A Note from our Co-Founder, Ross Morales Rocketto
I hope you and your family are safe and healthy and that y’all stay that way over the coming days, weeks, and months.
It goes without saying that with the spread of COVID-19 things have changed drastically. The world that we all lived in a few weeks ago is not the one we’re going to inhabit once it’s safe to go outside again. That is incredibly scary. It’s also an opportunity.
With the flubbed federal response, y’all are the leaders we need to help get us through this time. Whether you are currently in elected office, currently running, or planning to run in the future, the role you have to play isn’t to be taken lightly. State and local candidates + elected officials, are closest to the pain, struggle, and heroism happening every day.
Because of that your campaigns are not over, they are just getting started.
Ultimately, the work you do is about building strong, intimate, relationships with folks who then trust you to represent them in government. It’s the foundation of our democratic system. The relationships you’ve formed on the campaign are real, and that does not change.
There is no way to replicate a door knock, conversation at an in-person event, or a packed fundraiser. You shouldn’t be trying to do that. What you should be focused on is how to build relationships that lead to trust in a world where you cannot talk to someone in person.
You should start to see yourself as the trusted community resource that you are. Share important information that is local and science-based. Do “temperature check” calls and texts with the old walk lists that you’ll no longer be able to get to (meaning: just reach out and check to see how people are doing with no political agenda in mind). Ask them to help you do temperature checks. Convene people over Google Hangouts or Zoom. Listen and lead with humility.
This isn’t the time for you to shrink away and be small. It’s a time for you to step up, and be the resource, connector, and leader that your community needs right now. That means your campaign is going to look different, and that’s okay. Campaigns are built on relationships and trust. Those should be your north star in these tough times.
We are all in this together, which means we’ll figure this out as a team and community. If you have questions, ask. If you have ideas, share. Resources are tight for us the way they are for you. And, if we have each other’s backs, we’ll come out the other side of this ready for whatever comes next.
In solidarity,
RMR
