Dear Community Members,
The first Trump election to the presidency is what started me on my civic engagement journey. Regardless of Tuesday’s results, my plan has always been to keep moving forward in the work we’ve doing locally. Yes, the outcome on Tuesday was heartbreaking, and my anxiety about what’s next is high, but…
In this community, we have made positive and important progress. There is a network across this county of love and perseverance. The work to make change is hard and takes more time than we wish, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
So, I’m asking each of you to stay in the arena and welcome others to our mission. We can do so much more together than alone. Listed out below are just some of the things you can choose from to start or continue your civic engagement journey.
Thank you so much - Christine
P.S. Look for my usual bi-weekly email on Monday, with an initial recap of local elections.
Things YOU can do:
Join
Listed below are just a few of the organizations you can get connected with locally:
League of Women Voters Benton County - next meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 20th at 6 p.m. at Ozark Beer Company (109 N. Arkansas)
Democratic Party of Benton County - next meeting is Monday, Nov. 11th at 6:30 at the Arvest Conference Room behind the Arvest bank entrance on the Bentonville downtown square
Weaving NWA is an initiative inspired by the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project. Its mission is to foster relationships and social trust among residents of Benton and Washington counties, creating a more welcoming, connected community through intentional gatherings.
Donate
A lot of organizations are going to need OUR support going into the new year as they gear up to protect members of OUR community. Consider making a monetary donation to any (or all) of the following organizations.
Canopy NWA - Canopy’s mission—to welcome and equip refugees with the tools they need to build new lives—depends on all of us. Since opening our doors in 2016, Canopy has welcomed 906 new neighbors to Northwest Arkansas, and we’re currently expecting 104 more, many of whom are family members of those already here.
Emerge Arkansas - Emerge Arkansas is the premier training program for Democratic women in Arkansas. Emerge Arkansas recruits, trains, and provides a powerful network for Democratic women running for office. Our goal is clear: to increase the number of Democratic women in all levels of public office in Arkansas.
Get Loud Arkansas - Get Loud Arkansas is a nonprofit organization working to register new voters, engage low propensity voters, and mobilize all eligible voters to utilize the power of their vote to shape the future of Arkansas.
Arkansas Advocate - Arkansas Advocate is a nonprofit news operation that depends on support from people like you to produce high-quality journalism without advertising, subscription fees or paywalls.
NWA Equality Crew - The Equality Crew in Northwest Arkansas promotes diversity, inclusivity, and equality throughout our community. We achieve this by offering various LGBTQIA+ youth programs that promote education and awareness around social justice and equality issues. We exist to positively impact our community and create a brighter future for all people.
Are you or do you have a family member that is a Walmart associate?
If yes, the Walmart Associate Giving Match program has opened- Seasons of Giving, November 1-30. They will match 1:1 up to $2 million in associate giving to nonprofits around the country. The match may be reached prior to that date.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you (or your family’s) donation to an organization doing important work here locally has to be matched?
Associates are invited to go to the Spark Good Deed platform https://walmart.joindeed.org/ to learn more.
Sign up for Action Alerts with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, one of the best in-state advocacy organizations focused on the Arkansas Legislature
Want to know how your state legislature is handling public education, health care, the economy, and more? Want to know when legislative committees meet? Stay up to date—and learn how to best lobby your elected officials—with the #ARleg Update, State Senator Greg Leding’s (Fayetteville) newsletter.
Got like-minded friends in Benton County that might be interested in this newsletter? Send them this LINK and ask them to sign up!
And yes, Vote and Run
I’m sorry to have to mention voting and elections so quickly, but the next elections are already here:
Runoff Elections! If you live in any of the following municipalities, you will have the opportunity to vote in a runoff on Dec. 3rd to determine the final makeup of your city council: Bella Vista, Centerton, Pea Ridge, Rogers and Siloam Springs (I’ll send a special email out about these races closer to early voting)
Spring School Board Elections - Filing for the spring 2025 elections will be coming in February. Known positions up for election: Decatur Zone 1, Gentry Zone 1, Gravette Zone 2 and Zone 4, Pea Ridge Zone 2, Rogers Zone 3 and Zone 5, and Siloam Springs Zone 5. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about running for one of these positions, please reach out!
2026 - The time is NOW to start thinking about running for office in 2026. If you would like to have a conversation about the elected positions available and the steps to take to run for office in Arkansas, email me!