Get Involved
There are many ways to be part of collective action.
Activism does not look the same for everyone, and it shouldn’t. Strong movements depend on people contributing in different ways, with different skills, amounts of time, and levels of visibility.
Geography doesn’t limit participation.
Community care and collective action extend beyond Minnesota. People across the country and beyond contribute by sharing skills, resources, time, and attention. Whether you’re organizing locally or supporting from elsewhere, you are part of the ecosystem that makes collective action possible.
When the News Feels Like Too Much
When the constant stream of news and crises feels overwhelming, a common instinct is to disengage. Step back. Tune it out. But in a recent PBS NewsHour segment, sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom offered a different diagnosis. She argues that burnout often comes not from caring too much, but from doing too little. Being a passive witness to ongoing harm can deepen exhaustion rather than relieve it. Meaningful involvement in community action, she suggests, can restore a sense of agency and connection that scrolling and retreat cannot. If you’re feeling stuck or drained, the roles below offer concrete ways to move from witnessing to participating, at a scale that fits your capacity.
Tools to Help you Take Action
Country-wide Resources
5 Calls
A nonpartisan tool that helps you contact your elected representatives by phone about current issues. It provides direct phone numbers, short call scripts, and explains why each issue matters, making one of the most effective forms of advocacy easier to do.
https://5calls.org
Resistbot
A text-based tool that lets you contact your representatives by texting or messaging through apps. Messages can be delivered as emails, faxes, or letters, making it a low-barrier option for people who can’t or won’t make phone calls.
https://resist.bot
Action Network
A platform used by advocacy organizations to host petitions and email-your-representative actions, allowing people to take part in coordinated campaigns quickly during urgent moments.
https://actionnetwork.org
ACLU Action Center
An advocacy hub offering issue-specific actions related to civil liberties, immigration, and constitutional rights, with clear context and ready-to-use messages tied to active policy and legal efforts.
https://www.aclu.org/action
Vote Save America
A civic engagement platform that provides structured actions such as contacting representatives, supporting campaigns, and responding to key policy developments with clear next steps.
https://votesaveamerica.com
USA.gov – Find Your Elected Officials
An official government tool that helps you identify your federal, state, and local representatives and find accurate contact information based on your address.
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Congress.gov
The official U.S. government database for federal legislation, allowing you to look up bills, sponsors, and current status so you can reference specific legislation when contacting representatives.
https://www.congress.gov
Minnesota Resources
TakeAction Minnesota
A statewide social welfare and political advocacy group that unites diverse individuals and communities in grassroots democracy and campaigns for racial, social, and economic justice.
https://takeactionminnesota.org
Common Cause Minnesota
A nonprofit working to advance honest, open, and accountable government while encouraging citizen participation and grassroots advocacy in Minnesota.
https://www.commoncause.org/minnesota/contact
Minnesota Secretary of State – Contact Your Elected Representatives
A state government resource with contact info for Minnesota elected officials, including toll-free numbers and guidance on how to reach legislators.
https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/get-involved/contact-your-elected-representatives/
Minnesota State Legislature – Civic Engagement Resources
Official resource to find your state legislators and learn about how Minnesota’s legislative process works. Helpful for effective outreach and advocacy.
https://www.leg.mn.gov/civic
The Citizens League
A nonpartisan nonprofit empowering Minnesotans to engage in civic life and public policy, offering opportunities to learn about issues, build relationships, and take collective action.
https://citizensleague.org
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – Civic Outreach
The civic outreach arm of LSS MN that promotes civic engagement, builds relationships with policymakers, and equips communities to advocate on key public policy issues.
https://www.lssmn.org/get-involved/civic-outreach
Find Your Role
Browse the cards below to see which roles you connect with. Tap a card to explore what participation can look like in practice.
These roles are inspired by the work of Bill Moyer, a longtime organizer and strategist who studied how effective social movements actually function. His research showed that lasting change depends on many people contributing in different ways, often simultaneously, rather than everyone doing the same kind of work.
You may see yourself clearly in one role, or recognize pieces of yourself across several. Roles can shift over time as your capacity, skills, and circumstances change. What matters is not doing everything, but understanding how your contribution fits into a larger ecosystem of collective action.
If you’d like to go deeper, you can explore Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and an overview of his four roles of social activism.