OUT on the Hill Passport

Voting is a Super Power 

Each one of us has the opportunity to Own Our Power. However, it is our choice whether we activate our powers. One of the superpowers in a democracy is voting. How our members of Congress show up for us – or don’t – matters deeply because we have one chance every two years in the House of Representatives and every six years in the U.S. Senate to identify someone else who will show up for our community. Our Vote Ready Toolkit will ensure you have everything you need to exercise your right to vote, restore it, or participate in our democracy using other superpowers. Read and use our toolkit, then share it with the people in your life who need a reminder that their voices matter just as much as anyone else’s in our nation. Finally, if members of Congress claim to represent the Black community but exclude the Black LGBTQ+/SGL community, use this toolkit to ensure there are enough voters ready in your community to change the players in the game. We must have a Congressional Black Caucus that is truly rooting for everybody Black.

Best Practices for Engaging Law Makers at Public Events

• • Ask a Question: Develop a list of questions you will ask members of Congress during the event. Listed with each event below are “Queer Considerations” that highlight how the CBCF ALC workshop addresses a policy area that disproportionately impacts Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, including people living with HIV/AIDS, along with a question we would like you to ask during the session. 
    • If the issue directly impacts you, briefly incorporate your personal story to show its real impact on our community. 
      • Story+Queer Considerations Template: As a member of the Black LGBTQ+/SGL community, _______ (policy issue) has impacted me by ________ (describe how you’ve been impacted, then pivot to queer considerations and question). Practicing your story and questions with others can help you feel more confident. 
      • Story+Queer Considerations Example: As a member of the Black LGBTQ+/SGL community, the lack of inclusive reproductive healthcare has had an incredibly negative impact on my life. Black same-gender loving women, transgender men, and others with female reproductive organs are disproportionately impacted by reproductive health disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, fibroids, and uterine cancers. Our community also faces erasure when it comes to abortion, contraception, and fertility resources. What do lawmakers and community leaders need to ensure Black same-gender loving women, transgender men, and others with female reproductive organs are included in policies and critical conversations related to reproductive health and its economic impacts?
    • Arrive early to organize yourself and select prime seating.  
    • Sit close to a standing mic, to the front where you can be easily seen to be called on, and/or be prepared to meet with the lawmaker after the session ends to ask your question one-on-one. 
    • Where and if appropriate, record the interaction for social and earned media use in addition to congressional accountability during legislative drafting, markup, and voting. Be sure to Google any prohibitions on recording at public events, as they vary across communities. 
    • Show your approval or disapproval of the member’s response as appropriate by clapping your hands, nodding your head, or using other non-verbal methods of communication. 
    • If you can, please ask your question and provide notes on the responses shared in our event report form HERE.
    • Take a photo that captures the essence of the member’s response in a social media post, tagging #OUTontheHill and @NBJContheMove. 
    • Be persistent and polite – politicians are known to stick to talking points with canned answers. It’s important we know who our active accomplices are versus fair-weather allies. 
    • After the event, connect with your member of Congress about the issues important to you via Phone, Social Media, Fax, Email, or Letter to the Editor using our digital action hub HERE.
      
      
• Be an active participant: Asking questions isn’t comfortable for everyone. Being an active audience member can also help support our community. If something positive about our community is explicitly included in a conversation point, it is important to clap and demonstrate other signs of public support for Black LGBTQ+/SGL inclusion. Conversely, if something is said or shared that would harm or negatively impact our community, it is important to share our disapproval of those comments – including harmful comments and questions from other audience members. If you are attending with other members of your community or organization, spreading out in the audience can help make the perception of public support seem even larger than if everyone sits together in one section.