CIVIC ACTIVISM
Why activism?
The individual, structural and institutional racism in Milwaukee can only be pushed back on by changing hearts and minds along with policy and practices. Being an advocate comes in many forms, from voting, protesting, running for office, or writing a letter to the editor. Citizens have the right to do many activities to promote causes and ideas. This information is aimed to give people ideas on how to take action.
An example of current local activism is the LiberateMKE campaign. They are seeking to divest $25 million from the City of Milwaukee’s police budget ($300 million) so it can be invested in the community. From their website: “Over the last five years the police budget has grown by over $70 million and every other city department has seen little to no growth. We know that instead of police, we could invest in programs that address the root causes of poverty and violence, like jobs, public health and housing.” Rid Racism is a partner of this campaign.
Special Information for Nonprofits (Please have the note that follows be a popup box)
Note: Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are restricted in their political activities, but they can still advocate on issues. To learn more see: Political Campaign Activities – Risks to Tax-Exempt Status, National Council of Nonprofits and Why Should Your Nonprofit Advocate?, National Council of Nonprofits.
Why Vote?
Free and fair elections are vital to democracy. Your vote does count!
How to Register to Vote
- In Wisconsin, you may register to vote at age 17 if you will be 18 by the next election.
- The City of Milwaukee offers 5 ways to register to vote: by mail, online voter registration, in person at any Milwaukee Public Library, in person at the Election Commission, and at your voting site on Election Day. To find out more, click here.
- ¿Está listo para votar en Wisconsin? Información del Votante.
- First time voters, you can start the process online by clicking here.
- Eligible Wisconsin voters can register entirely online if they have a current and valid Wisconsin Driver’s License or Wisconsin State ID Card. To do so click here.
- To complete the voter registration online, your name and current address must match your driver’s license. You can update address information with the Wisconsin DMV online here.
- You must appear in person to update name information with the Wisconsin DMV. To find your closest Wisconsin DMV location click here.
- For information on how to get a free Wisconsin ID card, click here. Obtener un ID gratuito para voter.
- Your Municipal Clerk can also assist you with registering to vote. Municipal Clerks are in charge of elections. They can assist you with voter registration and obtaining absentee ballots. To find your Municipal Clerk, click here.
- To verify you are registered to vote, click here.
- Registered Wisconsin voters can vote absentee. To begin the process online, click here. To find absentee ballot forms in English, Hmong, or Spanish, click here.
- Every voting location in the state of Wisconsin is required to meet the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) accessibility standards. If you need help marking your ballot on Election Day, you may take anyone you choose with you into the voting booth, except your employer or your labor union representative. Your assister does not need to be qualified to vote. For further information, click here.
Before you Vote:
Research candidates to learn their positions on the issues that matter to you
- Several organizations provide non-partisan information on the candidates for the upcoming elections.
- USA.gov Information is available in English and Spanish languages.
- Wisconsin League of Women’s Voters
Fact check the candidates’ positions
View what’s on your ballot:
- To view what’s on your ballot that you can vote for in the upcoming election, click here.
- You must be 18 on or before the Election Day.
- To find your polling place, click here.
- Most Wisconsin Voters must show an acceptable Wisconsin Photo ID to vote. For further information, click here. Some more common examples of acceptable photo ids include:
- A Wisconsin DOT-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended
- A Wisconsin DOT-issued identification card
- A Military ID card issued by the U.S. Uniformed Services (including retired and dependent uniformed service IDs)
- A U.S. passport book or card
- You can register to vote on the same day at your polling place on Election Day.
Become involved on Election Day by:
Contact your elected officials about an issue
Your elected officials represent you, and they need to know where you stand on issues. No matter what party they are in, think policy not party. Let your elected officials know your position on the issues they are influencing with their votes, or help them create the legislation they should be supporting.
To find your elected officials, click here.
- Local resources:
- National resources on policy:
Talk to your friends and family about a racial justice issue
These conversations can be hard, but they are necessary. It is important to respect other people’s points of view to a degree. When people express ignorant or hurtful ideas based on the race of another person, it is not always easy to push back. But being brave in these spaces can help to change people’s hearts and minds. Because racism hurts and harms people in many ways and “letting it go” enables people to perpetuate harm toward others. Here are some resources available to help you engage in difficult conversations and to disrupt harmful behavior.
