Indivisibles, 

Let’s talk LTEs. 

No, this is not a Verizon advertisement. In the political sphere, LTE stands for “letter to the editor” -- a common tool for engaged activists to voice their concerns in a paper or magazine. 

Why are LTEs important?

We all know that direct advocacy works. Engaging directly with our representatives is at the core of the Indivisible movement. When we contact our representatives, we remind them what the people think is important, who they are working for, and who has the power to keep them in office. People power is the most potent tool in the political playbook. 

There are many ways to drive people to act. The most common and impactful is always direct contact -- it’s why we call, text, and knock on doors. But, we never quite reach everyone and you can’t support what you can’t imagine. 

When we write a letter to the editor, we are driving the public perception of what is accepted and what is popular. We speak out to challenge the idea of what is possible. In doing so, we add to the public chorus of voices pushing our representatives to act for the benefit of the people. 

Much like a conversation with a neighbor, a letter to the editor can help a budding activist realize that they are not alone. Do you remember the first time that you read a voice that mirrored your dreams for a just and equitable future? Do you remember how freeing it was to see your ideas in a public forum? We do. These are the moments that allow us to give ourselves permission to act, to engage, to demand a better world. 

Whereas most of our actions exist in a vacuum -- Calls to your members of congress are highly impactful but they don’t reach the general public -- LTEs are one of the few tools that work in both directions. They push our representatives to act through clear and visible public asks while also reminding our community that they are not alone and have the power to change our world. 

This is how we effect change and build community. So let’s focus on some letters to the editor this week, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your 3 weekly to-dos 

1. Click here to write a letter to the editor encouraging President Biden to lower prescription drug prices. One in four Americans struggles to afford their essential medications. We can not afford to wait for a legislative fix while Big Pharma lines its pockets! We need President Biden to use his existing authority to unilaterally lower drug prices right now while we continue to push for a more permanent legislative solution. Write to your local paper today and tell them why all Americans need affordable access to prescription drugs.
2. Click here to write a letter to the editor telling President Biden we need him to broadly invoke the Defense Production Act and declare a climate emergency. Friday, April 22 is Earth Day. This week, newspapers around the country will be publishing letters to the editor reflecting how local readers feel about the state of the planet. Write a letter to the editor explaining why President Biden must declare a national climate emergency and mobilize our nation’s resources on a massive scale to transition to clean renewable energy and create millions of good-paying, green jobs.
3. Sign up for Indivisible’s National Rural Caucus. Whether you've been organizing in your rural community for decades or are just getting involved, our rural program provides space to connect with one another, engage in rural electoral and advocacy work, and celebrate rural resistance and power building. Sign up to receive a monthly rural newsletter geared specifically towards organizing for change in rural communities.

P.S. We rely on your support to keep action pages up and running, fund ads to get the word out, and continue all the work we’re doing this year. Click here to donate to help fund our work. 

Find an event near you

 National Events 

Register here for the Rural Caucus Call on Wednesday, April 27 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. Once a month, rural Indivisibles and organizers all over the country join together to support rural organizing nationwide. This month, join us as the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative presents their program to help bridge the political, economic, and cultural divide between rural and urban/suburban communities. Next, Robin Johnson, host of Heartland Politics, will share how Democrats can win in white working class districts. Finally, Indivisible NC District 9 (ID9) Group Leader Ava Williamson will share their experiences canvassing with partner organizations in both urban and rural areas of NC.

 IndivisiWin of the Week 

Indivisible Bemidji MN put up a prominent billboard calling on their representatives in Minnesota’s 7th and 8th congressional districts to support access to voting.

We are in that moment, after a flurry of wins over the last few weeks, where it becomes easy to become complacent -- everything has slowed down and the horizon feels clear of imminent events. Let’s use this time to regroup and ready ourselves for the continued push for a brighter tomorrow. Click here to take some time to dive into our full executive actions slate. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to make sure you’re up to date on the latest action. Lastly, text “INDIVISIBLE” to 59798 to opt-in to our text messaging program where we send rapid response actions a few times a month. 

Let’s make sure newspapers across the country know that Indivisibles won’t quit until we see lower prescription drug prices and a commitment to bold climate action -- send in those LTEs today!

In solidarity, 
Indivisible Team