We had plans to share some inspiring client stories this week, but that all changed with the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, a horrific mass murder in a place that should be safe—a school building. We have to question where we’re going with the future of learning and the future of work when we can’t protect children in one of our sacred institutions. We want to say it’s unthinkable, but folks, it’s the 27th school shooting this year. What’s unthinkable is that as a nation, we’ve once again failed to do a damn thing. Where ever you’re at, whatever you’re doing, you must turn the unthinkable into action. 

We know that to secure the future of everything, we have to safeguard our children. Every society does that. It’s a sacrosanct bond between us, God, and whatever guides our humanity. We can’t stand by and lose a single child to abuse, addiction, self-harm, crime, or gun violence. We can’t have them robbed of a healthy, well-educated, prosperous, free, and long life. 

Our Founding Fathers were flawed in many ways, but they did something unthinkable—they gave citizens the tools to change everything. We must use the power they gave us. We must vote AND we must hold our elected officials accountable. We must make them forget about the next election cycle. They must act now. It did not take 27 shoe bombers to change this nation. Make no mistake, our schools are absolutely a target. Our voices must be collective and loud. We are capable of change. 

Let’s get to work right now. Let’s organize the vote and, just as important, hold those in power accountable. Here’s how you can start.

Voting

Adopt the Setser Group Voting Playbook if you don’t have one for your organization. Let Setser Group know of any improvements you make. We want to know!

Accountability 

We hear a lot of promises, but not much changes after election day. Here are some steps you can take to hold your elected officials accountable.

Follow Your Representatives' Voting Record

Sign up for email alerts from your legislators and follow them on social media.

Check out GovTrack.us to see each bill and how your representatives voted. 

Contact Your Representatives

Contact them before and after they vote for specific bills. Whoismyrepresentative.com directs you to every Congress member’s contact information. Add them as contacts in your phone so you can quickly message them as news breaks. 

Lead

Every one of our contacts is capable of leading. Either organize a rally or use your powerful voice to lift up one that is coming in the near future. Amplify the message. Show your followers it’s okay to do this. 

Name Names

Politicians are beholden to social media as much as, if not more than, everyone else. For many, social media is all they do. They don’t write legislation. They don’t allow bills to come to the floor for a vote. They miss votes. But they love to make proclamations on social media. So if you don’t like how they voted, if you’re tired of empty words and hypocrisy, let them know. Blast them on social media. Words gain traction. Social justice campaigns grow. Start one or amplify one.

We have some useful tools to help you vote, track politicians, and teach the young generation and adults about civic responsibility and social justice. 

vote411

Brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund, this site lets you see what’s on your ballot, check your registration, find your polling location, and more.

GovTrack

Keep track of what your representatives are doing and not doing in Washington. GovTrack lets you see each bill and how your representatives voted.

Center for Civic Education Voting Lessons

Browse the ample selection of detailed lesson plans, organized by elementary, middle, and high school. 

Learning for Justice

Learning for Justice’s Future Voter Project provides resources to educate kids on voting rights and voter suppression, and more importantly, a guide for registering all eligible students by the time they graduate high school. To examine controversial topics, visit the Civil Discourse in the Classroom page.

Britannica ProCon.org -

We want to teach our kids about civic responsibility. Our kids want some adults to learn about it, as well. Britannica ProCon is the go-to site for controversial issues provides a wealth of information for the 2020 election, including candidate statements on diverse issues from “gun laws” to “border wall” to “tuition-free college.”

Steve Kerr shows us how leaders lead in a time of crisis.

In this moment, nothing else matters.

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We must raise our voices to speak truth to power and special interests to end gun violence. Pledge to take action now. Use the hashtag #TakeActionNow. See how you can help at https://www.setsergroup.com/connect

#Vote #Accountability #EndGunViolence #Election #Empower #TakeActionNow