- Local resources:
- YWCA Unlearning Racism Tools for Action
- Racial Justice and Understanding: Resources For Further Conversation & Learning, Greater Milwaukee Synod, They share some advice from Reggie Jackson on easy and hard steps to take
- The Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion, Mission: To foster civil dialogue & invite trust in the midst of differences.
- How do we talk to children about race? UWM researcher offers advice
- National resources:
- Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry, Southern Poverty Law Center
- The 8 R’s of Talking About Race: How to Have Meaningful Conversations, By: Dwight Smith
- How to talk to other white people about race (and why it’s necessary, The Seattle Globalist, by Kayla Blau.
- How To Talk Race With Your Family: Ask Code Switch, NPR
- How to Talk About Race without Making a Complete Ass of Yourself, Esquire, by Chevonnee Harris
- Embrace Race, a multiracial community of parents, teachers, experts, and other caring adults who support each other to meet the challenges that race poses to our children, families, and communities.
- In-Your-Face Racism is Back with a Vengeance Because it Never Left, by Reggie Jackson, Milwaukee Independent.
Contribute money to a candidate, political party, or organization
- There are many social justice and nonprofit organizations in Milwaukee that need financial support for their work to be possible. See the Get Connected section on our site to see which organizations you can contribute to.
- People running for office need your financial support, as well. It is particularly important to support candidates who are invested in their constituents and community. The more citizens give to political campaigns, the less outside and privatized money there will be to influence elections. Here is a link to the contribution rules for the state of Wisconsin, which also govern local elections: Limits for All State and Local Offices. Federal election contribution limits are here.
Submit a letter to a newspaper
Letters to the editor can help educate and start a conversation about important issues in your community.
- To learn how to write an effective letter to the editor, click here.
- For the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel letter to the editor submittal form, click here.
- The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, email info@milwaukeenns.org.
Post a comment or share a link to an article on social media about an issue that concerns you
Social media posts can quickly reach a wide audience with information about an issue or a cause.
- To learn more about how to use social media for advocacy, click here.
Canvas for a candidate or ballot initiative
Speak with your feet and knock on your neighbors doors to support a cause you believe in.
- To learn more about legislative advocacy, click here.
Gather signatures for a petition
A petition is a written request to people in authority requesting a change in a policy or regulation. The request could be for the implementation of a new policy or regulation, a change to existing policies or regulations, or for the cancellation of an existing policy or regulation.
- To learn skills for starting your own petition drive, click here.
- Currently a petition drive is being conducted to close the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility. To learn more about this issue or sign the petition, click here.
Participate in a march or demonstration
Marches or demonstrations can serve a number of purposes including the following: advocacy or support for a cause, protesting an unjust situation, or a counter demonstration. Media attention from the march or demonstration can further inform the public about the issue.
- To learn more about how to organize a public demonstration, click here.
Attend a public meeting
Become informed and share your ideas on how to improve your community by attending a public meeting.
- To learn about upcoming Milwaukee County meetings, click here.
- To learn about upcoming City of Milwaukee meetings, click here.
Work with people in your community to fix a problem
Become a change agent by turning a problem in your community into an opportunity to organize others to work together to find solutions.
- For resources on where to begin, click here.
Serve on the board or committee of a local nonprofit
Being a board member for a nonprofit is a great way to support an organization. Here are some resources to help you understand what roles board members can play as well as how to find the right nonprofit that fits your passion.
- BoardSource’s guide to servicing on a board: Do you want to make a difference in your community?
- BoardSource’s guide to: Find your passion
- The National Council of Nonprofits also has information on board roles and responsibilities.
- You can refer to the list of local organizations [link to organizations page] to see which ones need board members and have a mission that fits your passion.
- LinkedIn is also a way to see which organizations need board members.
Run for office
Elected officials are needed at every level of government.
- For information on how to run for a Milwaukee County office, click here.