We’re doing a thing!!
Back in March or April, before the March for Science, I joined forces with a group of people who have become some of my favorites. We became the Renegades for Science.
We organized a Pub Crawl for Science after the March for Science. That was definitely a success. This event gave folks the opportunity to continue the conversation about evidence-based policy in our government and what we’ll do to help ensure that in the future. And of course, we did so over the course of many tasty brews at a number of locations in downtown St. Pete.
We’ve been pretty quiet since then, with just one event (Snacks and Science) held between the March and now.
The St. Pete elections have given us another point of focus. In July, we are hosting a series of events called Pints & Politics. We’ve invited the candidates for the different City Council races, and we’re inviting the candidates for the mayoral race, to a Q&A session at local pubs and breweries within each voting district.
It’s my perception that politicians, even local ones, have taken on celebrity status. We feel honored to meet them when we are out and about. Maybe we want their autograph or their picture. The reality is they are citizens just like us. They aren’t people who should be viewed on high!
With Pints & Politics, we want our candidates to be relatable and human, to try and get more people to the voting booths in August (for the primaries) and November (for the general election). We’re hoping getting more people involved at the local level will trickle up.
Many people don’t vote because they don’t think it will matter. But what if you can put a face with a name? What if you sat down and had a beer with your representatives or potential representatives? Our political climate might look a little different all the way around.
Too, we are just a bunch of Regular Joe’s. We’ve had to put work into these events, sure. But did we have to twist arms to get the City Council Candidates to come to our event? Nope. They’ve been happy to be invited. Have we had to pay hundreds of dollars to the venues to hold space? Nope. We’ve been letting them know we’re coming and that we’d like to have some space. The places have been extremely friendly and accommodating.
My point with this is, you could plan something like this in your neck of the woods. Get to know your local politicians and your fellow citizens. Obviously the event doesn’t have to be at a bar. Maybe a coffee shop or even a local park.
I’m excited about these events. I know they aren’t the most serious considering some of the deep, heavy stuff going on in our country and around the world. But it’s something positive. And we’re doing something. That’s better than doing nothing at all.
If you are in the St. Pete area, I hope to see you at one of our events!!