We Surprised Ourselves. Time To Rise To The Occasion...

The Saturday marches and protests following the inauguration were beyond anyone's imagination. I joined my wife for the Austin march. Organizers expected 20,000 marchers, over 50,000 showed up. I've "been there, done that" and I'd never experienced that kind of energy. Just consider the fact that there were TOO MANY ATTENDEES TO MARCH in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. And that 30 folks demanded to be heard/seen by marching in Antarctica. Amazing and Wonderful. And Inspiring. Now, what do we do?

That Saturday energy represented anger, fear, righteous indignation and constructive activism. So, how do we rein in that energy and focus it constructively? Let's think creatively.

Let's Resist The Temptation Of Too Many Symbolic Gestures...

The bikers in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" were conflicted about how to punish Pee Wee for knocking over their motorcycles. "Let's kill him." "No, let's hang him, then kill him." "No, let's stomp him, then hang him, then kill him." Fortunately, our hero charmed them by doing the "Tequila" dance and they let him go.

Where I'm going with this is to dissuade us from impulsive responses and encourage us to catch our breaths and channel our energy into longer term constructive activism. Less "I'm going to resist Trump," "I'm going to be an obstructionist." "I'm going to be a social media activist." "I'm going to join every march."  Some of this publicly expressed energy is positive. And necessary. But, let's make a difference where it matters most. With more action than words. Right here at home.

So, What Do We Do Now?

Many of you are seasoned community activists. I know that. Many of you are my community heroes. Let me make some general suggestions that you can tailor to your own level of experience and coach others where appropriate.

Get To Know Your Elected Officials

The current focus is on Washington. And, in our case, also the Texas Capitol. However, the government that affects us most directly is homegrown. Our School Boards, City Councils and County Commissioners. They set our taxes, allocate expenditures and and create ordinances that directly influence our lives and our wallets.

Your local state legislators and your state congressional reps are your connection to the State Capitol and Federal government. Find the websites for your specific reps and study them so you'll know the aides and research assistants who can be your best liaisons to the officials. You'll be much better connected through these more accessible gatekeepers and constituent reps. Put some of them on speed dial. In Mosey mode, once you're informed, visit these reps and personally express your concerns and constructive suggestions. In-person visits are the most effective way to have your voice be heard.

Choose Your Issues Carefully. Prioritize Your Involvement.

It's our human and political nature to be concerned about many issues. In our house, we're especially concerned about the arts, public education, health care, social justice, aging and the environment. But limitations of time, money, talent and emotional energy force us to choose carefully. So we don't burn out and disappoint ourselves and others by spreading ourselves too thin.

Choose one or two issues where you'd like to make a significant commitment. Determine that you're going to be well-informed, well-connected to the key players and affiliated with the organizations with those missions. Once you start thoughtful inquiry, you'll be surprised by your positive advancement on the learning curve. You'll meet like-minded issue purists and feel like you're able to make a difference. So much more rewarding than the dilution of too many commitments. If you're unsure about volunteer opportunities, your Chamber of Commerce, United Way and issue umbrella groups can be great resources. You'll find ideas in the arts, environment, diversity, health, youth, senior programs and many others in this way. 

You can choose to make smaller financial commitments to your lower priority concerns to at least feel like you're being recognized in support of those organizations.

Great Places To Start...Close To Home

It's easy to think of the large community-wide non-profits for your major commitments. But, don't forget  about your neighborhood schools, faith-based affiliations and neighborhood associations that would love your participation. Enlist and inspire your family and neighbors to join you in good works with immediate positive impact. You'll be glad you did. Everybody wins.

The Mosey Challenge

The campaigns and election highlighted many very real issues that need our attention, collaborative creative thinking and constructive solutions. We have tremendous untapped resources that can be applied to the tasks. Our communities and our Country simply need a big boost in compassionate, committed civic engagement. And that starts with our friend in the mirror. Several activist groups at every level are offering templates and action steps to answer the "what do I do and how do I do it?" questions. Social media gives abundant attention to these civic engagement prompts.

Over the next few months we'll discuss innovative ways to serve our communities. We'll seek to positively answer the query, "Are we effective, or are we just busy?" There's a big difference. Many of you are role models for effective community service. I'll be sharing some of your stories as we seek to inspire a broader base of civic activism. Thanks for all you do, and all you have yet to share. 

We have many opportunities to influence the quality of life in our neighborhoods and communities. That's how we strengthen this Country. Thanks in advance for your efforts.  LET'S MOSEY!