Abbey Adkison

A super effective way to make your voice heard on the issues that matter most to you (be it Black Lives Matter, Black trans lives, DACA, or abortion access) is to pick up the phone and call your elected official. And while this sounds pretty straightforward in theory, actually talking to a stranger who—gulp—works in the government can be a bit intimidating in practice.

The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade at the hands of police have sparked nationwide protests as people call out the systemic racism and police brutality in our country. And while the Black Lives Matter movement is not new, the message that "Black lives matter" is central to the issues happening right now.

Most women understand what it’s like to walk down the street and suddenly get that nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach: you have to walk through a group of men. Sometimes it happens more suddenly — you get the drive-by insult hurled from a car window, or the “compliment” hissed in your ear as you walk by. Whether you have time to steel yourself or not, street harassment is a constant for many people. Imagine what it’s like for someone whose job takes place primarily outside, on the streets.