserson is a powerful example of Hubbell’s charge. He didn’t return home to wait for next year’s lobby day, but to continue building and engaging his community of activists.
I remember CCL’s beginning, when it didn’t have any members in any states and hadn’t yet had any congressional meetings. And I remember when Marshall Saunders, the visionary who founded CCL,had his own doubts as to whether anyone would engage in transformational advocacy on climate change.
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During one of Saunders’s “Inconvenient Truth” climate presentations in 2007, this one at a retirement home in Rancho Bernardo, Calif., one of the attendees asked what’s on all our minds.
“What should we do?” she wondered.
Saunders had been an activist with the anti-poverty lobby RESULTS for 13 years and knew how deeply that experience had empowered.
“What’s needed is the methodology of RESULTS,” Saunders replied. “What’s needed is thousands of ordinary people organized, lobbying their members of Congress with one voice, one message, and lobbying in a relentless, unstoppable, yet friendly and respectful way.”
“Why don’t you do that?” she exclaimed.
“I haven’t done that,” Saunders replied, “because nobody would come to a meeting like that.”
“I’ll help you,” the woman replied.
Feeling trapped, Saunders ignored his doubts and said, “Okay, let’s do it.”
He started inviting people to an introductory meeting but felt discouraged by the initial response. After repeated calls to his new helper, her husband finally answered and said his wife’s bursitis had kicked up and she wouldn’t be able to help. Saunders was tempted to cancel the meeting, but he kept inviting people anyway.
“To my great surprise, 29 people showed up, and all 29 said yes to joining me,” he later recalled.
Remember, Saunders initially thought that “No one would come to a meeting like that.” Do you ever feel like that? That you’d like to tackle an issue you care about, but you don’t think it will make a difference?
Take heart from Leiserson’s note to me — “The lobby day was fantastic! I'm so up about it.” — and then find a team or build a team of others to workon defending our democracy.
