HOW TO CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR CAUSE
Doesn’t it seem like everyone has their “thing” (or 5)? Turning on the news, going to the wrong part of town, or even going out of the country, this world can seem so scary & dangerous. One thing we love about our 20-something gals is that you are a passionate group of people. At times, you may feel so passionate about that one (or five) things that it feels like you just scare people away.
You want to be able to have conversations with people, especially since it takes up so much space in your mind; and, you want to be able to do something that will actually have positive, lasting effects in the future. If you’re one of these people, just figuring out how to campaign for your cause, we’ve got some helpful tips for you below.
Find your passion
Perhaps this is obvious, but you want to be able to narrow down exactly what you’re passionate about. There are so many things that are important to people: the environment, women’s rights, immigration, animal welfare, and so much more. It’s good to recognize and care about a variety of issues, but narrowing exactly what you’re passionate about will make you a more effective spokesperson. Sometimes, it’s easy to get super excited or passionate about a cause, but if you truly want to make a difference and you want your emotion to be long lasting, then figure out exactly what is near & dear to your heart.
Be genuine
No one likes being preached at, especially by someone who doesn’t live their own words out. To campaign for your cause, make it a part of your lifestyle + daily life. If you are concerned about the environment you should do things like recycle, compost, reduce on plastic, live minimally, or whatever you think other people should be doing. Another aspect to being genuine is being grateful. Be grateful for the tools, resources, and time that you’ve been given to fight for what you believe in. Sometimes it can be scary to think about the major implications of your cause, but do your best to look at the positive of everything.
Know what you believe
You should be able to tell people in a few words what your cause is. If someone asks you a question like, “why do you care about______?”, you should be able to give a clear and concise answer. If it takes you more than a few sentences, than journal or think through exactly what you believe and why. It’s easy to pretend to be knowledgeable in certain areas by throwing around a few big words, but it can do much more harm than good to give out inaccurate information. Additionally, part of knowing what you believe is hearing the other side. If you’re passionate about the treatment of farm animals, make sure you visit a variety of farms and hear out their perspective.
Give more than just money
It can sometimes be easier to write a check or enter your credit card information and forget about it. Campaigning for your cause is being willing to give up your time, resources, and finances.
Raise awareness
Often times, the biggest barrier that people face in understanding a problem is not knowing about it. Raise awareness on every platform you have and make sure you’re sharing accurate information (if not, be honest about all sides and give all information possible). If you’re living in a state like California that has a lot of Hispanic immigrants, there may be people in the middle of the country who just haven’t heard about the difficulties and nuances of our immigration system. Social media is an obvious way to raise awareness; but, there are other options too! Write an oped piece and submit it to a local newspaper, go to protests, and start petitions.
If you’re passionate about a cause or two, share this with a friend who feels the same way. <3