Republicans just don’t care. How to map the millions of families they’re about to make homeless during a pandemic.
Coronavirus,Coronavirus Relief Bills,Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits,Covid-19,Story Map,Unemployment Benefits,Video Story Telling
Republican senators are blocking unemployment benefits for millions of Americans devastated by the Coronavirus.
This will make millions of Americans homeless and cause more deaths. How can the scope of this danger be explained? How can people demand better from their elected officials?
- Where is there the most poverty in America?
- Where is the greatest need for affordable housing?
- Why are Black and Hispanic communities hurt the most by the pandemic?
- What is the HEROES ACT? What relief measures should be passed?
- How are landlords exploiting the situation by evicting poor tenants?
- What can people do to change the system and hold incompetent leaders accountable?
StoryMaps simplify issues and encourage readers to act. The "Republicans don't care" StoryMap explains: "When politicians care more about themselves than the public, it is time to vote them out. And the best way to do that during a pandemic is to vote by mail."
What is a StoryMap?
StoryMaps is a free esri app designed to make it easy to tell a visual, interactive story. A story can include text, images, maps and videos. Stories can be shared through a link and can be updated at any time with new information. StoryMaps shows well on phones, tablets and laptops. Did I mention that the app is free? Here are six DemLabs StoryMaps on social justice, reporting voter suppression and advocating for women's rights.
Respect - Advocating voting for Pro-Choice candidates in the aftermath of Justice Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. This StoryMap was featured in Newsweek and The Verge.
Environmental Racism - Support Virginia activists protesting Dominion Energy building a dangerous fracking plant in a poor Black county.
See Something, Say Something - Real time reporting of incidents of voter suppression during the mid-term elections. This StoryMap was featured in the NBC Election War Room and on Samantha Bee.
Jon Tester - Featuring Senator Tester's accomplishments in Montana before the 2018 elections.
Stop The Madness - Advocating for sensible gun policies and featuring Mom's Demand Action and Sandy Hook Promise.
Let Seniors Vote - Protesting why polling locations at minority senior centers in Virginia were being shut down making it harder to vote.
Takeaway: Story telling matters.
Make your appeal simple, visual and engaging. Use the free StoryMaps app.
Contact us for pro bono help to create StoryMaps on voting rights, social justice and civil rights.
Deepak
Democracy Labs
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The pandemic has devastated gig workers. No unemployment insurance. No health insurance. Unsafe working conditions. How can gig workers organize to demand their rights when they...
Pandemic-Mode Voter Suppression
"Wisconsin's holding of a primary during a pandemic is just the latest example of Republicans’ naked bid to keep power at all costs." - The Guardian The story...
Teach Your Children Well – At Home With These Free Apps And Games
[caption id="attachment_2288" align="aligncenter" width="548"] Image: Inspired Teaching[/caption] Free home education apps and resources to teach their children how to cope with pandemic induced anxiety. Resources created...
Is Coronavirus Testing Really Color Blind?
[caption id="attachment_2285" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image: Eddie Murphy "White Like Me" on SNL[/caption] How evenly are different ethnic groups being tested for the Coronavirus? Mothers of Hope is a...
Poor People’s VA Campaign Offers Local Coronavirus Newsfeed
How does a grassroots group with little funding keep locals informed of dangers and resources during a pandemic? How can vital information be quickly collected and...
Groups Connect Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donors With Healthcare Providers.
Healthcare workers should not have to fear for lives because they lack personal protective equipment (PPE). These groups connect donors with workers to get them the equipment they need...
Vote by Mail. Leave No Voter Behind.
Voting by mail has worked well for years, but will be especially important in this pandemic. But how do voters without a computer or internet access...
Crowdsourced Infomap Helps Idaho Communities Prepare For Coronavirus
Accurate, timely information is valuable - especially while you're preparing for a pandemic. Which stores have supplies you need? Which facilities open? Which offices are open at different times?...
Coronavirus Guide. Mobile Training Delivered By Voice And Text.
Coronavirus safety training now available freely by phone. How can safety recommendations be shared with hard-to-contact groups in the middle of a pandemic? Technology designed to...
How Many Coronavirus Tests Has Your State Conducted?
"Testing is a key tool in limiting the spread of coronavirus. You need to know who has contracted the virus so those people can be isolated, and...
Bots Push To Overturn Roe V Wade Decision
Image adapted from Handmaid's Tale & Terminator Protests rage as the Supreme Court reviews a case that could could 'render protections by Roe v Wade meaningless'. How are...
Coronavirus Atlas Map US Cases, Safety Tips And Official Response.
There are facts - and 'alternative facts'. A means to find the truth is needed when alternate facts put lives at risks. Coronavirus Atlas is a free app created...
Group Uses Personal Video Testimonials To Encourage Use Of Vote-By-Mail Ballots.
Photo by Qim Manifester on Unsplash Make your videos more persuasive with personal testimonials. Video testimonials work but collecting them has been difficult for groups with limited time, money...
Activists Use GIFs To Demand Funding For CDC To Fight Coronavirus
Reach more people, faster and for less money with a GIF. GIFs are just seconds long but get your message heard. They play automatically and engage viewers immediately....
Drive To Get Out The Vote.
People lose their vote when it's hard for them to get to the polls. The elderly, disabled and low income voters in rural areas suffer the most. How can...
Build Or Buy Campaign Software?
Elections have consequences. So do budget cuts. Mobilize voters on the issues that matter to them. People care when public safety is jeopardized by CDC funding cuts that limit...
Five Free Apps For Better Canvassing
Trying to find the right campaign app when you're tight on money and not tech savvy? Checkout the DemLabs site with over 110 solutions and Solution Guides like the one...
