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Minnesota Move to Amend Sate Network is an affiliate organizing residents throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Meeting announcements, legislation updates, Take Action, etc. are sent by email in We the People Dispatch, our monthly newsletter.

To make sure you are getting the We the People Dispatch, please include your email address in the Motion to Amend on the home page.

If you are interested in getting a local group going please contact Barbara at [email protected].

Communities in Support

Alongside hundreds of thousands of individuals who have signed our Motion to Amend petition, there have been over 700 communities and states that have passed public resolutions, ordinances, and ballot initiatives supporting the We the People Amendment. Below is a list of resolutions that were passed by elected political bodies (i.e. state legislatures, or county/city/town/village councils), residents who voted at Town Hall meetings, or by voters following organized campaigns by Move to Amend supporters in Minnesota.

Passing local resolutions in support of amending the constitution is a great way to educate the public and to send a strong signal to legislators that people care about these issues. Click here for information on how to organize a resolution campaign in your community!

Endorsing Organizations

More than 600 local, state, and national organizations have come forward to support the passage of the We the People Amendment (in Congress as House Joint Resolution 48). Below are the Minnesota-based organizations that formally call on our federal representatives to pass the We the People Amendment, and our local and state representatives to enact resolutions and legislation to advance this effort. 

If your organization, business, union, faith community, or local governmental organization would like to sign on as a supporter of this effort, click here to add your endorsement!

Minnesota's Congressional Delegation

U.S. SENATE

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1st District: Brad Finstad Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 325 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2472 Contact View District Map	2nd District: Angie Craig Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: YES (2018/ 2020) DC Office: 1523 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2271 Contact View District Map	3rd District: Kelly Morrison Cosponsor: NO  Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1305 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2871 Fax: (202) 225-6351 Contact View District Map	4th District: Betty McCollum Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2256 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6631 Fax: (202) 225-1968 Contact View District Map
5th District: Ilhan Omar Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1517 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4755 Contact View District Map	6th District: Tom Emmer Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2331 Fax: (202) 225-6475 Contact View District Map	7th District: Michelle Fischbach Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1237 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2165 Fax: (202) 225-1593 Contact View District Map	8th District: Pete Stauber Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 126 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6211 Contact View District Map

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California Move to Amend is a state network of advocates and affiliates organizing from the north to south shores of the Golden State.

For information on how to get involved, contact:

Anne Wilson
[email protected] 

Are you a volunteer interested in becoming an advocate for Move to Amend? Click here to sign up!

Communities in Support

Alongside hundreds of thousands of individuals have signed our Motion to Amend petition, there have been over 700 communities and states that have passed public resolutions, ordinances, and ballot initiatives supporting the We the People Amendment. Below is a list of resolutions that were passed by elected political bodies (i.e. state legislatures, or county/city/town/village councils), residents who voted at Town Hall meetings, or by voters following organized campaigns by Move to Amend supporters in California.

Passing local resolutions in support of amending the constitution is a great way to educate the public and to send a strong signal to legislators that people care about these issues. Click here for information on how to organize a resolution campaign in your community!

Endorsing Organizations

More than 600 local, state, and national organizations have come forward to support the passage of the We the People Amendment. Below are the California-based organizations that formally call on our federal representatives to pass the We the People Amendment, and our local and state representatives to enact resolutions and legislation to advance this effort.

If your organization, business, union, faith community, or local governmental organization would like to sign on as a supporter of this effort, click here to add your endorsement!

California's Congressional Delegation

U.S. SENATE

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1st District: Doug LaMalfa Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: REFUSES DC Office: 322 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3076 Contact View District Map	2nd District: Jared Huffman Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2014) DC Office: 1527 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5161 Fax: (202) 225-5163 Contact View District Map	3rd District: Kevin Kiley Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2368 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-1880 Fax: (202) 225-5914 Contact View District Map	4th District: Mike Thompson Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th)  Pledge Signer: YES (2014) DC Office: 268 Cannon Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-3311 Fax: 202-225-4335 Contact View District Map
5th District: Tom McClintlock Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: REFUSES DC Office: 2256 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2511 Fax: (202) 225-5444 Contact View District Map	6th District: Ami Bera Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2014, 2016) DC Office: 1727 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5716 Fax: (202) 226-1298 Contact View District Map	7th District: Doris Matsui Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2311 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7163 Fax: (202) 225-0566 Contact View District Map	8th District: John Garamendi Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2004 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.  20515 Phone: (202) 225-1880 Fax: (202) 225-5914 Contact View District Map
9th District: Josh Harder Cosponsor: NO  Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 131 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4540 Contact View District Map	10th District: Mark DeSaulnier Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 503 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2095 Fax: (202) 225-5609 Contact View District Map	11th District: Nancy Pelosi Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1236 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4965 Contact View District Map	12th District: Barbara Lee Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2470 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2661 Fax: (202) 225-9817 Contact View District Map
13th District: John Duarte Cosponsor: NO  Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1535 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-1947 Contact View District Map	14th District: Eric Swalwell Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 407 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5065 Contact View District Map	15th District: Kevin Mullin Cosponsor: YES in 118th Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1404 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3531 Contact View District Map	16th District: Anna Eshoo Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2018) DC Office: 272 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-8104 Fax: (202) 225-8890 Contact View District Map
17th District: Ro Khanna Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2019) DC Office: 221 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-2631 Contact View District Map	18th District: Zoe Lofgren Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1401 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3072 Contact View District Map	19th District: Jimmy Panetta Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 212 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-2861 Fax: 202-225-6791 Contact View District Map	20th District: Kevin McCarthy Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2468 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2915 Fax: (202) 225-2908 Contact View District Map
21st District Jim Costa Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2081 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3341 Fax: (202) 225-9308 Contact View District Map	22nd District David Valadao Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2465 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4695 Contact View District Map	23rd District: Jay Obernolte Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1029 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5861 Contact View District Map	24th District: Salud Carbajal Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2018) DC Office: 1431 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3601 Contact View District Map
25th District: Raul Ruiz Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2342 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5330 Fax: (202) 225-1238 Contact View District Map	26th District: Julia Brownley Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2262 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5811 Fax: (202) 225-1100 Contact View District Map	27th District: Mike Garcia Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 144 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-1956 Contact View District Map	28th District: Judy Chu Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2016) DC Office: 2423 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5464 Fax: (202) 225-5467 Contact View District Map
29th District: Tony Cárdenas Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2438 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6131 Fax: (202) 225-0819 Contact View District Map	30th District: Adam Schiff Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2309 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4167 Fax: (202) 225-5828 Contact View District Map	31st District: Grace Napolitano Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1610 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5256 Fax: (202) 225-0027 Contact View District Map	32nd District: Brad Sherman Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2365 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5911 Fax: (202) 225-5879 Contact View District Map
33rd District: Pete Aguilar Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: YES (2014) DC Office: 108 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3201 Fax: (202) 225-6962 Contact View District Map	34th District: Jimmy Gomez Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 506 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6235 Contact View District Map	35th District: Norma Torres Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2227 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6161 Fax: (202) 225-8671 Contact View District Map	36th District: Ted Lieu Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2454 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3976 Fax: (202) 225-1238 Contact View District Map
37th District: Sydney Kamlager Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1419 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7084 Fax: (202) 225-2422 Contact View District Map	38th District: Linda Sánchez Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2428 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6676 Contact View District Map	39th District: Mark Takano Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: YES (2014) DC Office: 2078 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC  20515 Phone: (202) 225-2305 Fax: (202) 225-7018 Contact View District Map	40th District: Young Kim Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1306 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4111 Contact View District Map
41st District: Ken Calvert Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2205 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-1986 Fax: (202) 225-2004 Contact View District Map	42nd District: Robert Julio Garcia Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1305 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7924 Contact View District Map	43rd District: Maxine Waters Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2221 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2201 Fax: (202) 225-7854 Contact View District Map	44th District: Nanette Barragán Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2016) DC Office: 2312 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-8220 Contact View District Map
45th District: Michelle Steel Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1113 Longworth HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2415 Contact View District Map	46th District: Luis Correa Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2301 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2965 Contact View District Map	47th District: Katie Porter Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: YES (2018) DC Office: 1233 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7924 Fax: (202) 225-7926 Contact View District Map	48th District: Darrell Issa Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2108 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.  20515 Phone: (202) 225-5672 Contact View District Map
49th District: Mike Levin Cosponsor: NO (YES in 117th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2352 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3906 Contact View District Map	50th District: Scott Peters Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2338 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.  20515 Phone: (202) 225-0508 Contact View District Map	51st District: Sara Jacobs Cosponsor: NO Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 1314 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2040 Fax: (202) 225-2948 Contact View District Map	52nd District: Juan Vargas Cosponsor: YES (117th, 118th) Pledge Signer: NO DC Office: 2244 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-8045 Fax: (202) 225-2772 Contact View District Map

