Civic Engagement

Nipmuc Justice Coalition works toward equality through civic engagement. We believe that engaging with the civic process is an important and necessary step when working towards justice. Our civic engagement work is a key way in which we work to make a change in our community and the larger society.

We engage civically through the electoral process and by engaging with our elected officials. NJC works by creating and providing resources about the electoral process, taking action with our local and federal government, and advocating for greater equality.

Glossary of Civic Engagement Terms:

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  • Advocates: a person who pubically supports a certain cause or who works towards a certain social, economic, or political change

  • Civic Responsibilities: the responsibilities of citizens of a country, state, or town to engage with their government trough processes such as voting

  • Direct Action: a way of creating social, economic, or political change through public demonstrations or other means

  • Electoral Process: the way in which citizens carry out their right to vote

  • Electoralism: a way of creating social, economic, or political change through the electoral or legislative processes which can include lobbying for legislation

  • Federal Government: the government of the entire contry; in the USA the federal government incldes the Legislative (congress), Judicial (courts), and Executive (president) branches

  • Legislation: the governing laws of a society (sometimes called bills)

  • Legislative Process: the way in which legslation is passed and signed into law

  • Local Government: the lowest level of government, governing a town, district, or a county

  • State Government: the government of a state including the governor, state senators, and state house of representatives

Ways to Get Involved:

  • Contact a legislator: write them an email or make a call to their office to advocate for change

  • Write a letter to the editor: you can write a letter to an editor to submit to news publications advocating for change on a specific topic; usually this is done to sway public opinion on a particular issue

  • Write a letter to congress: you can write and mail a letter to your congressional representatives asking them to support bills that matter to you; research proposed legislation that aligns with your views on a social issue and ask your representatives to support those bills

  • Attend direct action events: by attending demonstrations such as protests you can sway public opinion and show your legislators that the community cares about certain social issues

  • Vote: if you are eligible (must be a US citizen and 18 years old) make sure to register to vote; during the covid-19 pandemic make plans to vote in advance by requesting a mail-in-ballot or by voting early at a polling place -- make sure your voice is heard. If you are not yet 18 or are not a US citizen, you can still help by making sure those who you know who are eligible to vote are both registered to vote and have plans to vote

Government Contacts:

Upton

Local

State

Mendon

Local

State

Listen without prejudice.