What can we do?

Most people don’t think things in our world are going very well and lots of us are not sure what to do.

There are many ideas that would strengthen our democracy and improve our world: reform the electoral college, lessen the influence of money on politics, or improve education. The list goes on.

Lots of us know we should vote, but for many, this doesn’t feel very connected to the change we hope for and the world we want. Often, it doesn’t feel like enough.

This is a collection of ideas that can provide on-ramps to engagement for everyday people who want to do something and are not sure where to start.

It is intended for people across the political spectrum, and those who don’t care about politics. It is for people who live in the city or the country. It is for those that value freedom and self-determination, and who also know we need our neighbors, family, and friends near and far to create the sort of world that we want. It's for people who know we can’t figure this all out by ourselves.

This list is intended for people who are rich or poor, single or married, young or old. It is for people of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities. It works if you are conservative or liberal or somewhere in between. It works for people who know we need each other and we create the world we want together.

It is important to note that the things on this list are not sufficient to fix all of our problems or bring about a just, fair society. These are intended to be a list of starting points or on-ramps, particularly for people who are currently finding it hard to be as involved as they would like to be. While some of us have major “a-ha” moments and experience dramatic and rapid transformations, for most people, change is gradual… two steps forward and one step back.

We all start somewhere so here are some ideas of where we might start. No step is too small!

Go to next page for ideas

Introductory On-Ramps To Engagement

• Pick one thing to do three times in the next month that makes the world more like you think it should be. Can be small or big. Materially acting in the world and not just clicking or talking or thinking is part of the path toward things being different than they are.
• Support election officials and workers. If you can, walk in their shoes for a day. As of 2020, approximately 132,000 polling places and more than 750,000 poll workers (Center for American Progress).
• Support moderate and pro-democracy candidates and political leaders whatever their party, especially when it takes political courage from them to defend democratic rights and practices.
• Find a thing to join that tries to solve a problem with people that you meet in person. This can be the building committee at your church, the road clean up club, the cat rescue group, or whatever. Do a thing with this group at least once a month. Connecting with actual people doing actual things is an important part of how we learn, grow, and move toward the world we are hoping for.
• Own the word “democracy.” Remember that democracy is not a partisan issue or just about voting and elections. To paraphrase John Dewey, “Democracy is a way of life.” It’s how we live better lives together. It’s relational, takes shared work and time. And it takes all of us.
• Make a concerted effort to focus on good news and practice hope. This helps us to imagine what is possible. Those who would like to counter the power of everyday people and control decision-making benefit from the idea that change is not possible and that things are hopeless. People don’t want to be sad or mad all the time, and hope and good news can fuel people’s ability to engage, connect, and create change.
• Be curious about others. Talk to someone(s) about how they are. No advice giving. Just curiosity. How are they? What are they struggling with? How are they feeling? “Oh, tell me more about that?” Learning about others’ experiences without judgment is one way to better understand our messy world. Bonus points if you are able to do this with someone who is politically, ideologically, or demographically different than you.
• Go on a walk (short is fine) alone once a day for a week and try to calm your mind down. We can’t do much in this world if we are constantly doing and stressed. If you are feeling ambitious, invite someone to go on your walk with you after 1st week. No advice, gossip, or worrying allowed. (For more on rest as an important part of democracy see Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey or you might look at Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness by Pooja Lakshmin).
• Make food for someone(s) that don’t expect it. Once is fine or a goal of three times if you are feeling ambitious. Cookies are fine. Or just make extra dinner. Deliver to the front door with a nice note. Food and kind offerings help strengthen connections. We are very disconnected.

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• Take a week-long break from righteousness - your own or others. Steer clear of people, social media, groups, or other spaces where people are Very Sure and emotionally charged. Righteousness can feel good but can sometimes cause us to lose touch with important parts of ourselves and block our ability to understand and connect with others. You can start with one day if a week is too long!
• Write down three things you are thankful for and three good things about you every day for one week. When we can appreciate good things in our lives and ourselves, we are more grounded and effective as we face the challenges of our world.
• Voting is often understood as the obvious, basic, or boring option that everyone already knows. But registering to vote and voting can be an important step toward the world we long for. It is not enough, but it can be a very important step. If you are feeling really ambitious, you can try to get someone you know registered to vote or offer to drive someone to the polls. One of the central reasons that people say they vote is that someone asked them or encouraged them to do so.
• Lead with curiosity. Keep in mind that being right is not a good strategy for change. Try to resist explaining to people how right we are or how wrong they are. Share our stories when asked. Remember that when we shame others or try to make them feel stupid, this often leads to them doubling down, not opening up.
• Critical thinking. Be 10% more skeptical of people you agree with and 10% more charitable to people you disagree with. Look for flaws in ideas you like and strengths in arguments you don't like. (Credit Adam Grant, https://adamgrant.net/)
• Expand knowledge. Follow a few accounts on social media that discuss what is going on in democracy or that might share a different perspective than you are used to. You might consider the Substacks Connective Tissue, or Build IRL Newsletter, The Civic Health Project, The Interactivity Foundation, The Democracy Docket, or the Bulwark, as well as Kettering Foundation social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, BlueSky. Also look into local social media in your county, neighborhood, city, village, town, or state.