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Alaska Move to Amend is a state network of advocates and affiliates representing the 19 boroughs and 11 unincorporated boroughs of Alaska.

For information on how to get involved in Alaska, contact:

Alaska Move to Amend

Robert Koontz, Secretary

626-383-2972

[email protected]

Visit Our Facebook Page

Join us at our regular monthly meetings every third Thursday at 6:30 PM via Zoom.

Communities in Support

Alongside hundreds of thousands of individuals have signed our Motion to Amend petition, there have been over 700 communities and states that have passed public resolutions, ordinances, and ballot initiatives supporting the We the People Amendment. Below is a list of resolutions that were passed by elected political bodies (i.e. state legislatures, or county/city/town/village councils), residents who voted at Town Hall meetings, or by voters following organized campaigns by Move to Amend supporters in Alaska.

Passing local resolutions in support of amending the constitution is a great way to educate the public and to send a strong signal to legislators that people care about these issues. Click here for information on how to organize a resolution campaign in your community!

Endorsing Organizations

More than 600 local, state, and national organizations have come forward to support the passage of the We the People Amendment. Below are the Alaska-based organizations that formally call on our federal representatives to pass the We the People Amendment, and our local and state representatives to enact resolutions and legislation to advance this effort. 

If your organization, business, union, faith community, or local governmental organization would like to sign on as a supporter of this effort, click here to add your endorsement!

Alaska's Congressional Delegation

U.S. SENATE

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Download

Additional Resources

Below is additional content documenting the history of corporate constitutional rights:

• Key Non-1st Amendment “Right to Speak” Supreme Court Decisions
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the 1st Amendment - [political “free speech”]
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the 1st Amendment - [excluding political free speech]
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the 4th Amendment
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the 5th Amendment
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the 14th Amendment
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the Commerce Clause
  
  
• Corporate Hijacking of the Contract Clause

The newest version of the Movement Education Program can be found HERE. Please enroll in this free, self-paced, online program! For affiliates, non-Move to Amend groups, Advocates, and individuals. 

Archive: MEP 3.0

Welcome to the Move to Amend Movement Education Program 3.0!

This Movement Education Program is a process designed to help Move to Amend leaders become more effective organizers.

At the end, we should be better equipped to build authentic and trusting relationships with people from groups hardest-hit by structural oppression, and with organizers on the frontlines of the struggle against injustice and corporate rule.

Specifically, at the end of the program your affiliate group will have all the tools to build two documents:

1. An Internal Democracy Agreement, where you’ll apply the intersectional feminist analysis and processes you learn about during these sessions.
   
   
2. A Solidarity Outreach Plan which will inform your work as a group operating in solidarity with other fronts of struggle in your community.

Some of you have gone through an earlier iteration of the Movement Education Program, and we think you’ll find this manifestation to be more thorough, efficient, and there are new materials to help you refine the Solidarity Organizing Plans you made last time. For some of you, this is a new journey! Welcome all.

Completing this Movement Education Program is required of all Move to Amend affiliate groups.

While Move to Amend does not expect volunteers to take on educating the general public about oppression and racism as a primary role, it is still critical to understand the close relationship between structural oppression based on race, class, gender, etc. and the current dire state of our democracy. We must be skillful at building solidarity and trust across differences in order to grow a mass movement strong enough to win against corporate rule.

Here is a snapshot of the program. It works best if all -- or nearly all -- affiliate volunteers participate. Affiliates who have completed the process will also need to identify how to bring new members through this Movement Education Program as part of their orientation and deepening involvement.

This process should take your group about 5-7 months and should begin within 2-3 months of affiliating.

Click here for information about how to schedule your session one conference call with the National Team

Session One: create a foundation of understanding of corporate constitutional rights and understand why Move to Amend comes at movement building through an anti-oppression lens and has a commitment to solidarity organizing.

Sessions Two & Three: grow our knowledge and awareness of the realities of oppression and racism within our institutions and groups.

Pause and Reflect: check-in to make sure the group is ready to move into planning phase. Also a chance to check in with new members who have joined since the group started and make sure they are up to speed, and pull in less involved affiliate people at this point.

Sessions Four & Five: self-assessment and planning discussion to culminate in a written “Solidarity Outreach Plan” to serve as a companion to the affiliate’s “Action Plan”, laying out local efforts toward the national ten year strategy and to decide on a set of “Internal Democracy Processes and Protocols.”

SESSION I: Introduction

Objective: Define oppression and solidarity and intersectionality, learn how corporate rule benefits from oppression, and learn how oppression damages democracy and our chances of winning this fight against corporate rule, and why we need an intersectional approach to understanding different people’s experiences.

Format: Conference Call with all affiliate members + 2-3 members of National Team. National will assign note-taker.

