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Hello John,
Today marks two important things- the start of the legislative session and the first full day of a new President. For many of us, this feels overwhelming and maybe even scary, and we want to share with you how our team is preparing to handle the road ahead.
Digging in Deeper
Local politics and decisions matter now more than ever. As power shifts to the states, and with the legislative session happening, we need to invest locally. We need to encourage our communities to engage with their representatives and call attention to issues they face. Often while our policy team discusses issues with legislators, they hear “We’re not hearing that that’s an issue from our constituents,” and they become reluctant to work with us. We (constituents, organizations, and legislators) must all work together to create a better Utah, and make our voices heard.
Touching grass (or rocks, or yarn)
Organizing, lobbying, and advocating for our communities and places we care about is hard work and can often feel like an uphill battle. To be effective at creating change, we must remember to take time to connect with the things that bring us joy, be it touching grass, exploring the desert, playing in the snow, doing crafts with friends, or participating in media that lets you unclench your jaw, take care of yourself so that we can continue to show up refreshed and ready for work when it matters most.
Diversify your activism
For some, the easiest way to be an activist is to share information on social media, but there are so many other methods we can use to create change, so find the one way that fits with your life and needs best!
* Join a rally for a cause you care about! Stewardship Utah’s Great Salt Lake Policy Associate, Chandler Rosenberg, will be speaking at the Great Salt Lake Rally this weekend about the systemic and cultural changes Utah needs to create a sustainable future for the Great Salt Lake and Utah. RSVP here! [[link removed]]
* Join a lobby day and get to know your legislators! We are partnering with several other organizations for weekly Great Salt Lake Lobbying Days [[link removed]] throughout the legislative session. We will also be doing another Rural Utah Day on the Hill in an effort to bring more rural voices to the Legislature (more info to come). Our friends at HEAL Utah are also doing regular lobbying days for air quality policy if that’s your passion.
* Donate to local orgs doing work you align with. Organizations like Stewardship Utah cannot do good work without your support. Your donations [[link removed]] go directly to supporting our efforts to protect the land, air, and water for all Utahns through elections, policy, and democracy.
* Run for office . This might not be considered a form of activism for many, however, without leadership that cares about our communities’ concerns, creating change becomes increasingly more difficult. Even starting small with a city council or joining a board or commission can have huge impacts on your community and build your confidence for running for a larger office later.
* Organize your community. Joining in the work of an organization can certainly ease the burden of activism, but mobilizing your friend group to act might feel less isolating. Maybe you have a biweekly dinner with friends where you also write letters to your legislators about an issue, (check out the new Take Action page [[link removed]] on our website for easy opportunities), or a monthly bookclub to learn creative solutions to local problems that can then be suggested to your city council, or maybe you all volunteer with a local mutual aid group once a week? Building community is where we build power.
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Stewardship Utah staff playing Bocce ball in the desert during a stewardship trip with Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Get to know the issues people are working on
This Thursday we will be hosting our in-person legislative preview at Mestizo Coffee in Salt Lake City. Join us from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM to learn what our policy team will be working on throughout the legislative session, as well as a brief overview of the legislative process, and where/when you can get involved.
RSVP to Join IN-PERSON [[link removed]]
While the road ahead might be long and full of obstacles, we will keep moving forward, one day at a time, one conversation at a time, and together we will get through this.
From everyone at Stewardship Utah, thank you for joining us, for not letting us feel alone, and for supporting our mission.
Onwards,
www.stewardshiputah.org [www.stewardshiputah.org] Stewardship Utah Team
[email protected] [[email protected]]
www.stewardshiputah.org [[link removed]]
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Stewardship Utah
68 E 2700 S
South Salt Lake, UT 84115
United States
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