Since joining Democrats Abroad, the question I’m asked most by those outside the organization is: “Why do you spend so much time working on political issues?”

I suspect it may not be a simple answer for many of us. Our motivations “to fight the good fight” typically share some fundamental roots: the values we internalize over our lifetimes; the reflections of our experiences—good, bad, personal and observed; and our hopes regarding who we want to be and how we intend to live our lives.

I hope you will consider how to be your most engaged and determined self, finding ways to sustain yourself and your community over the coming critical months leading up to the midterms. Your ideas and work can make a critical difference for all Americans and, indeed, for all of our friends and neighbors across the globe. 

For some of us, this is just part of our identity—how we see ourselves as human beings. It is the belief system that creates in us a moral obligation to establish, strengthen, and defend basic rights and freedoms. We seek justice and equality because it resonates with the fiber of our beings. This belief system can act as a filter through which we stay true to whom we believe we are at our core. Protecting and confirming that identity is a strong driver for political and other social engagement.

Advocacy from one or a few people can inspire the fight in others. This is where we see the foundation of movements for change and the establishment of community among those in a given movement. Advocacy can spread like dandelion seeds in the wind, and it is our belief system and moral compass that lets us know if that’s a good or a bad thing. Serving as a leader can strengthen our own sense of self and commitment to the work. It can build our ability to compensate for the challenges we face and help us find creative responses.  It can provide us with the comfort and support of the community with which we strive for change. I strongly encourage all of our members to consider exercising their own leadership abilities within the caucus and elsewhere, in whatever ways are comfortable, on behalf of the community-at-large of people with disabilities.

Oftentimes, our advocacy efforts arise from the experience or observation of oppression, hatred, or injustice. Our actions against discrimination or tyranny can be empowering acts that build stronger confidence in our strength and power.

We may see the need for social justice and opt to fight for marginalized communities or address systemic injustices. Likewise, we may become fighters for progress, consistent with our beliefs, which will lead to societal improvement, sustainability, or innovation.

Fighting as an advocate can arise from a desire to “make a difference,” sometimes simply to leave the world a better place through our efforts and sometimes to “make our mark,” either for its own sake or to collect a karmic chip for the future. It can also serve to protect rights, practices, beliefs, or protections with which we strongly identify.

It must be said that, for many, a political battle can provide a personally fulfilling experience simply because of the belonging we feel in the community with which we struggle for what is right. It can also create a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment, the need for which can wax and wane over different periods in our lives but should be revivable in times of urgency.

From making phone calls to sitting down in a protest, every decision we make can help bring about a better world. It can also help us find the way to understand and fulfill ourselves and be part of a community of like-minded individuals who not only work for themselves but also work to support each other.

I encourage you to find a bit of time to explore your  place and reasons for participating in the great battle we have facing us over the next 6–7 months. There is such an enormous and frightening list of threats facing us and such a complicated and chaotic  set of challenges to overcome in sustaining this fight. While we can say that Republicans, including their leader, are their own worst enemies, we cannot assume for a second that the intricacies of our political process can’t work against us.  The fight is mandatory and the results will have long-lasting implications.

I hope you will consider what you need to say and/or do as your most engaged and determined self and will find ways to sustain yourself and your community over the coming months. Your ideas and work can make THE critical difference for all Americans and, indeed, for all of our friends and neighbors across the globe.