Time: 90 minutes

Videos & Readings

• TED Talk by Kimberlé Crenshaw: The Urgency of Intersectionality (19 min video)
• ABC’s of Intersectionality  (3 min video)
• Organizing to End Corporate Rule and Get Money Out of Politics  (90 min video)
• Historical perspective: The Abolitionists, Part 3, Chapter 1 | PBS (12 min video)
• Activists Guide to Intersectionality and Inclusivity in the Amendment Movement - Free Speech for People (webpage with varity of resources) 

Revisit from your pre-affiliation orientation

• Move to Amend Background and Founding (4 page online article)
• Why Move to Amend Centralizes the Work of Dismantling Racism and Other Oppressions (4 page pdf)
• Why We Need a Democracy Movement (10 page online article)
• Solidarity and Anti-Oppression Principles and Practice (2 page online article)
• What is Solidarity Organizing? (2 page online article)
• Move to Amend Strategic Plan (10 page online article)

Discussion Questions

1. What were your general reactions, thoughts and feelings, about these materials? Were you familiar with the concept of intersectionality before these readings?
   
   
2. We all feel the effects of unchecked corporate power. Discuss why some people feel the effects of corporate power more than others.
   
   
3. Why is addressing oppression related to ending corporate personhood and money as speech? How is it related to democracy?
   
   
4. If you like, share an experience when you were aware of privilege you carry. Did that experience inform your analysis or worldview?
   
   
5. How might we practice solidarity organizing on a local level? What would it look like to stand in solidarity with other organizations or groups who are organizing for social justice, without an agenda of recruiting people to Move to Amend?

Session 1 Facilitation Resources

• Session 1 Agenda
• Facilitation Tips for Movement Education Program Discussions

SESSION 2: Developing a Framework for Intersectional Solidarity Organizing and Anti-Oppression 

Objective: Study how white supremacy and other oppressions show up in human relationships and explore how we can build our Move to Amend groups so that all people can participate fully, making it possible for us to win our fight against corporate rule.

Format: Affiliate meeting in-person.

Session Time: 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on number of participants. Affiliate member(s) take notes

Videos and Readings

• Chapter 1 of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria (8 page pdf)
• Movement Building Definitions (3 page pdf)
• Unmasking 'Racial Micro Aggressions' and The MicroAggressions Blog
• Example: How the gender binary works in practice: a look at heteronormativity (3 page online article
• White Supremacy Culture (6 page online article)
• Why is work by women systematically devalued? (2 page online article)
• Historical perspective: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): A Short Documentary (3 min video)
• Historical perspective: SNCC's Legacy: A Civil Rights History (6 min video)

Discussion Questions

1. What emotional response did you have to these readings/excerpts?
   
   
2. Can you recall an instance in which the denial of ageism / sexism / racism / classism / homophobia / ableism was accepted, or even mandated? Looking back, how could you have participated in that situation in a more productive way? For example, your boss made a racist joke and interrupting the situation felt unsafe?
   
   
3. Have you ever been in a situation in an activism or organizing space where you noticed microaggressions occurring? Did the group address it? What did the group do?
   
   
4. If and when a microaggression or abuse of power occurs within our affiliate group, what are some qualities that would help us handle it (ie compassion, active listening, etc.)
   
   
5. Sometimes in activist groups leaders emerge for various reasons, however, as we strive to truly be a people’s movement with room for everyone, we have to be intentional about generating a people-driven movement.  What strategies did SNCC implement to generate a people-driven Civil Rights movement into the culture rather than a leader-driven movement?  What are the advantages?
   
   
6. How can we intentionally craft the culture and dynamics of our Move to Amend affiliates so that those who are part of populations which have been historically oppressed, feel safe, welcomed, and that there is a place for them to participate fully? How can we build trust with communities who are not represented in our meetings?

Session 2 Facilitation Resources

• Session 2  Agenda

SESSION 3: Building a Culture of Trust 

Objective: Learn about tools, culture, and processes that can help to make space for people with different life experiences, intersecting identities, and needs. Make a historical connection between the Women’s Suffrage Movement and gender justice today.

Format: Affiliate in-person meeting . 90 minutes. Please assign note taker from within the group.

Readings & Videos

• Six ways to make room for mistakes, and still hold each other accountable (8 page online article)
• Six unexpected ways I’ve healed from gaslighting abuse (7 page online article)
• Structure and Justice (online article)
• Key concepts: Glossary of Terms & Gender Unicorn (both 3 page online articles)
• When White Women Cry : How White Women’s Tears Oppress Women of Color (8 page pdf)
• Historical perspective: 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1 page online article)
• Historical perspective: Alice Stokes Paul: the Women's Suffrage Movement (5 min video)

Discussion Questions

1. What were your emotional reactions to these readings?  Did you have any thoughts about how oppressive behaviors might show up in your affiliate group or other places?
   
   
2. How might the language we use in our activist spaces affect how safe people feel joining us?
   
   
3. How does the 19th amendment struggle relate to the way women are organizing and struggling still today? How can we learn from the history of feminism and women’s struggles for liberation and apply lessons to the current moment?
   
   
4. Some of the terms and ideas you read about in this session may have been new to you. How can we integrate new ideas and information into our group culture?

Session 3 Facilitation Resources

• Session 3  Agenda

PAUSE & REFLECT

Now that you have completed the first three sessions of the Move to Amend Movement Education Program, it’s time to take stock and assess whether you are ready to proceed into the planning your Internal Democracy Agreement and Solidarity Outreach Plan.

Objective: Collect and review notes from previous sessions, look at the templates you’ll be building within the following sessions, assess your affiliate’s current group culture, and assess readiness to move forward.

Format: You can schedule a separate meeting to accomplish this self-assessment, or fold these topics into one or more regular affiliate meetings. These can be done by phone, but in-person is better.

It is ideal for this "pause and reflect" conversation to happen with all affiliate volunteers together, even those who may not (yet) have participated in the Movement Education Program. Plan for 60-90 minutes, depending on size of group and facilitation style.

Don’t forget to send notes/results to National Team at [email protected].

Pause & Reflect Discussion Guide

* Please note the readings for session 4 below.

Session 4: Organizing for Liberation: Democratic Practice within the Affiliate

Objective: Preparing to grow our own internal diversity and inclusiveness across all groups and identities, as well as our internal democratic practice.

Format: All affiliate members in person + 1 or 2 members of National Team by phone or video conference. Have National Team facilitate if possible. See the Agenda & Facilitation Guide for more details.

Session Time: 2 - 2 ½ hours

Logistics: Affiliate volunteers ideally meet in-person for both sessions 4 and 5 . Ideally, remote participants join by video-conference (Google Hangouts & Skype are free) or each on a separate phone line. This

Facilitation: Two or more National Team members will ideally co-facilitate sessions 4 and 5. This allows all affiliate volunteers to participate directly, rather than putting one or two in a neutral role as facilitator(s). The National Team session participants should be the same for both Session 4 and 5 .

Note-taking: There must be a note-taker for this session. Ideally it should be a co-facilitator from the National Team, so all affiliate members can participate fully. The notes will need to be shared out promptly so they can be used as part of Session 5.

Readings

• Continuum on Becoming a Dismantling Oppression Group (1 page pdf)
• How Culture is Like an Iceberg (1 page pdf)
• What is Feminist process? (3 page online article)
• Consensus Decision Making (1 page online article)
• How to make your social movement more inclusive of neurodiversity (2 page online article)
• Ten ways we can make leadership accessible to sick folks in activism (3 page online article)
• Internal Democracy Agreement/Group Culture Template

Preparation

Review the notes from the "Pause & Reflect" session.

