What We Do
The first step to improving our communities is to be active participants in the dominating political and social issues that affect citizens on the local, state, and federal levels.
Read more about how Indivisible is making a difference in its communities below.
Direct Voter Outreach
Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and so our highest priorities are to increase voter engagement and to oppose voter suppression. We do that in many ways, which are determined by our Voter Outreach Working Group or our Partner Organizations.
What issues and topics do we cover with these voter contacts? We contact voters for many reasons. Examples are: to simply alert voters about upcoming elections; to provide information on progressive candidates; to provide information on how to check their voter registration; to understand the needs of a community with deep canvassing questions; or just as part of a general "Get Out The Vote” campaign.
How do we know what voters to contact? We and our Partners identify the appropriate segment of voters for each purpose, and the appropriate contact activity. We have access to tools and voter information that help us determine who needs
the information.
If you want to join us in reaching voters, please click the button at the bottom of this section to contact us.
Some of the specific activities that we do (but are not limited to):
Door-to-door canvassing
Deep canvassing
Phone and text banking with voters
Holding voter registration opportunities at events
Literature drops on the porches of prospective voters
Writing postcards and/or letters
Writing Campaigns
The Postcard/Letter Writing Group writes postcards and letters to a variety of voters, elected representatives, corporations, and more. Many of our letters are sent to voters in North Carolina, but we also support "get out the vote" (GOTV) efforts in other states. In the past, we have partnered with organizations such as Vote Forward and Postcards to Swing States. We have also written issue-oriented letters, such as our 2021 campaign to Texas-based corporations about reproductive rights legislation. If you are interested in joining our writing team, please send us an email at indivisiblegcopostcards@gmail.com.
Disrupting Disinformation on Social Media
A key area of concern over the past five years has been the deliberate sowing of misinformation -- called disinformation -- that sweeps across social media sites and even news outlets. Whether its source is domestic or foreign, we work hard to show people how to evaluate information, find credible sources, and reduce the spreading of lies. We have a working group to promote media literacy and dispel misinformation, which you can participate in by contacting our email, which can be found here.
In June 2021, Indivisible officially launched the Truth Brigade, comprised mostly of volunteers in Indivisible chapters across the country who are alarmed at the intensity of false information, be it of a political, economic, or even medical nature. Like a brigade of volunteer firefighters, we remain on the alert for "hot spots" and take immediate action to douse the flames before they can spread.
Similarly, we use these ideas to share positive messaging in support of the Biden Administration and its legislative agenda. We coordinate with the national organization on a biweekly basis to learn best practices and to coordinate on topics and messaging for greater impact. One method is our weekly "Tweetstorms" in which we write and/or share unified messages on a burning issue.
Read more about Indivisible’s “Truth Brigade” here
Educating Citizens
A major commitment in our mission statement is to “educate the public to take action in an informed manner, and combat misinformation.”
What issues do we cover with education efforts? Based on input from our members and leadership team, we consider (but are not limited to) the following for educational activities: voting how-to’s, voter suppression attempts, misinformation, education, immigration, environment, healthcare and Medicaid expansion, LGBTQ+ issues, and systemic racism. For example, under these umbrella issues, we may offer information about candidates for office at local, state, and national levels; current disinformation prevalent in the news; upcoming election rules, dates and locations; environmental issues in the state; status of attempts to expand Medicaid in NC.
How do we educate citizens? We touch the community in a variety of ways, depending on the issue, including:
Social Media Contribution — We publish a weekly newsletter via email, are building a new website, and are active on Twitter and Facebook, with both a public page and a closed group for discussion.
Educational Programs — We design and conduct both in-person and virtual programs for the community, sometimes in partnership with other organizations. These have included candidate town halls (for example, US Senate candidates in 2021, judges in 2020), and panel discussions on critical issues (for example, state environmental concerns, healthcare, the impeachment process, results of the Mueller report, and school bonds).
Public Rallies — We organize (and support our Partners in organizing) public responses to critical issues, when needed. For example, we organized a “Protect the Results Rally” after the election in Nov. 2020 and we join the Guilford Anti-Racism Alliance outside the county school board office to show support for the board during their meetings.
Public Communications Media — We use public communications vehicles, as needed. We rented digital billboards on major highways to spread information, such as awareness of the Freedom To Vote Act, and the Biden/Harris ticket. We encourage and offer help on writing Letters to the Editor (LTE), and members have had many LTEs published in local papers. Issues covered have included gun control, Medicaid expansion, gerrymandering, COVID restrictions, and many more.
Promotion of Partner Organizations and/or Events — We promote the activities of our Partners and other relevant organizations through our social media. For example, we’ve publicized programs offered by Neighbors on Call; All On The Line instruction on redistricting and public testimony; the Justice Slate from Carolina Forward, to name a few.
Working Groups for Critical Issues — We establish teams to work on issues or activities that are longer term and require more effort. These groups, through their activities, help members and the community understand current problems. We have groups that focus on voter outreach, disrupting disinformation, writing campaigns, and gerrymandering.
Public Commenting — We take every opportunity to give public comments that will help other citizens understand current issues. For example, we offered public testimony to the NC General Assembly on redistricting needs, and to our county commissioners on COVID rules. We also offer education on how to give public testimony.