The Beginner’s Guide To Running A Low-Budget, Geo-Targeted Political Ad Campaign.
Reach voters on their phones even if you don't have their phone numbers with geo-targeting. Tips on running a smart, frugal campaign. Background "Bhuwan Pyakurel is running...
Map The Battlefield, Before You Launch Your Campaign.
Activists fight with limited resources against well funded political incumbents. They have to pick their targets strategically. Good mapping software can be the equalizer. Which incumbents...
The Iowa Caucuses: Analyzing What, Where And When The Candidates Doing?
Campaigns have to make the most of limited time, money and staff. What events should be held? Where? When? What are the other campaigns doing? Software...
Persuasion To Go. Voting Rights Group Uses Billboards To Get Out The Vote In North Carolina.
Billboards work. They're persuasive and cost effective. Here's how Center For Common Ground used billboards in North Carolina-3 to increase voter turnout in the recent special election. Results Cost of billboard...
Lessons From Black Voters Matter Geofenced Get-Out-The-Vote Mobile Ad Campaign In NC.
Geofenced mobile ads reach more people with better precision for less. Black Voters Matter campaign in North Carolina's special election put the approach to good use. African American voters are important voting...
Grassroots Group Harnesses Consumer Spending To Local Businesses Supporting The Community.
Money talks. And it walks. Every purchase is a vote of support for that business. A consumer boycott is a vote against firms that live off the community but give back little in...
Multimedia App Explains Money At Play In Blocking Gun Control Reform.
Short TV segments don't explain complex issues well. How can sustained public support for gun control be built, when mass shootings are soon forgotten and politicians obfuscate? It's not...
How To Enrich The Voter File With Other Data Sources For Better Results.
Use the best tool(s) available. It's no different in campaigns. Enrich the Voter File with other data sources for better results. Smarter targeting and canvassing. Better results in fund raising and finding unregistered voters....
Western Native Voice Uses Free App To Organize Native American Communities.
Organizing Native American communities is challenging. Tribal lands span hundreds of square miles often without internet or cell coverage. Community members often use mailboxes instead of a street address which...
Think Outside The (Mail)Box. Virginia Candidate Uses Voter File For Targeted Mobile Ad Campaign.
People respond more to their phones than letters. It's time for campaigns to think outside the (mail)box. An insurgent campaign in Virginia is innovating to try to unseat the incumbent...
New Map Highlights ‘Hard To Count’ Communities That May Be Left Out Of The Census.
The 2020 census will be different. It's counting on more people to complete census questionnaires online to reduce the need for field workers. This hurts communities without dependable internet access,...
Free canvassing app for voter registration & census turnout – works without internet access.
Many rural communities suffer from a lack of connectivity. It's harder to stay informed, benefit from online services, locate polling locations, vote and take part in the census. Organizers struggle to reach...
Virginia Candidates Create Issue-Specific Campaign Videos With Free, Innovative App.
"There is an 80% increase in the time spent on watching videos ... 45% of the people surveyed in North America said they expect to watch even more videos on...
Target ads with geographic info on people’s movements and the places they’ve visited.
Farmers use digital tags to monitor their livestock. Advertisers have it easier. People voluntarily carry tags that constantly report their position and activity: mobile phones. Geomarketing Personal...
They only listen to their own voters. Use geocoding to mobilize better and focus supporters’ energy.
Elected officials only listen to their own voters. So it's essential for campaigns need to direct their supporters to lobby the right official. How can this be done with shifting...
Let Voters Tell You Directly What They Care About With Real-Time Crowdsourcing.
Sean Frame is running for Congress in CA-4 against a well funded incumbent. He's trying a new way to engage voters and raise funds. He is asking...
Two Free Mapping Apps To Better Target Campaigns
Winning campaigns want to focus their resources and efforts to maximize impact. The challenge is where to focus for the most votes and what issues to emphasize?...
How To Find And Mobilize Voters With Geo-Fenced Mobile Ads
Where and when someone goes reveals a lot about them. Savvy marketers use these clues to target their ads. Mobile apps report their user's location so they can get a...
2020 Census: Let’s count everyone.
Who do you trust for advice? Probably someone you already know who shares your values and concerns. How can such trust encourage more people to take part...
A smart way to find addresses of people to persuade.
Ready. Aim. Fire. Accurate targeting matters. That's why businesses spend billions for the best data to target their outreach. It's the same with campaigns: data quality will determine...
Free resource to locate potential swing voters (and more)
Finding swing voters is hard. Locating people with specific traits, has typically required money, time and technical skills - putting it out of the reach of...
Speaking truth to power – Through digital storytelling.
Powerful corporations hire marketing experts and lobbyists to push their agenda. How does a small community group get the truth heard in such an uneven fight? Here is an...
Micro Target Your Canvassers
Uber does it. Lyft does it. Send drivers to where there's known demand - rather than going to the same old locations as many cabs do. It's...
Micro-targeting made simple
"GoFundMe raises thousands to place billboard of Trump's anti-Cruz tweet in Texas". Where exactly should you place a billboard to reach the people you want to target? Companies...
Where’s my prescription?
"An Arizona women was suffering a miscarriage and her pharmacist refused to fill her prescription because he decided that his beliefs were more important than what she and...
Join The Search Party For Fifty Million Unregistered Voters
There are FIFTY million unregistered voters in America! The number of voters is being threatened with voter roll purges and restrictive voter ID policies. Every single...
3 creative ways people are using our zoom tools
Life hacks have turned digital. Now that virtual meetings are the norm, people are finding ways to innovate and get creative while presenting, fundraising, or performing...