Agenda & Facilitation Guide

• Session 4  Agenda & Facilitation Guide
• Internal Democracy Agreement/Group Culture Template

Session 5: Developing a Local Plan for Solidarity Organizing and Movement Building

Objective: Lay the foundation of a plan to engage in solidarity with a variety of community groups whose work relates to our mission of building a vibrant, inclusive, and accountable democracy.

Format: All affiliate members in person. 1 National Team (board) in person as facilitator if possible. Other 1-2 members of National Team by phone or video conference.

See Agenda & Facilitation Guide for more details

Session Time: 2 - 2 ½  hours

Logistics. Affiliate volunteers should all meet in-person for session 5. Remote participants (National Team or other) join by video-conference (Google Hangouts & Skype are free) or each on a separate phone line.

Facilitation: We strongly recommend that a National Team member be asked to facilitate session 5. This allows all affiliate volunteers to participate directly in planning, rather than excusing one or two play neutral role as facilitator(s). If at all possible, the National Team will send a geographically-close Board member to facilitate in person.

Note-taking: There must be a note-taker for this session. Ideally it should be a co-facilitator from the National Team. Please be sure the National Team has the notes from all of you sessions. This will help us understand how to provide better support.

Preparation

(1) Everyone should review these key readings as a refresher and have them at hand for meeting:

• Solidarity and Anti-Oppression Practices and Principles (2 page Google doc - from MEP I)
• What is Solidarity Organizing?  (2 page Google doc - from MEP I)
• Solidarity Outreach Plan Template

(2) Review the notes from the "Pause & Reflect" session and Session 4.

(3) Skim the reflection and action questions in the Agenda & Facilitation Guide below. This will prepare you for the bulk of the discussion.

Agenda & Facilitation Guide

• Session 5 Agenda & Facilitation Guide
• Solidarity Outreach Plan Template

​Move to Amend is a grassroots movement to amend the US Constitution to make clear corporations are not people with constitutional rights and money is not free speech. We have local organizations and representatives growing in communities across the country who are working to educate their local communities and elected officials, bring people together to join the movement, and mobilize their communities to pressure state and federal legislators to take action on the We the People Amendment.

Our grassroots leaders come from all walks of life in support of our mission to amend the Constitution! When several volunteers are ready to team up and represent Move to Amend locally, they will form an MTA Affiliate group. Not all MTA Affiliates get started the same way and sometimes it takes time, so the first step is to become a local Advocate and be the first to represent Move to Amend in your community! 

If you're just getting started forming a MTA group, we encourage you to take a look at our "Five Easy Steps to Start a New Group" and related materials in the Affiliate Organizing Toolkit to get started.

What You Need to Know to Affiliate With Move to Amend

When you are ready to join Move to Amend, the first step is to become a local Advocate and be the first representative for Move to Amend in your community. When several volunteers are ready to team up to support our mission, they will form local Affiliate group to represent Move to Amend together as a coalition! 

Move to Amend's grassroots activities fall into three main categories:

• Education - Polling shows that 80% of American public agrees with us that corporations shouldn’t have same rights of human beings and campaign spending should be limited, but they don’t know about our campaign or how to do it. That's why we need to educate! We table at local events and go door-to-door with campaigns like We the People Listening Project to gather individual stories about their struggles with corporate rule. We write and publish letters to the editors of local and state news sources to highlight the destructive impacts of corporate rule in our daily lives. We organize public talks, teach-ins, and presentations to other groups connected the dots between current issues they care about and the nature of corporate rule.
  
  
• Lobbying & Bird Dogging - We target candidates for local, state and federal office with questions at campaign forums, candidate surveys and letters to the editor to help raise awareness about Move to Amend and the We the People Amendment amongst candidates and the public at election time. We write, call, and visit our elected officials at their offices and in public events to support the We the People Amendment, and advancing the principles of participatory democracy. Ultimately, we need the 28th Amendment to be seen as a litmus test issue for whether people will vote for a candidate or incumbent official running for office. 
  
  
• Resolution & Ballot Campaigns - These serve as an organizing tool to mount pressure, which put state and federal representatives on notice that their constituencies want to see them pass the amendment. We have helped passed resolutions in over 800 towns, cities, and counties across the country calling for the 28th Amendment, including 20 state legislatures! We've been on the local and state ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single time, usually in landslides of over 60% and even 80%! 

All MTA Advocates are expected to work to build excitement at the local and state levels about being part of a larger movement, and about the process of movement building itself. All MTA Affiliates should strive to empower their members, and help them develop the skills they need to be effective. Move to Amend National staff will provide training and support through the Movement Education Program, our Take Action Webinars, and other resources for organizers of all experiences. In addition, we will provide information on locally available resources and trainings, and will assist local organizations in establishing channels of communication so that they can educate and support one another in their growth.

The Affiliation Process

The goals of this process are to assure that Move to Amend applicants understand:

1. The Move to Amend campaign, its goals, values and strategies
2. The criteria we expect them to fulfill as local representatives of Move to Amend
3. The resources available from the Move to Amend National Team to assist them in community organizing to fulfill the criteria.

Application Process

1. Before filling out the application, all applicants should have read these articles to be sure Move to Amend's principles and background are understood by everyone (affiliate applicants should be sure to have a group discussion about them):
   
   • How Corporate Constitutional Rights Harm You, Your Family, Your Community, Your Environment, and Your Democracy
   • Why Move to Amend Centralizes the Work of Dismantling Racism and Other Oppressions
   • Why We Need a Democracy Movement
   • Move to Amend Background and Founding
   • Memorandum of Understanding: 
     • MOU for Advocates
     • MOU for Affiliates
       
       
2. After reading and/or discussing the articles as a group, please fill out the application and submit it to [email protected] for review by the National Move to Amend Team. 
   
   If you're applying to be an Advocate, please download the Advocate Memorandum Of Understanding and Advocate Application. 
   
   If you are applying to be an Affiliate group, please download the Affiliate Memorandum Of Understanding and the Affiliate Application.
   (Please note that you will need a minimum of five members to start a Move to Amend Affiliate, as we've found that teams of less than five struggle to form an effective group. If you have less than five folks but still want to form an Affiliate, please contact us so we can discuss how to help you grow.)
   
   
3. We will then schedule an orientation conference call with applicants. This call will provide a chance for applicants to ask questions, and serve to establish shared goals, ideas and expectations. If you're an Affiliate, please plan to have as many of your group's leadership on this call as possible.
   
   
4. Upon approval by the National Team, applicants will be asked to return their signed Memorandum of Understanding within two weeks. The National Team will then create all affiliated social media, email, website and database accounts for the advocate/affiliate. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Affiliate Support Team at [email protected] or call 916-318-8040. 