Intermediate On-Ramps To Engagement

• Read a political news outlet you often disagree with. Read it with curiosity. What is going on here? Why would people believe this? Why are they drawn to this? Trying to understand others cultivates not only empathy, but helps us understand how we might invite people into other ways of thinking, understanding, and being in relationship.
• Volunteer for a thing not because volunteer work will really fix many or any of our problems but it can be a good pathway to connect with others who are not just like us and a chance to learn. Think of volunteering not as a helping opportunity but as a learning opportunity. No need to “save” anyone - more like just helping out our neighbors and trying to learn!
• Subscribe to your local paper. Journalism is struggling and having good, local, information about our community strengthens our community.
• Focus on strengths. Make a list of what you can offer to our world, or the strengths of your community, or state. Sometimes when things are difficult, we lose sight of all the good things we can build on.
• Read a book, listen to an audio book, or a podcast on non-violence, political change, or some other issue you care about. Here are some bibliographies that might be helpful.
• Make a connection between democracy and the issues that threaten inclusive democracy. As Maria Stephan writes in Sojourners, “Don’t silo strategy on racism away from strategy on democracy and authoritarianism. See them instead as two sides of the same coin.” Democracy is not just about voting and elections, but it is about the things we deal with all the time such as housing, inflation, sexism, freedom of speech, racism, or poverty.
• Explore mutual aid groups. You may or may not want to take part, but mutual aid can be a way to connect with those around us, learn from each other, and create communities and safety nets where we live.
• Pick one thing you care about and list and then do three things to make this issue a smidge better. No act too small. Must be an act of building/creation/generosity/improvement. Blocking or stopping bad stuff doesn’t count. Bonus points if somehow you involve others.
• Build “short bridges” to create space for larger “we” in “we the people.” Build these “short bridges” across partisan lines, communities, among faith groups, and others. As john powell writes “the problem of the 21st century is othering and the solution is belonging.”
• Support non-partisan pro-democracy issues such as redistricting reform or ballot measures. For example, in 2024 Ohio voters defeated a ballot measure that would have made it exceedingly difficult for citizens to put issues on the ballot. The defeat of Issue One by large majorities was followed in November by strong majority support for ballot measures related to the state’s constitution.
• Identify and don’t (accidentally) promote mis- and disinformation. Check with a trusted, non-profit, non-partisan source before you share things about politics, democracy, politicians on social media. Ask questions of your sources. Watch out for hyperbole and “fast and loose talk.” John Petrocelli argues even if it is just casual and isn’t intentionally misleading, it can prime opinions that endure. You can check Rumor Guard, which is sponsored by the News Literacy Project, Fact Check, a project of the The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, or All Sides which can be a good resource for understanding sources.
• Read an actual study about something you are concerned about. Often the news filters info in a way that flattens the issue. If you are worried about political violence or climate disruption or invasive grasses or whatever, step outside the news and spin and dig into the research.
• Attend a public meeting or a protest. You don’t have to take part, but even witnessing this and seeing people in action in the community trying to change things can be important. Things often seem different in real life than when we imagine them or see them on the news.
• Build on the connections between arts and democracy. Consider how art, artists, and creatives use their power to engage and inspire to create the sort of just, democratic world we are longing for. How can we use our art to imagine the kind of world that we long for? Find a book, article, podcast, or YouTube video that seems interesting to you about this idea. You can reflect on how your own art or creative pursuits might be able to support a stronger democracy. If you are feeling ambitious, you might consider how to connect to others who are using art to create a more democratic and just world.
• Explore nonviolence. Try reading one article or book on its history, how to practice it, and how to be prepared to respond to violence. Try listing 1-3 steps you can take in your own life that support and/or align with non-violent principles and teachings.
• Try to buy from a small business once a week. This helps strengthen our neighbors, community, and our economy that is not completely dependent on or beholden to large corporations whose main goal is to increase value for their shareholders.

**Bonus Points**

• For any of the options above, invite a friend, family member, or colleague to do one of these activities with you.
• Invite your book club, small group, parent group, family, or walking club to do one of these with you.
• Select a book from one of these bibliographies on democracy, and read it with your book club. Or start a book club or reading group to read/talk about some of the ideas in this list once a month.