Coalition Building Campus Raps

Building coalitions on campus is a great way to strengthen your chapter, get more people involved in our issue, and spread the word. It is always more effective to GO TO where other people already are, than to try to get them to come to you!

1) Ask your DM members what other groups they are part of on campus. Also check with Student Activities (or on your school’s website) for names and contacts of other student groups. They do NOT only have to be political groups (e.g. fraternities and sororities, service organizations, religious organizations, or departmental clubs like sociology or political science are great). Everyone cares about whether they have a voice in democracy.

2) Ask each DM member to choose a group and become an “DM Ambassador” to that group. They should contact the group or go to one of its meetings, and ask if they can arrange a time to speak at their meeting about the way their issues and interests are linked to Democracy Matters’ focus on voting rights and money in politics.Each member should prepare a brief talk – first to deliver to the DM chapter to practice and get feedback – and then to the other student group. The talk should (1) explore problems, linking their issues to ours with examples, (2) explain possible solutions, and

(3) ask them to get involved by either a) signing a petition either (as a group or individually – see the Petition Campaigns & Democracy Pledge for ideas; b) collaborating with DM on an event; c) writing an article or letter to the editor of your school paper; democracy or d) brainstorming other ways of working together in coalition.