Important Information

Support for Advocates & Affiliates Provided by Move to Amend National

• Material generation for local organizing, national action and event opportunities
• Web, telephone, and in-person conferencing/networking opportunities
• A dedicated page on the MTA website for each group to serve as their official webpage
• Access to Move to Amend petition signers within a group's geographic area
• Database infrastructure to support local organizing and public engagement
• Online and in-person training opportunities and strategy discussions
• A @movetoamend.org email address for each group
• Social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for each group (if your group wants to use social media)
• Transparency on decisions made by the MTA National Board and Staff
• Support and mentorship via telephone and email as much as possible within our resources

Affiliated members are also eligible to participate in national organizing work through our National Committees and Caucuses, provided those individuals meet requirements and expectations as outlined by the Committees.

Move to Amend Organizing Principles

Move to Amend is a national, non-partisan (not affiliated with any political party), grassroots coalition and welcomes engaging communities of people with diverse viewpoints. In our vision to make real the promise of democracy, Move to Amend adheres to the following Core Principles:

1. Anti-Oppression and Solidarity Organizing helps us develop relationships with those on the front lines of struggle against the impacts of corporate rule, including communities of color and other marginalized communities, our essential and immediate allies in the work ahead. Only through the talents, experience and wisdom of all persons is mutual governance and a system rooted in justice possible.
2. Coalition and Movement Building is integral to connecting numerous issue communities to the legal roadblocks of corporate constitutional rights and money as protected political speech. The power of a movement rests on the common ground, the shared vision and strategies, among its participant members and groups. That ground is the result of focused listening, learning, talking, and evaluating together.
3. Grassroots Organizing is the key to building capacity. Personal relationships are still the best way to spread our message and find support. Deep change takes root from below and is nurtured by the life and community around it. That nurturing is delivered through the arts and skills of local democratic organizing.
4. Dedication to Political Education is an ongoing, necessary process to absorb the lessons of history and the successes or failures of past people's movements and move forward to victory with intentionality. We cannot change where we are unless we know how we got here. What's the story? What went wrong? What were the forces at work? Through this mutual understanding we are better equipped to rethink that story and engage one another in creating a new story that makes real the promise of democracy.
5. Political and Economic Independence allows us to go forth unencumbered by partisan politics or the quid pro quo associated with corporate or wealthy funders. It is essential to attaining and sustaining government of, by and for the people.

We believe we will only succeed if its local organizations build a broad-based movement in communities across the country. To this end, all MTA grassroots leaders are expected to gain the skills needed to build a movement that is inclusive across lines of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic class. 

To assist local organizations in this process, the national Move to Amend organization will provide training and support through the Movement Education Program and other resources. In addition, we will provide information on locally available resources and trainings, and will assist local organizations in establishing channels of communication so that they can educate and support one another in their growth.

Expectations & Responsibilities for Affiliation

• Share local membership/supporter/organizing lists with the national Move to Amend organization by collecting petitions and regularly uploading data to the Move to Amend database
• Keep your web page on movetoamend.org current and updated with relevant and appropriate content
• Regular use and enhancement of MTA's database infrastructure
• Participation in monthly Coalition Conference Call
• Active participation of MTA's Movement Education Program (completion of the current program and continuation of the process as it evolves)
• Submit brief periodic reports to keep MTA National updated about your local activities (monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly)

The above expectations are outlined in more detail in the Memorandum of Understanding, which must be signed by all advocates and/or affiliate leadership before your affiliation.

Criteria for Affiliation with Move to Amend

• Acceptance and support for the We the People Amendment and our Core Principles
• Support for Move to Amend's emphasis on movement building and grassroots organizing
• Has applied to Move to Amend for affiliation and has provided leadership contact list and other documentation with that application.
• Has implemented a functional structure that allows for new people to participate and get involved and also make decisions democratically, with accountable leadership, and a commitment to anti-oppression (leadership and involvement of women and people from oppressed communities such as people of color, LGTBQ+, etc.)
• Has a history of networking with other organizations (eg. social justice, labor, environmental, faith, etc.), or is involved in that networking from the start of formation.
• Evidence of good faith efforts to achieve gender balance in group leadership and organization.
• Evidence of good faith efforts to empower individuals and groups from oppressed communities, through, for example leadership responsibilities and alliances with community-based organizations.

Lobbying is an effort made to influence the actions of elected officials. Your elected officials are in office to represent you, their constituent. It is their job to listen to your concerns and to take  them into account when making decisions. 

Whether we're meeting in-person or calling over the phone, we use lobbying to:

• Educate our legislators about corporate constitutional rights, money in politics, and its connections with issues we care about.
• Identify whether they are a Move to Amend supporter, an opponent, or undecided  
• Move supporters to become champions, or undecided individuals to become supporters  
• Soften or neutralize our opponents' arguments against Move to Amend

With the following steps, you can ensure a successful call to your legislator and build your own experience with making the pitch for the We the People Amendment!
 

Pre-Call Preparation: 

Become acquainted with what you will be asking for. Check out these resources:

• We the People Amendment (House Joint Resolution 48)
• We the People Amendment Co-sponsors
• Amendment Comparison
• Corporate Personhood Talking Points
• How Corporate Constitutional Rights Harm You, Your Family, Your Community, Your Environment, and Your Democracy
• What Could Change if Corporate Personhood Were Abolished?

Practice telling your story. We encourage you to practice telling your story in advance to increase confidence for your call.

Learn more about your Senators and Representatives. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with your Congress members’ priorities and views by visiting their websites at www.senate.gov or www.house.gov. Also check to see if they have co-sponsored any of the competing amendment resolutions.

PLEASE NOTE: As of March 2020, the We the People Amendment is only proposed in the House of Representatives, not the Senate. Be sure to not confuse the two when making the call to your legislator.

Be prepared to talk with your legislator’s staff. Your legislator's assistants will almost always answer your phone call. Staff may be young, but they are instrumental in shaping the legislator’s views. It is not unusual for the legislator to defer to his/her staff for an opinion on your issue. It is important to demonstrate respect to everyone you encounter during your call.
 

Call Tips

Call as a group if possible. There is always strength in numbers. Whether you can call in over a speaker phone or call individually, make sure only one person is talking at a time. If you're calling as part of a phone bank, try to stagger your calls (one call after the other) to improve your chances of getting through to a person. 

The constituents are most important. The legislators’ primary concern is whether you can elect him or her into office. If you live in the district, you are important. The spokesperson should begin the call by identifying himself/herself as a constituent and introducing all participants, and briefly identify your request early in case time runs short.

Cover the priority issue. Now is the time you’ve been waiting for. Tell your story, and explain why passing the We the People Amendment is important to you. Make your remarks brief and to the point. Encourage them to learn more and do more.

Stay on topic. Be careful: a little chit-chat is acceptable, but be sure to stay on topic and not be drawn into storytelling—you’ll never know where the time went! Be concise and stick to the issue at hand, but do not rush the conversation. Don’t make statements that assume that others share your political views and be respectful when talking about all political leaders.

