Vitality and Voting: Creating Hope Through Action

As we head into the final weeks before the national election, many of us are feeling anxious about the uncertainty of the election outcome and the potential challenges to voting stemming from both the pandemic, and the deep political and ideological divisions in our country. Researchers have confirmed what many of us already know–the upcoming election is adding more worries to an already stressful time in our country! Recent studies show that 47 percent of employees are feeling stress about the election that has impacted their work.  

Motivated by our commitment to promoting vitality (wellbeing of mind, body, spirit and soul), Be Strong Families is taking a strategic approach to supporting our staff as we navigate this turbulent time together. At a recent staff meeting, we highlighted our standing HR policies on time off for voting and a service day policy that allows staff to take time off and engage in volunteer activities. We recognize that time off to vote isn't just a convenience—it is an equity issue, as recent news footage reveals and a 2020 study from the Brennan Center for Justice documents that voters of color often face longer wait times to vote than whites.

We shared factual, actionable sources of knowledge about voter registration, resources for reporting voting problems and volunteer opportunities with non-partisan organizations training election monitors. We have learned that several team members have decided to take a service day to support voters waiting in long lines to cast their ballots on election day by providing water, snacks and kid-friendly activities (all from a safe distance, of course). 

And, we have set aside time for our staff to come together after the election, to process our experiences, feelings and consider our responses. As we did after the killing of George Floyd, we have agreed to be present for one another, to create an emotionally safe space to share and be in positive relationship with another, no matter how we each voted and the outcome of the election. We have learned that many schools and colleges are also offering dedicated talking circles and counseling sessions to help their communities cope with election-related stress.

In times of uncertainty, we can remain grounded and build our resilience by planning and doing actions that are consistent with our values and within our sphere of control. Put another way, by doing what we can, we create a sense of power and possibility where we thought there was none. In the words of visionary author Frances Moore Lappé, who has written extensively on democracy as a way of life beyond just a political structure: “Hope is not what we find in evidence, it's what we become in action.”

We invite our colleagues and partners to take an active stance in supporting one other, your staff and communities through this election season. In the spirit of hope and mutual support, we offer the following curated list of resources:

RESILIENCE TOOLS

CPR for the Amygdala — An easy and accessible tool for helping your Amygdala (reactive brain) calm down in a moment of stress, anger, or anxiety, neuroscience based 7-minute video

How to Find Joy (Even in 2020) — Short article from Yes! Magazine

Focusing on Resilience in a Stressful Time — Be Strong Families blog post

VOTING-RELATED RESOURCES

Nonprofitvote.org — Extensive set of resources specifically for non-profits on voter engagement

Interactive map showing time off for voting required by state — Includes links for early voting dates and poll hours in each state

Guide to creating your voting plan — Consider work schedule, transportation, childcare, health precautions.

Volunteer as election monitor or report problems voting — National non-partisan organization supporting voting rights and access

AFTER THE ELECTION

Resources for counselors — Geared to school counselors, but has information useful for anyone working with youth  

How to have difficult conversations — Written for family holiday gatherings but applicable to many situations

What’s Next for US Democracy — A webinar for teachers and other educators

A list of churches hosting post-election communion services — A national movement started in 2012

How to protect our democratic values and the rule of law — In the event that election results are contested

By Alexis Moreno