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The March For Our Lives movement is an excellent chance to promote your local Youth Caucus, give younger members a chance to take a leading role, and engage younger potential new members, who may not otherwise be exposed to Dems Abroad. We understand and appreciate that March for Our Lives is nonpartisan, but much like the Women's March and other events, there are still opportunities to encourage Americans to commit to staying engaged through Democrats Abroad and Vote From Abroad. We hope that you will take advantage of these opportunities, but please use your best judgement. The following resources may be helpful for your activities:
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ESSENTIALS1. |
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A global email will go encouraging members to find out if there is a local event to join and join the digital march |
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. This will be similar to our vigil in the wake of Charlottesville. Consequently, please be sure you have added your event to the DA website |
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ASAP, EVEN IF YOU HAVE POSTED IT ON FACEBOOK OR ELSEWHERE. To be sure it is added to the special event page on the website, (LINK) tag your event post in Nationbuilder #MFOL or email Comms@democratsabroad.org. 2. If your event is also posted on Facebook, we encourage you to add @DemsAbroad as a co-host so that it will appear on the events tab of the global Facebook page. Click here to learn how to do it. 3. You can also add your event to the March For Our Lives website ( |
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LINK). 4. Keep in mind the importance of youth presence and involvement for this movement. Ensure they are engaged and involved as integral leaders. EVENT TIPS1. The March For Our Lives organizers are very eager to use this as an opportunity to drive voter registration and ballot requests. Even while keeping the events themselves nonpartisan, be sure to ask every American you meet if they have requested a ballot this year. Even better: collect names to follow up with after or help them request a ballot on the spot. 2. Review the guide to DA marches, demonstrations and vigils ( |
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LINK). 3, Connecting with students? |
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These Study Abroad |
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resources may help (LINK). 4. Read these suggestions |
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on Adding Diversity to Your Events (LINK). |
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5. Check out our Chant and Sign Inspo (LINK). 6. Have sign-in and sign-up sheets to track interest and member activity. MEDIA OUTREACH1. |
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Use this press release to promote your event to media. Be sure to revise with your local details (LINK). |
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then revise text in red. 2. |
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Report any coverage afterward |
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using this template (LINK). |
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, no matter how short, whether video, article or blog post, in any language |
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3. |
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Tips for Successful Media Pitches |
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A press release doesn' |
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t sell |
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the story, it just gives the details the journalist needs, after they are inspired to read further. Encouraging the journalist to respond and engage is what you'll need to do within your pitch, most frequently done via email.
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4. Talking Points |
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5. Dems Abroad Statement |
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Feb 19, LINK) Democrats Abroad strongly supports common sense gun legislation. We deplore Congress' unwillingness to enact legislation that would protect the people of America. Julia Bryan, International Chair of Democrats Abroad, states: "Sensible gun legislation is the norm in nearly all other developed countries, where leaders are not beholden to organizations like the NRA to fund their next political campaign. In Japan, death by firearm is as uncommon as death by lightning strike. In the United States, gun fire is as likely to kill our friends and family as a car accident. To accept this reality as the inevitable fallout of protecting the second amendment is to deny the rights our country was founded on - that all people are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." (posted to website |
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Feb 20, LINK) |
5. Dems Abroad 2016 Platform excerpt
GUN VIOLENCE
Gun violence is a serious AMERICAN problem. Every year 30,000 people are killed by guns. The reputation of the U.S. around the world is damaged by the killing by guns in our homes, on our streets, in our businesses, but especially in our schools.
We: DEPLORE systemic gun violence in America, and the failure to address these issues, especially the presence of guns in educational institutions.
CALL FOR Congress to pass legislation that helps ensure dangerous people are prohibited from having guns, including:
Background Check System -
• Requiring every gun buyer to go through a criminal background check;
• Ensuring that the background check system has complete information on people prohibited from having guns;
• Addressing unnecessary legal barriers that prevent states from reporting information about those prohibited from having guns;
• Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system;
• Holding federal agencies accountable for sharing reliable information with the background check system;
Assault Weapon Control -
• Reinstating and strengthening the ban on assault weapons;
• Limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds;
• Removing armor-piercing bullets from the marketplace;
• Eliminating restrictions that force the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to authorize the importation of dangerous weapons deemed of collectible interest that are abused and to permit the importation of fully functional and powerful military weapons;
CALL FOR Congress to pass legislation to, with the support of governments at all levels, put a stop to senseless gun violence in the U.S., including:
Supporting Law Enforcement –
• Closing loopholes on new gun trafficking laws and to create serious punishments for gun trafficking;
• Enacting the Obama administration’s $4 billion proposal to fund 15,000 police officers in cities and towns across the U.S.;
• Funding the provision of effective training for active shooter situations for 14,000 law enforcement officers, first responders, and school officials;
Mental Health –
• Funding for “Mental Health First Aid” training for teachers; treatment referrals for students with signs of mental illness; support for 16-25 year olds at high risk of mental illness; training for 5,000 mental health professionals serving students and young adults;
• Requiring private health insurance plans to cover mental health services through the ACA;
• Requiring quality mental health coverage for the millions of Americans covered by Medicaid;
Also –
• Ending the freeze on gun violence research and providing $10 million for the Center for Disease Control to investigate the causes and prevention of gun violence, including the relationship between video games, media images and violence;
• Empowering health care providers with avenues for providing warnings to law enforcement authorities about threats of violence;
• Launching a national responsible gun owner program;
• Funding a review of safety standards for gun locks and gun safes and the development of innovative gun safety technology;
• Providing incentives schools to hire school resource officers, such as the COPS Hiring Grants.
URGE the Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Government of Mexico, to focus resources on dismantling the operations of “coyotes” and human traffickers who prey on the vulnerable, and on disrupting drug smuggling from Mexico.
URGE the Senate to confirm an Obama administration appointment of Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which has not had a confirmed director for six years.
FAVOR the abolition of all “Stand Your Ground” laws.
FAVOR the abolition of “Open Carry” laws.
GLOBAL VIRTUAL EVENT
SOCIAL MEDIA
#NeverAgain #MarchForOurLives
DESIGN RESOURCES
Click to download.
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To be added:
Direct gun control TPs link
Postcard design
Social Media posts
Chants, DIY sign examples
Youth Caucus FAQ (TBC)
Explainer on relationship w/ MFOL (TBC)
Op-ed, letter writing, outreach tips (TBC)
DESIGN RESOURCESWithin the MFOL Design Resources (LINK), you will find:
GLOBAL VIRTUAL EVENTEspecially for those members who cannot attend a live event, we will be conducting a virtual march, similar to our actions around Charlottesville in 2017. We hope you'll join and encourage your members to do the same (LINK). SOCIAL MEDIADiscuss who will be posting on social media, and decide who will be leading social media and content creation (aka photography and video!). This can be tricky to do while you are also organizing an event without a plan in place ahead of time. There are a LOT of hashtags around MFOL, but please include #DAResists in your social posts, and tag @DemsAbroad (on Instagram we're @Democratsabroad) if possible, so we can find your amazing content! Check out our sample posts (LINK), sorted by category, and view the additional resources on Sheet 2. **Check back for updates throughout the week as we add to this already substantial list** BEYOND THE MARCHCall your Senators and Representatives to take urgent action (LINK). |