Solicit the legislator’s views on this issue. Review your request and do some research on your legislator. Has your legislator taken the Pledge to Amend? Have they endorsed other amendment measures? If they have shown support for similar measures thank them appropriately and encourage them to sign on to the We the People Amendment.

Always be polite & courteous. Treat your legislator's staff as an extension of themselves. If there is disagreement, avoid arguing with your legislator or their staff. Listen to his/her perspective and then present your views. You will enhance your effectiveness if you can demonstrate a willingness to participate in a friendly exchange of ideas. Record the response of your legislator to facilitate follow-up.

​Conclude your call. Thank them for their time and offer to be a resource to them going forward. Offer to followup with an email containing more information. Ask to followup in a week or two to see how their internal discussion on this issue is going.

Follow up! Remember: if you live in the district, you are important. You never reason to contact your legislator or their staff, so don't hesitate to call, email, or visit their office until they give you a clear answer. 

Phone Script for your House Representative:

“Hello, my name is [name] from Move to Amend. May I speak with my Representative or their legislative staff?” (Write down the staffer’s name. Be sure to get the correct spelling.)

I am a constituent of Representative [NAME] and I'm calling to ask [HIM / HER] to co-sponsor House Joint Resolution 48, the We the People Amendment, and discuss the importance of addressing the problem of big money in elections and corporate influence over the political and legal process. 

If a staff person answers, you should not expect a response -- they only keep a tally of public opinion. But if they ask you for more information about House Joint Resolution 48 and Move to Amend, go into deeper detail (Click here to see the current list co-sponsors):

The We the People Amendment was introduced in the House of Representatives in February 2019 with 10 original co-sponsors. As of today, it has picked up 72 co-sponsors.

For the past ten years, the Movement to Amend the Constitution has been clear: We must both abolish corporate constitutional rights AND get big money out of politics. It is not enough to simply overturn Citizens United, we must go to the root of the problem.

Tens of thousands of volunteers across the nation have been building a grassroots movement over the past six years from the bottom up. Over 450,000 people have signed our petition supporting the We the People Amendment. 

This movement came from everyday people taking this issue to their city governments, to town hall meetings, to candidate forums, to newspaper opinion pages, and to the ballot box directly. Over 800 cities, towns, and counties have now passed amendment resolutions. We have been on the ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single one, usually with landslides of over 60%!

Polling shows 80% of the American public believes that corporations should not have the same rights as people. State legislatures have been pressured to stand up as well, with 19 states passing resolutions calling for an amendment.

At this point, the legislator or their assistant may ask for contact information in case they wish to followup. Or they may respond by engaging in conversation, which will be a good opportunity to solicit their views on the issue or explain why the We the People Amendment is important to you. Whatever their response, conclude your call with the following:

Please join your colleagues by co-sponsoring the We the People Amendment to let your constituents know you will do all you can to defend our Democratic Republic and We the People against special interests with deep pockets who are corrupting our democracy.

To sign on as a Co-Sponsor of this important Resolution, please contact Rep. Pramila Jayapal's office, the bill's lead sponsor.

Thank you for your time.

Phone Script for your Senator:

Hello, my name is [NAME]. May I speak with the Senator or their legislative assistant? (Write down the assistant’s name. Be sure to get the correct spelling)

I am a constituent of Senator [NAME]. In February 2019, the We the People Amendment (House Joint Resolution 48) was introduced in the House of Representatives and I'm calling to ask Senator [NAME] to work with Move to Amend to sponsor this resolution in the Senate and discuss the importance of addressing the problem of big money in elections and corporate influence over the political and legal process.

If a staff person answers, you should not expect a response -- they only keep a tally of public opinion. But if they ask you for more information about House Joint Resolution 48 and Move to Amend, go into deeper detail:

The We the People Amendment was introduced in the House of Representatives last February with 10 original co-sponsors. As of today, it has picked up 72 co-sponsors.

For the past ten years the Movement to Amend the Constitution has been clear: We must both abolish corporate constitutional rights AND get big money out of politics. It is not enough to simply overturn Citizens United, we must go to the root of the problem.

Tens of thousands of volunteers across the nation have been building a grassroots movement over the past ten years from the bottom up. Over 450,000 people have signed our petition supporting the We the People Amendment.

This movement came from everyday people taking this issue to their city governments, to town hall meetings, to candidate forums, to newspaper opinion pages, and to the ballot box directly. Over 800 cities, towns, and counties have now passed amendment resolutions. We have been on the ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single one, usually with landslides of over 60%!

Polling shows 80% of the American public believes that corporations should not have the same rights as people. State legislatures have been pressured to stand up as well, with 19 states passing resolutions calling for an amendment.

At this point, the legislator or their assistant may ask for contact information in case they wish to followup. Or they may respond by engaging in conversation, which will be a good opportunity to solicit their views on the issue or explain why the We the People Amendment is important to you. Whatever their response, conclude your call with the following:

Please join your colleagues in the House by introducing the We the People Amendment to let your constituents know you will do all you can to defend our Democratic Republic and We the People against special interests with deep pockets who are corrupting our democracy.

To introduce this important Resolution, please contact Rep. Pramila Jayapal's office, the bill's lead sponsor in the House of Representatives.

Thank you for your time.

Post-Call Followup

Thank Yous. Send a thank you message to your Legislator or their staffer following the call. Thank the legislator and/or staff person for their time and reiterate your “ask” that they co-sponsor HJR 48 in the House or a companion bill in the Senate. If this is an email, be sure to send it the same day or by the next day. If this written letter, put it in the mail as soon as you can -- preferably the same day.

Follow Up! One of the most important aspects of lobbying is the follow up. It will be important to follow up within 1-3 weeks (or no later than a month) if your legislator or their staff person did not give you a clear answer, or gave you a positive answer but then did not follow through with their commitment. It can help to set up an in-person District meeting as part of this follow up.

Whether this is done by phone, email, or at their state district office, the staffer and legislator will know you are serious when you follow up. Always be friendly and polite, and offer to provide additional information if it will help them to make a decision.

Lobbying Resources

• Lobbying information in Move to Amend's Take Action Toolkit
• Move to Amend's We the People Amendment
• Hart Research Poll Results
• Corporate Personhood Talking Points

Our goal to amend the U.S. Constitution to restore our democracy is a long-term campaign that will require the support of a large number of legislators and because large corporations will resist. Most people will support our efforts if we reach out to them, but this fight will take coordinated outreach to elected officials and candidates to build support for the We the People Amendment.

This Volunteer Kit provides guidance and resources for new and seasoned grassroots leaders on how to:

• Educate & lobby elected officials and candidates running for local, state, and federal office
• Develop materials & talking points to educate elected officials about our campaign
• Organizing phone banking & meetings with elected representatives to get support for MTA resolutions & WTP Amendment
• Recruit & train volunteers in our campaign demands & lobbying skills

The Path to the 28th Amendment

We believe the demand for an amendment must come from a mass movement that is broad, deep, conscious and educated. So our strategy aims to help nurture and build such a movement that crosses race, generational, and class lines so we are powerful enough to pass the 28th Amendment. 

