You know what August means: long hot days, back-to-school sales, and yes — Congressional recess! With most Members of Congress spending the month back home in their districts, it’s time for military family advocates to show up and speak out at local town hall events.
Advocacy
How We Organize.
We kicked off 2021 with a training on the theory and strategy behind eeeeeeverything we do here at SFI. I know, pretty legit. Because this stuff is so integral to our work, we thought we’d share the highlights here.
Host a Ballot Party
Who says voting can’t be fun? Not us! Use our Ballot Party Toolkit to host your own virtual ballot party this election season.
Spotlight Series: Military Spouse Network for Black Lives Matter
I had the privilege of sitting down (virtually) with three badass military spouse advocates who recently started a Facebook group for Black Lives Matter supporters in the military family community. Tori Coke and Shannon Powers are married to active duty Airmen, and Michele Compton to an active duty Coast Guardsman.
Vote-by-Mail 101
Military and military family voters are no stranger to casting a ballot by mail. But the global Coronavirus pandemic has brought the importance of vote-by-mail into clear focus. Unfortunately, the discussion around the importance of a safe, vote from home option has been mired by fears of voter fraud. At Secure Families Initiative, we support […]
Spotlight Series: Aleha Landry
Being a military spouse is a hard job. It also can feel like an under-appreciated and overlooked job. Sometimes, in that role a spouse can feel like they have no voice, or at least no voice that anyone really wants to listen to. I felt that way. My husband is an airman who struggles with […]
Spotlight Series: Lena Steiner
Military spouses commonly hold a misconception: you have to keep your political opinions to yourself because you don’t want to “impact your service member’s career.” I’m here to dispel that myth and encourage military spouses to GET INVOLVED with politics. Our voices and stories need to be heard!
8 Tips for Lobbying Decision-Makers
From your Member of Congress to your local School Board, elected officials are in office to represent your voice and your values. After all, you hired them for the job! Now, we know the word “lobbying” has some negative connotations. It instantly conjures the image of shady backroom dealings in Washington, D.C.! But at its […]
War Powers 101
There’s a buzz around Capitol Hill right now about whether our country should change the way it decides to go to war. Given the relevance of this issue to our military community, we thought it’d useful to lay out an overview of U.S. War Powers so we can better engage in these conversations.
Registering to Vote While Military
The 2022 election is just around the corner so we’re providing a quick overview of the unique considerations for military families when registering to vote. Between frequent PCSs, a home of record and even living overseas, we know it can be confusing. We’re here to help!