Ways to be involved without being overwhelmed
Wisdom from our partners at Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW)
When the world seems in chaos, it can be overwhelming, daunting and disorienting to know where and how to get involved. A sociologist, Jennifer Walter gave the following suggestions on how to stay focused, oriented and regain a sense of power:
Set boundaries: Pick 2-3 key issues you deeply care about and focus your attention there. You can't track everything. Impact comes from sustained focus, not scattered awareness.
Use aggregators & experts: Find trusted analysts who do the heavy lifting of synthesis. Look for those explaining patterns, not just events.
Remember: Feeling overwhelmed is the point. When you recognize this, you regain some power. Take breaks. Process. This is a marathon.
Practice going slow: Wait 48hrs before reacting to new policies. The urgent clouds the important. Initial reporting often misses context.
Build community: Share the cognitive load. Different people track different issues. Network intelligence beats individual overload.
With that being said, here are a few things you can do, based on your capacity.
If you have 5 minutes
Call your U.S. Representative and Senator and share your views on issues on the Federal Level. You could express the detrimental effects of cutting Medicaid, or voice your support for refugees. Remember to let them know you are in their district. Usually a staffer will answer the phone, listen to what you have to say, and take notes.
If you have 10 minutes
Write a more in depth email or letter expressing your concerns to your policymakers.
Write down main talking points for what you would like to get across when having conversations with friends, family and community members who may not fully understand the consequences of current policies. Click here for our refugee and immigration fact sheet. Check out Global Refuge's Resource page here. Click here for talking points on Medicaid cuts (from Lutheran Services in America).
If you have several hours
Host a letter writing event at your church, a local coffee shop, or your house. Handwritten letters can have a great effect on our leaders. Attend a community event to show support to those who are struggling or to better educate yourself. Schedule a visit with your Congressional lawmaker or AZ state legislator. Reach out to us for volunteer opportunities, or if you know you want to volunteer sign up for the next volunteer orientation on March 18th from 11:30am to 1:00pm here.
Event Opportunity
There is a community impact hearing on Wednesday, March 5 from 6pm to 8pm with AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes and others at Central High School Auditorium 4525 N Central Avenue, Phoenix. See information below.