The Constitution’s Article V provides for 2 paths in the amendment process:

• 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress (or 290 House Representatives, 67 Senators) make a proposal
• 2/3 of the state legislatures (34 states) call a constitutional convention (aka an Article V Convention). 

In either scenario, ratification will require 3/4 of the states (38 states) must vote to adopt the proposed amendment for it to become law, which can be done through state legislatures OR through state conventions (i.e., direct votes by the people). Therefore, in order to succeed, we must mobilize people across the country to put pressure on their elected officials. Effective local organizing is vital to our success.

For information on Move to Amend's strategy for passing the We the People Amendment, read Move to Amend's Ten-Year Strategic Plan.

For information on Move to Amend's position on an Article V Convention, read our longer article on the issue.

Educating & Lobbying Your Legislators

Amending the constitution will require action from state legislators, and most likely federal legislators as well. Educating the public and passing local resolutions are your first priorities, but you may want to consider lobbying as well.

Many people react negatively to the idea of lobbying since they associate it with powerful corporations and other "special interests". However, lobbying is simply the act of educating an elected official and urging him or her to take a particular action.

Lobbying is a valuable skill, and one often underutilized by local grassroots organizations. Lobbying is a form of advocacy directed at influencing the actions of elected officials. Your elected officials are in office to represent you, their constituents. It is their job to listen to your concerns and to take them into account when making decisions. However, elected officials are not mind-readers -- you must tell them what you want them to do. Lobbying is how you do that.

Whether we're meeting in-person or calling over the phone, we use lobbying to:

• Educate our legislators about corporate constitutional rights and money in politics
• Identify whether they are a supporter of Move to Amend, an opponent, or undecided  
• Move supporters to become champions, or undecided individuals to become supporters  
• Soften or neutralize our opponents

You can ask state legislators to sponsor (or at least vote for) a resolution calling for a constitutional convention, and federal legislators to propose (or at least vote for) the actual amendment. It is a useful tool for organizations working for the public good.

Check out these helpful resources to become acquainted with what to ask for:

• We the People Amendment (House Joint Resolution 54)
• Amendment Comparison (check to see if they have co-sponsored any of these competing resolutions.)
• How Corporate Constitutional Rights Harm You, Your Family, Your Community, Your Environment, and Your Democracy
• What Could Change if Corporate Personhood Were Abolished?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Coporate Personhood Talking Points

Writing & Calling Your Legislators

You can also lobby through letters, postcards or calling campaigns. These methods have the advantage of not requiring people to be in the same place as the legislator. If you can organize a large number of constituents to write or call, legislators will take notice.

Tools:

• How to Write Letters to the Editor
• How to Write Editorials (Op-Eds)
• Citizen's Lobbying By Phone

Bird-dogging Your Candidates & Legislators

The term "bird-dog" comes from hunting; the bird-dog's job is to flush the birds out of the bushes and into the open. Politicians are like the birds--they try to keep their positions hidden behind vague rhetoric. Bird-dogging is a tactic where we go to where the candidates and elected officials are and get them on record answering our questions about the issues that matter to us. The goals of bird dogging are to:

1. Educate the candidate 
2. Educate the public and media
3. Make the candidate make a public comment about our issue
4. Gather video content to use as leverage on social media and in person to get them to do what we want

When birddogging a candidate or elected official you’ll have a very short amount of time to get across your question in an effective way. Using tightly crafted questions, the successful bird-dog forces candidates to reveal their position on an issue.

Tools:

• How to Build Birddogging Questions/ Sample Questions
• Tips for Birddogging Candidates & Elected Officials
• Worksheet: Recipe for a Good Birddogging questions

Meeting Your Legislators

One way to lobby your legislators is to meet with them.

You can set up a meeting either in their place of work or their district office when they are home between legislative sessions. To request a meeting, call or email their office. Every office differs in their preferred scheduling process, so ask which process to use. Give your name, your organization, and explain why you want to meet with the legislator. Be persistent if you don't get a response!

Tools:

• Move to Amend's Lobbying Guide
• How to Meet Your Representatives in District
• Lobbying Tips and Hints from Jim Price (conference call trainer)
• Sample Letter Meeting Request with Representatives

Move to Amend Lobby Packet

When meeting with your legislators, we recommend you put together a folder with the following printed materials to leave with the legislator or staffer (ideally both -- bring a couple copies in case you meet with both staff and the Representative): 

• We the People Amendment Language
• Dear Colleague Letter from Lead Sponsor Pramila Jayapal -- coming soon
• How Corporate Constitutional Rights Harms You, Your Family, Your Community, Your Environment, and Your Democracy
• Why Non Profit Corporations Do Not Need (or Have) Constitutional Rights
• Talking Points on Corporate Constitutional Rights 
• Talking Points for Conservatives
• List of Move to Amend Petition Signers in Congressional District (This information can be provided by MTA National by request if we have enough notice)
  • If you need this information, please provide ALL zip codes in their district at least ONE WEEK in advance to compile a list of names. Click here to search your congressional district.
  • We will send you a PDF and you will need to print it -- please note this could be hundreds of pages. Let us know well in advance if you see the printing as being problematic for you.

Here are optional materials you can add to the packet that will help further educate the legislator and their staff:

• The We the People Amendment: The Constitutional Amendment to Counter Political Corruption and the Corporate Hijacking of the Constitution (Move to Amend white paper - 2023 update
• Move to Amend Strategic Plan
• Timeline of Personhood Rights and Powers
• The Myths of Harmful "Unintended Consequences" of Abolishing Corporate Personhood
• Move to Amend Materials -- if you'd like to include a brochure in the packet, or wear matching buttons or get professionally printed stickers for the front of your packets, those can be ordered here.

Sample Packets:

• Atlanta Lobbying Packet (2016)
• California Lobbying Packet (2015)
• Iowa Lobbying Packet (2013)

Passing Local Resolutions

We encourage all local organizations to consider working to pass resolutions in support of amending the constitution in their local communities. This is a great way to educate the public and to send a strong signal to legislators that people care about these issues. The ways in which you can pass a resolution will depend on the laws in the state and locality where you live.

Tools:

• How to Pass Local Resolutions
• Model Resolution for Legislative Bodies (City Council, County Board, etc)
• Model Resolution for Ballot Initiatives
• List of Resolutions in Support

Collaborate with Endorsing Organizations

One way to influence future legislators is through the questionnaires and interviews that many organizations use when deciding which candidates to endorse. Find out if organizations that support your efforts or are part of your coalition endorse candidates running for state or federal office, and encourage them to include questions about undoing Corporate Personhood and amending the Constitution.

This sends a signal to candidates that their position on these issues may determine their endorsements, and also allows you to hold them accountable once elected if they fail to follow through on their promises.

