In response to a congressional race in the 17th congressional district of Pennsylvania in 2019, where the seat had the potential to be flipped from red to blue, a group of friends from the Upper West Side in New York City united to write postcards urging people to vote. Democrat Connor Lamb, who is a former prosecutor, eventually won against Republican Tim Murphy. Whether the win was a result of the postcards or not, it showed the friends how individuals can have a role in making change.
Since then, Markers for Democracy (MFD) has been sending postcards with information on how and when to vote as well as information about who is running to potential voters. Any voter is allowed to fill out a form online to be added to the list to receive a postcard. The postcards have shown to be persuasive and compelling, and emphasize the importance of local elections. By voting in these elections, US citizens choose who gets to make decisions in the Senate and Congress and lead their democracy.
On the morning of May 23rd, Emma Friedman, a member of MFD and a student in Form IV, interviewed a few members to understand the essence of this group. Susan Wagner, a founding member, spoke with Friedman about how MFD provides a space to surround yourself with those who want to work for change. Wagner’s words ring true as MFD has hand-written 55,000 postcards to get citizens across the nation involved in future elections both small and large.
Now 500 members strong, the group meets each week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:30-12:30. They have continued this work during the COVID crisis through virtual zoom meetings. The postcards written by MFD can be written in your own home but completing the work together has built a strong sense of community for the members.
Brilliant activist and founder of MFD, Ellen Bender, shared how taking a few hours a week to debrief productively promotes hope in others and herself. This version of self-care is necessary to maintain a healthy relationship with her physical as well as mental health during times of stress. Throughout a series of interviews, it was clear to Friedman that this work had brought a feeling of purpose to this community, beyond being “voters”. Following the 2016 Election, many MFD members were discouraged when Hilary Clinton lost the Presidential election. However, these citizens took the feeling of hopelessness and turned it into determination. Each time they write a postcard they fight for a stronger democracy.
Markers for Democracy is just one of the hundreds of postcarding groups in the United States. The work is rewarding, the people are inspirational and you are playing an active role in shaping your democracy.
