How to Make Positive Change

Huge, systemic issues like the wage gap can seem impossibly large to tackle. But an important thing to remember is that change starts at an individual level. So let’s talk about you. What’s your passion, which skills are yours to share, and what type of volunteer work do you love? How can you create real change?

No matter where you are in terms of experience, I want to make something clear: You are needed. The voices of women are powerful. Here are five easy steps for getting your voice heard by getting involved.

Find out what you care about fixing.

Want to make a difference, but not sure where to start—or what policy or issue area to start on? Don’t worry. Our first step is to figure out what issue or policy area you want to focus on helping advance. This may seem like a simple task, but it’s often complicated by the fact that more than a few policy areas and issues are in need of action. So how do you choose?

Maybe the last chapter about the wage gap angered you and now you want to take action. If so, great! But if not, ask yourself: What draws my attention in the news, on social media, in conversations, in this book? Is it getting better candidates elected? Think for a moment. Still not sure? Keep thinking. Ask yourself this: What keeps you up at night? What is the one thing you want future generations to not have to fix? What breaks your heart? Is it the fact that moms are financially penalized for having children, while fathers are rewarded?

If you’re still having trouble, ask yourself this question: If my possible future grandchildren ask me what in the heck I was doing when was happening, will I be embarrassed to tell them I stood by silently? Now that question can let you know exactly what area you want to work in extremely fast. I know it’s gotten me out of my chair more times than I can count.

Uncover the type of activism that brings you joy.

Are you ready to find out what type of work brings you joy in the fight for equity, equality, and justice? Figure out what skills you have up your sleeve and, importantly, what you have fun doing that could benefit where you’re volunteering.

What secret—or not-so-secret—superpower skills do you have? Are you really great at talking with people? (Volunteers are always needed at phone banks and doorbelling.) Are you crafty? Are you a great writer? (Organizations often need help creating and packaging content.) Do you love research? Do you like to do activities like serving food, building houses, cleaning? Are you a spectacular event planner? Database expert? Do you like children? What type of work makes you not look at the clock to see when it’s time to go home?

Not sure yet? Try a few activities and see what feels fun! One goal in fighting for change is that the work is fun for you, feeds your soul, and sometimes makes you laugh, because we need you for a marathon and not a sprint. Another goal is to use your skills to add capacity to an organization or cause. In order to keep marching, it has to bring you joy at least some of the time.

Find the right place.

There’s a lot of work to do, and it’s often easiest to do it with a group of people and/or an organization supporting you. Now that you know what issue you want to work on and what skills you bring to the table, the question is, where do you want to do it?

If you aren’t already involved in an advocacy project or organization, don’t worry! There are lots of places you can engage and multiply your impact by working with others: a national, state, or local advocacy organization; a city, county, state, or federal political campaign; a service organization; a local school; a church; a shelter or food serving location; a union; a hospital—the list goes on. Take a moment to figure out what type of place you can work on your top issue area using your secret superpower skills.

There’s a lot to choose from. Did you decide what type of place you’re interested in connecting with yet? Done? Okay, let’s go to the next step. Find some to try!

Use any search engine to find a place to volunteer. For instance, I just googled “fair wage women Washington State” and several organizations popped up.

But don’t stop there. Ask your friends, family, and neighbors in person and via social media what organizations they see having the biggest impact on the issues you care the most about right now. Here’s a sample post: Friends!—I’m looking for a way to volunteer to advance (fill in the blank for the policy you like) in (geographic region). Have any advice? Who’s doing great work?

After you’ve picked one or two (or three, four, or five!) places to check out, do a bit more research. Check out their Facebook page and Twitter presence. Go to their website and read their mission and check out their “About” page. Ask around a bit about their reputation. Find out what wins they’ve helped make happen. See if they are listed on any of the nonprofit review sites. Start your short list of two to five organizations or places you want to lend your time and get ready to take the next step. (Check out the lists of highly recommended organizations throughout this book, too.)

Be open-minded.

As you make your list of organizations and places you want to volunteer, be open-minded. For instance, an organization with a solid online and on-the-ground presence and regular opportunities (which you can choose to ignore when you’re busy) might be a good fit for you rather than a more classic brick-and-mortar organization.

Many organizations know you’re busy and do the hard work for you. They’ll contact you whenever there’s opportunity to make your voice heard and have an impact on a top issue. Most offer easy ways to take action online and in person, on the ground. Organizations are at your service! For instance, when you are signed on with MomsRising, every week at least five possible actions are delivered directly to you that you can choose to do or not. With each action, you can choose if you have time (and inclination) to do it or not, your choice. You can even start a local #KeepMarching Circle and connect with other leaders via MomsRising.

For many organizations, you don’t necessarily need to reach out with a call or email. You can just go to their websites and sign up, and then you’ll be kept up-to-date about when your voice is needed in real time.

Connect and create change.

Once you have the issue you want to advance and have identified the skills you have to share and a short list of places you want to volunteer, it’s time to make some calls or send some emails. One thing: Sometimes the busiest organizations will need you to reach out more than once. Make it easy all around by calling or emailing and saying something like: Hi, I’m [name]. I’d love to volunteer doing (insert your superhero skill) or another activity to help. What volunteer opportunities do you have right now?

Keep in mind that you don’t need to get married to the first organization or place that you try out. Volunteer at a few places. See where you feel like it’s the right fit for you. See who is making a real difference. And then keep volunteering in that best-fit place—even bring friends. Keep marching!