Tools:

• A Guide to Power-Mapping
• List of Endorsing Organizations

Talking Points

Below are informative resources for how to talk about Move to Amend and the We the People Amendment with candidates & elected officials:

• Churches Endorsing Move to Amend: 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status Impacts and Limitations
• Some Questions and Answers for "America’s Businesspeople About the Amendment"
• Side-by-Side Comparison: Move to Amend's We The People Amendment, (HJR 48) and the Democracy for All Amendment (HJR 13)

Videos & Webinars

Below are additional trainings on how to engage in lobbying & birddogging for the We the People Amendment:

• Training Session on How to Lobby for the We the People Amendment (July, 2022)
• #BirddogToAmend webinar! (October 2019)
• Special Guest Presentation: Birddogging Presidential Candidates and Beyond! (August 2019)
• How to Support the We The People Amendment in Congress (April 2019)
• How to Get Your Reps to Co-Sponsor HJR 48 (May 2017)
• Legal Implications of 28th Amendment (Aug 2012)
• Taking Advantage of an Election Year Webinar (Oct 2011)

When a prominent local, state or national organization states its support for Move to Amend and our effort to amend the Constitution, this can educate its own members and also attract press coverage.

In addition to working to pass resolutions in your community, your group should encourage organizations to endorse Move to Amend or to pass their own organizational resolutions. Organizations can also be asked to endorse a local campaign to pass a resolution at the community level.

Few things are more effective in building a large network of support than connecting with other already established groups or organizations. These groups have done the groundwork of building a following, so by linking in with their group, you gain access to a large number of already active people. And since corporate power is at the heart of so many issues, there are likely many groups interested in this topic.

Check out our current list of endorsing organizations. This list will give you good ideas for local groups to reach out to. Perhaps there is a chapter of a national endorsing organization in your town - this would be a great place to start. If the national organization has already endorsed the We the People Amendment, don't let that stop you from approaching their local branch. Ask if you can give a presentation at an upcoming meeting to let the group's members know how they can get involved in local MTA efforts. Also look for chapter-based organizations whose chapters have endorsed the We the People Amendment in other localities, even if the national organization is not yet on our list.

If You're Already Part of an Ally Group

If you are part of an existing organization that is interested in Move to Amend issues, you may wish to bring a group together within the organization to work on them as an Amendment Working Group. The best way to do this will depend on your organization's structure and primary focus.

One way to start is by educating people in your organization about the Citizens United v. FEC decision, Corporate Personhood and related issues, and by explaining how these are linked to your organization's primary focus. For example, if your organization is a labor union, you can discuss how corporate influence results in policies that favor management's interests over those of workers. If you are part of an environmental group, you can explain how Corporate Personhood limits our ability to enforce environmental regulations. If you belong to a faith-based organization, you can talk about how treating profit-driven corporations the same as human beings is a moral issue.

Once people in your organization understand why these issues are important and relevant to them, suggest forming a new committee, broadening the activities of existing bodies, or otherwise integrating Move to Amend issues into the work of your organization.

Related Resources

• Organizational Endorsement Printable Form
• Example Presentations to Give at Group Meetings
• MTA Model Resolution for Local Governments & Organizations

We aim to amend the U.S. Constitution to restore our democracy. This is a long-term campaign, because it requires the support of a large number of legislators and because large corporations will resist. However, most people will support our efforts if we reach out to them.

This Volunteer Kit provides guidance and resources for new and seasoned grassroots leaders on how to:

• Identify local events & opportunities to engage the community, educate about our campaign, and mobilize for actions
• Connect with supporters & organizations through tabling, teach-ins, public talks, and other Move to Amend activities
• Represent the coalition locally to community organizations and other potential partners to grow the coalition through endorsements and resolutions supporting the We the People Amendment

Bringing Move to Amend to Your Community

Polling shows that 80% of American public agrees with us that corporations shouldn’t have same rights of human beings and campaign spending should be limited, but they don’t know about our campaign or how to do it. That’s why we need to educate!

Organizing local events can be used to educate the public, to recruit members to your organization, to build relationships with other organizations, to get press coverage, and to raise money. Our grassroots leaders organize events like: 

• Public talks, teach-ins, and presentations to other groups to earn their support.
• Petitioning and tabling at local events, rallies, etc.
• We also stand in solidarity with marginalized communities and other groups by attending and sharing events they organize, building trust and authentic relationships in order to connect their causes with our cause to end corporate rule.

Tools:

• Bring Move to Amend to Your Community
• Hold a Public Forum, Teach-In or Movie Showing
  • Recommended Documentaries
• MTA Petitioning Kit
• Downloadable scan and sign petition QR code
• Downloadable and tearable scan and sign QR codes
• Move to Amend business card-sized flyers
• Fill-in the blank poster template

Webinars:

• Taking Move to Amend to Your Neighbors (Sept 2012)

Engaging Your Community & Organizations

As you grow your local coalition, we encourage you to reach out to a broad spectrum of people, and to refrain from involving members of only one partisan group. Remember that diversity brings strength to organizations, and work to create a welcoming environment for everyone. If your membership reflects the diversity of your community, you will be more effective and less vulnerable to opposition than an organization that reflects the views of only a few community members. 

Take care in developing the group that will form the core of a new organization: making contact with people beyond your own circle and being willing to spend sufficient time in the development stage can pay off in the long run. Because our culture restricts our vision, it is important to actively reach out to the community to acquire diverse opinions and perspectives. Strive to create dialogue around how the goals of the organization will change as it is enriched by a variety of people bringing new opinions to the table. Expect resistance inside yourself to this process. When we passionately wish to begin a project, we are likely to be attached to our own vision of the goals, our methods and the contribution we make. This can make it hard to open up the process and collaborate, but doing this can lead to better responses to complex issues.

Tools:

• Principles of Democratic Leadership
• Dismantling Oppression Continuum
• Working with Volunteers

Webinars:

• Organizing with Students (June 2013)

Building Local Coalitions

If you are interested in bringing together a coalition of organizations, the first step is to carefully consider what role you expect the coalition to play. A coalition can be formed with a broad mission (such as working on Move to Amend issues generally) or to accomplish a specific task (such as conducting a resolution campaign). Of course, a coalition formed around a specific task may continue on after the task is accomplished and move on to broader, longer-term collaboration.

First, have a conversation within your own organization about forming a coalition. Then reach out to the leaders and members of other groups to present the idea and ask for their input. Explain the link between Move to Amend issues and each organization's primary focus, and describe clearly how participating in a shared effort would achieve specific goals. Once you have generated interest, set up a time for representatives of the prospective coalition partners to meet in person or conduct a conference call. Discuss the role of the coalition, identify goals and specific tasks, and create a timeline by which to chart progress. Select future meeting dates, decide how you will keep in touch between meetings, and discuss outreach to other organizations to grow the coalition.

Tools: 

• Solicit Organizational Endorsements
• Model Resolution for Councils & Organizations
• Building Coalitions Webinar (Presentation Only)

Talking Points:

• Outreach to Organized Labor
• Outreach to Faith-Based & Ethical Values Communities
• Outreach to Indivisible

Webinars:

• Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers (February 2013)