By Joanie Juster–
Election Day is right around the corner, and we are all on edge. The clock is ticking, the email requests from campaigns are becoming more frequent and more urgent, the rhetoric is ratcheting up, and the stakes are getting higher day by day. The daily news cycle is frightening and exhausting. How are you holding up?
It is all too easy to get caught up in the election frenzy. So, do yourself a favor and stop doom scrolling. Step away from your screens periodically and take a walk outside. Go look at some flowers. Lay on the grass and just gaze at the sky for a while. Breathe deeply. Reflect on what you care about most in life, why it is worth protecting, and why it is worth fighting for. Refresh your soul so you can return to the fray with renewed energy and purpose, and help others keep their heads above water as well. Be the grown-up in the room, and help lower the temperature so we can all think more clearly and be more effective. We have serious work to do.
Common Cause
The next question then is, what are you doing to help make sure our democracy survives this election cycle? It is clear that this will not be just another election as there are serious attempts to undermine both the safety and the integrity of our election systems. Election officials around the country are being threatened with physical harm, and extreme right-wing groups are trying every conceivable trick to bend, break, or rewrite the rules to make sure that they cannot possibly lose. They are committed not to helping the American people, but to holding on to power at all costs.
We must all speak out against attacks on our democracy, but there are also concrete ways you can help. One organization at the forefront of this fight is Common Cause, a nonprofit that leads the largest election protection program in the country. They train and mobilize thousands of nonpartisan volunteers to ensure that every vote is protected. At a time when local election departments are facing serious threats, and bad actors are working overtime to undermine public confidence in our election systems, this work is crucial. You can donate to support their work, or sign up to be an election protector or digital activist here: https://www.commoncause.org/
Road Trip! Let’s Flip Nevada Blue
Say you’ve been donating to campaigns, writing postcards to voters, and maybe even text banking and phone banking. And now you’re ready to level up your engagement. What’s next?
Glad you asked. Manny’s, the uber-engaged space that acts as a hub for all things political and civic in San Francisco, is taking busloads of volunteers to Reno every weekend until Election Day to knock on thousands of doors in a massive effort to flip Nevada blue. You could be on one of those buses. You could be knocking on those doors. You could make a real difference.
Manny Yekutiel has set up a GoFundMe to bankroll this ambitious volunteer campaign. They will be providing transportation, lodging, and meals for up to 100 volunteers per weekend. I wish I could go, but I cannot, so I am encouraging all of you to sign up. Everyone I know who has ever gone to other states to knock on doors for campaigns has told me it is a life-changing, empowering experience. Every expert out there agrees that the very best way to change hearts and minds, and get out the vote, is to have in-person, genuine conversations with people. Don’t miss this opportunity.
Learn about the campaign, and support it: https://tinyurl.com/RenoGoFundMe
Sign up for the Reno campaign here: https://tinyurl.com/RenoKnock
Don’t Forget Your Local Elections
There is so much noise at the national level that it can be easy to overlook all the important local candidates and issues that need your support. Every dollar you donate and every hour you volunteer on local issues carries extra weight and can make a real difference in your own neighborhood and your daily life. Civic engagement is good for you, and for all of us. Thanks for helping.
The Party You Won’t Want to Miss: Cleve Jones’ 70th Birthday Bash
Since the day he arrived in San Francisco as a young gay man, Cleve Jones has been at the forefront of social movements and political change that have shaped our city, our country, and our world. From gay liberation to AIDS, union organizing to political campaigns, Cleve has seen and done it all.
Cleve is turning 70 on Friday, October 11, 2024—a milestone that, as a man living with HIV for decades, he never expected to reach. And, in typical Cleve fashion, he has chosen to commemorate this milestone by raising funds for causes that speak deeply to him. The party, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, will officially launch The Cleve Jones Community Fund, which will be hosted by Horizons Foundation. The fund will support the two organizations he cofounded decades ago: the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the National AIDS Memorial, which is now home to the AIDS Memorial Quilt.
The party will include entertainment by San Francisco DJ Phil B; drag queen and singer Chris Housman; Anthony Wayne, who has electrified audiences by playing iconic disco pioneer Sylvester; and special performances by Our Lady J and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. The big-name entertainers are just one part of the festivities: the evening will begin with a procession of local groups who have worked with Cleve throughout the years: the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, union and political activists, drag performers, flaggers, and more. With Sister Roma and Juanita MORE! on board, you know this is going to be one hell of a party, and a joyful celebration of community. Years from now, be able to say, “I was there!” Tickets and info: https://tinyurl.com/Cleve70th
Castro Street Fair Turns 50!
Happy Fiftieth Birthday to the Castro Street Fair! I am looking forward to celebrating this milestone anniversary with you all on Sunday, October 6. See you there!
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Cased You Missed It
Published on October 3, 2024
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