How to Leverage Power

You don’t have to walk the halls of Washington, DC, to have your opinions about choice or other issues be heard.²⁷ You also don’t have to be a paid lobbyist to be listened to by leaders at the very top. You just have to be you—persistent, creative you. In more than two decades of organizing and advocating for change, I’ve learned that we get the best results when we are creative, engaging, persistent, and sometimes even a little bit silly (humor breaks down barriers while logic often doesn’t). I’ve also learned that carrying forward the voices of others is incredibly powerful.

And I do literally mean carrying petition signatures, books of stories from our members, member messages stickered on things like apples, and more into their intended recipient. (At MomsRising, we think of ourselves as the postal service of advocacy. Rain, snow, sleet, or sunshine, we deliver all the messages from our members directly to the leaders who need to hear them.)

In the following pages, you’ll find some tips on how to have an impact with local member(s) of Congress close to home.

Make a Powerful Delivery!

Delivering educational materials to a decision maker’s local office is an incredibly powerful way to have an impact. Don’t worry. No storks are needed. This is simply dropping off materials at the office of your local member of Congress, state legislator, or city councilperson. It’s such an effective tactic that MomsRising members regularly drop off storybooks (booklets of stories on one topic) and stacks of signatures on petitions or open letters at the offices of local elected leaders—and we often drop these materials off along with an item that makes people smile as it also hammers in the point. For example, right now, as I’m writing this, we have storybooks going to all of Congress on people’s experience with needing access to health care along with Life Savers candies. We also have storybooks going out right now on early learning and pre-K, criminal justice reform, and more. You can make deliveries to members of Congress, mayors, city council members, state legislators—any elected leader. Deliveries are easy to do and make a big impact.

Here are the steps to doing a delivery:

Pick the policy area that you want to focus on.

Choose an elected official at the city, county, state, or federal level.

Research where their closest office to your house is.

Grab a friend or two to go with you if you want.

Figure out what you’re going to deliver. You can deliver something simple like a note along with a fact sheet or a news story on the topic at hand. You could also deliver something like a mini pot of flowers with a message glued to the outside like “Please do all you can to make sure every family can bloom.” Your delivery could also be a petition from an organization that has many, many signatures. You name it, you can deliver it! Just be sure you have a clear, polite, one-sentence message about the issue at hand so the elected leader hears your top concern.

Call ahead to let the staff in the elected leader’s office know you’re planning to drop off materials. You may not be able to meet with an elected leader on short notice, but the chances are higher that you’ll get some time with them if you let their office know you’ll be stopping by in advance. Also, when you call, you can find out when their office is open so you don’t have to make more than one trip.

Be prepared—you usually don’t meet with the member of Congress when you deliver materials, so plan to leave your item with a staff person at the front desk. Be sure to leave a short note with one sentence on your main message, as well as how to contact you. Example: Hello! I stopped by to deliver [insert item] in hopes that you will take immediate steps to [insert issue].—[name], [phone], [email]

Take a moment to jot down what you want to say before you step into their office. This should be no more than three sentences. You can just write an outline on a small piece of paper. It’s easy: Be sure to introduce yourself, let them know you’re a constituent, and tell them what you’re dropping off and why. Example: Hi, I’m and I live in , so I’m a constituent. I’m dropping off these materials because I hope [leader name] votes [YES/NO] on [name of policy]. Remember, keep it short. This is your elevator pitch. (See tips on how to perfect this technique—in Chapter 9.) And don’t forget to say thank you!

Want some backup? MomsRising and other organizations often invite volunteers to help deliver materials to members of Congress or state legislatures. When that happens, all you have to do is RSVP and show up. The organization will provide all the materials you need and give logistical support. Often MomsRising invites members and volunteers who can’t make a delivery in person to call and email the representatives to let them know a delivery will be happening. This amplifies our impact together and is an important way for people to make a difference who can’t be someplace in person. (Bringing kids with you to deliver high-impact materials can be fun, and it’s good for kids to see change in motion.)

Attend Town Halls and Community Forums

Another high-impact way to be heard without traveling to Washington, DC, is to attend a local town hall meeting. When you’re there, you can share the top policies that you’d like to see the leader working on, thank them for working hard (if appropriate), and even hold elected leaders accountable. Town halls are usually held during Congressional recesses or when state legislatures aren’t in session. In some places, local elected officials hold “coffees” or other local gatherings to hear from constituents. Want to find one? Town halls and coffees are often listed on your representative’s website, or sign up for their mailing list to stay in the loop about local events when they’re scheduled. Don’t see a calendar? Call their office directly and ask what they have coming up.

Here are some tips to make your town hall experience a success:

Prepare two or three questions ahead of time.

Have two or three short questions ready. What kind of questions, you might be wondering. Very short, fact-based questions that refer to how an issue impacts you or your community work best. Also include a clear request for the elected leader to vote yes or no on a policy if applicable. These types of yes or no questions often have the biggest impact. You might also request that the elected leader share where they stand on a policy or ask what they’re doing about a certain issue. You can also ask them for a commitment to vote a certain way or to co-sponsor legislation. Examples: Where do you stand on access to free birth control? What are your plans to address unfair pay? Can we count on your support for the domestic violence bill? It’s bill number [insert number here]. Sometimes organizations, including MomsRising, have sample questions you can use. Have fun!

Be a bit early if you can.

Pro tip: Get a seat near the front or on an aisle where it’s easier to get your question recognized.

Always, always, always say thank you.

Elected leaders encounter a lot of unhappy people reaching out to them, so the power of a thank-you is magnified. Be sure to use it and say thank you. Sometimes even starting with Thank you for being here today. I have a question… is helpful.

Show your support.

Make your support for other questions known by clapping when they ask a great question and/or when the elected leader has a great answer.

Last but not least, thanks go to you for being part of a participatory democracy and fighting for equity, equality, and our democracy!