Jennifer Lawrence is Rocking the Vote — And You Can, Too
Academy-award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence recently announced that she’s going to start working with Represent.Us., an organization that aims to get people involved in politics and out to vote.
Although previous reports have stated that Lawrence was going to take an entire year off of acting to focus on activism—updated reports state she will continue acting—she remains committed to working with Represent.Us.
Who is Represent.Us.?
Represent.Us. aims to bring together conservatives and progressives and “everyone in between” to help pass anti-corruption laws. The organization focuses on issues such as anti-corruption reforms, etc., that reside on ballots rather than on politicians.
Lawrence’s relationship with Represent.Us. isn’t new. Earlier this year, she hosted a talk about voting at an Ohio high school in conjunction with the organization. In addition to speaking at the high school, the star also has been vocal about other issues, such as “ Hollywood’s gender pay gap, humiliating experiences as a woman working in Hollywood, and more,” reports Entertainment Weekly.
You can become a voting activist, too
So, if someone as busy as Jennifer Lawrence can take time out of her busy schedule, you can too.
First, harness that excitement you feel right now—the excitement that comes with embarking on something new and that can also help others. Next, use that excitement to start your voting activism journey now rather than later. Although “voting” technically happens on one day, the activism that gets people out to vote starts much earlier.
“Voting is really just the performance review for our representatives every few years —we need to engage with legislators on a much more regular basis,” says Ben Brown, founder of the Association of Young Americans. The Association of Young Americans is a non-partisan organization. It works to educate, engage, and empower the 80 million Americans between the ages of 18-35.
Start local
If you’re looking for immediate gratification, start local.
“Local politics often move a bit faster and you may feel that your engagement is more immediately impactful,” says Brown. “Volunteering for a local candidate or organization that provides direct resources to a community that needs assistance is a great way to get started, [too].”
You also could find a local organization that you care about. Or tweet your legislators about what you want them to work on.
And if you want to work at the national level, focus on finding issue-based organizations that aren’t partisan. These organizations “have fantastic resources and information that can help you explore your interests,” adds Brown.
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