New Online Workshop Series + more!
Reclaiming our flag (and our democracy), one conversation at a time
Dear Friends,
There is so much going on that I feel like I’ve been in the spin cycle of a front-loading washing machine. While each day brings new horrors, it is truly heartening to see so many good people standing up for what is right, in big ways and small.
I am thrilled to announce several new online talks and trainings I’ll be giving in July, and hope to some of you at these events!
The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers: Online Workshop Series
Thursdays: July 10, 17 and 31, 4 pm Pacific/7 pm Eastern
Do you want to have more satisfying, effective conversations with voters while phone banking, canvassing, or visiting the grocery store? This free drop-in series of interactive, one-hour workshops will help you build your toolkit and strengthen your sense of community.
Workshop 1 (July 10): The first minute of a conversation: how to keep a voter engaged and answer easy informational questions. Sign up here.
Workshop 2 (July 17): How to connect with the 34% of eligible voters who say, “I don’t vote.” Sign up here.
Workshop 3 (July 31): How to have respectful, productive conversations with voters whose party or perspectives may be different from yours. Sign up here.
Sign up for one, two, or all three workshops - whatever suits your schedule and interests. (It’s “Choose your own adventure”!) You’ll receive an RSVP email with optional resources to explore ahead of time. We look forward to meeting you and helping you discover how to find more joy in talking with voters!
I’m really looking forward to partnering with Carol Blaney on these workshops. In addition to being a warm and welcoming presence and ace volunteer trainer at Commit to Democracy’s phone banks, she has an incredible array of life experiences, including working as a journalist, botanist, and a National Park Service ranger in Yosemite!
Swing Left San Francisco: Online Book Talk
Wednesday, July 16, 6:30 pm Pacific/9:30 pm Eastern
I am excited to share stories and practical tips for having meaningful conversations with voters in swing districts. I’ll be in conversation with the fabulous Myra Levy, Swing Left San Francisco co-lead and one of my co-trainers from Phone Bank & Canvassing Training for Introverts (& Friends). Sign up here.
And as a reminder, I’ll be doing two in-person events later this month in northern Virginia, close to Washington, DC!
Scrawl Books, Reston, VA
Sunday, June 22, 4:30-6:00 pm Eastern (in person)
11911 Freedom Drive, Reston
I’m delighted to be doing a book talk at this independent bookstore in Northern Virginia, about 20 miles west of Washington, DC. Many thanks to Leni Nazare and Beth Tallman for organizing this! More information here.
Network NOVA’s Power Up Women’s Summit
Friday evening, June 27-Sunday noon, June 29 (in person)
Hilton McLean, Tysons, VA
I’ll be leading a breakout session on how to talk with people who say, “I don’t vote” (also known as high-potential voters – about one-third of eligible voters!) My session will be on Saturday afternoon, but come for the whole summit if you can – it should be an amazing convening! More information here.
Antidote to Doomscrolling
Finally, I was inspired by the commencement speech that journalist and author Sonia Shah gave last month at our alma mater, Oberlin College. Back in the 1990s, she and I worked together at the school newspaper, The Oberlin Review. More recently, she advised me on some key questions as I finished my book. Her commencement speech touched on many things, from hypercapitalism to our current time of extreme peril to the interconnectedness of all living beings.
This part was especially inspirational to me as a canvasser and phone banker:
The critical thing that lifts us out of fear and anxiety and depression is simply to spend some time in the presence of a benign stranger. It’s simply to be seen and to be heard.…The person on the other side of that table, they don’t have to be a friend. They don’t have to care about all the things we care about. They don’t have to have the same values as us.… They only have to be fellow humans willing to listen peacefully to another human….
If you want an uplifting 20 minutes, I highly recommend listening to her whole talk (I watched it twice!)
In these challenging times, please take good care of yourselves. I hope to see some of you in person or online at an upcoming event!
With gratitude,
Elizabeth Chur