One of the many acts college students do have the power to take is contacting their representatives. This strategy can be used for many issues and is a highly accessible route, making it a great choice for those of us who may be unable to attend protests or petition in other ways at this time.
While it is simple to do, it can feel intimidating or cause anxiety. However, the actual process is relatively simple, and there are many resources online explaining both how to call and what to say depending on the issue you’re pursuing. For example, here is a script I found quickly online for one popular issue this week:
“Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m a(n) [YOUR STATE] resident. I’m calling to urge [SENATOR NAME] to filibuster the upcoming Homeland Security appropriations bill unless ICE’s funding bump from the One Big Beautiful Bill is erased and returned to last year’s levels of $10B or until ICE is completely defunded with operations paused until the agency can be vetted/reformed.” (@bensheehan on Instagram)
Scripts of these can also be helped with the addition of personal anecdotes and feelings– your representatives should care about your personal thoughts and feelings. Once you have the script you intend to use, or if you intend to use your own words, you can then start by finding your current representatives and their phone numbers and/or emails with a quick search online. In most cases, you will be greeted by an answering machine, and you will be able to read out your script and leave it as a voicemail message.
If you are answered by someone, you can introduce yourself, declare your residency, and ask to speak to the representative or their staffer who handles the issue you are pursuing. After that, you can continue with your prepared script and talking points. You may also ask specific questions about your representative’s plans for response. You may also leave your own contact information for follow-up if you are comfortable.
Overall, being polite in these phone calls helps your voice be heard. It can also be worthwhile to document your call in some way. You are able to call multiple times a day as well. Whatever issue it may be that you are passionate about, contacting a representative is an accessible, concrete step to take, and one which I urge you to take.
Maggie Raker
Opinion Editor
