Feel Good Friday - Fair Elections Center

With so much at stake in the 2026 midterms, and Election Day this Tuesday, November 3rd, I'm spotlighting another voting-related organization. Time to learn more about Fair Elections Center.

Founded in 2006 as the Fair Elections Legal Network and headquartered in Washington, D.C., Fair Elections Center is "a non-partisan organization dedicated to safeguarding the future of our democracy through innovative efforts focused on voting rights and civic engagement." Their vision is "a civic ecosystem where all people can easily and freely participate in our democracy and where this participation is actively supported and valued by our local communities, institutions and government."

Their work happens through three programs. The Voting Rights Project uncovers under-the-radar violations of the right to vote, sues to enforce federal and state law, and pushes for court orders that stop election officials from treating similar eligible voters differently. Campus Vote Project partners with colleges, faculty, students and election officials to reduce barriers to student voting, including through the Voter Friendly Campus designation. The Work Elections Project gathers poll worker requirements, pay rates and applications for thousands of jurisdictions in one place, making it easier to serve at the polls.

The reach is big. Campus Vote Project now includes more than 360 colleges and universities across 41 states, serving over 4.6 million students. In 2020 alone, Power the Polls, co-founded by Fair Elections Center, helped 700,000 people apply to be poll workers!

With Tuesday around the corner, their 2026 Election Survival Guide, which they update regularly, is a great place to start. It covers how to make a plan to vote, know your rights at the polls and make sure your mail-in ballot counts. Their state voter guides lay out the rules where you live.

The best way to support Fair Elections Center and the work they do is to vote. You can also make a donation, shop Campus Vote Project merchandise and/or sign up to be a poll worker. Don’t forget to amplify their message on social media. Follow Fair Elections Center on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and share their election resources with your network.

Happy voting! 

Feel Good Friday - U.S. Vote Foundation

Election Day is November 3, just 11 days away, so this week I'm featuring U.S. Vote Foundation.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the mission of U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote) is "Every Citizen is a Voter." The goal is open access to voter information so every citizen can easily take part in democracy. It began as Overseas Vote, helping Americans abroad cast ballots, and now serves domestic, overseas and military voters alike.

Voting rules differ across all 50 states and more than 7,900 local election offices, resulting in many people who want to vote feeling unsure how, where or when to do it.

US Vote's free, nonpartisan website clears up that confusion. The Am I Registered? tool sends you straight to your official state lookup. The site also produces state-specific absentee ballot request forms and lists your local election office and key dates and deadlines. The Voter Journey Map turns your situation into a personalized how-to-vote checklist and the Voter Help Desk answers individual voting questions. Overseas Vote offers the same help to citizens abroad and military families.

US Vote has had a big impact. In 2024, 5.6 million voters were welcomed on its websites, nearly double the number in 2020! Through five presidential elections, US Vote and Overseas Vote have helped tens of millions of voters figure out the how, where and when of voting. Its civic data is also licensed to more than 50 organizations, including the League of Women Voters and the U.S. Postal Service.

With Election Day close, here's how US Vote can help. If you're voting by mail, check the Ballot Return Options chart for your state, then track your ballot with Where's My Ballot?. If you're heading to the polls, use the Polling Place Finder and review your state's voter ID rules.

Sharing these tools with a friend who has questions is one way you can support US Vote, and there are many others. You can make a donation, become a monthly Foundation Member, and amplify their message on social media. Follow US Vote on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube and share their voter tools with your network.

Happy voting!

Feel Good Friday - Esperanza United

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to support survivors and the advocates standing beside them, which is why I'm featuring Esperanza United.

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, the mission of Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza) is "to mobilize Latinas and Latin@ communities to end gender-based violence." Their vision is "for Latinas, their families, and communities throughout the world to recognize gender-based violence and act to end it by creating communities rooted in honor and respect." The @ in Latin@ is intentional, recognizing the contributions of the entire community.

It all began as an emergency shelter created by a small group of persevering Latinas. Today, Esperanza United's family advocacy in the Twin Cities includes emergency shelter, community-based advocacy, and a 24/7 bilingual crisis line, meeting survivors where they are.

One in three women in the United States experiences domestic violence in their lifetime. That rate is similar across most groups, but the solutions are not, which is why Esperanza United grounds its work in the Latina Advocacy Framework to help Latin@ survivors gain greater safety, connectedness, and self-sufficiency.

On the prevention side, Fuerza Unida Amig@s brings youth, women, men, and gender non-conforming folks together for leadership training and community action projects. Their national campaign, Decimos NO MÁS, gives parents a toolkit for talking with their children about healthy relationships. Esperanza United also provides training, research, and policy advocacy for organizations nationwide.

In fiscal year 2025, Esperanza United delivered 43 trainings that reached nearly 3,500 people, brought culturally relevant approaches to advocates and communities across 20 states and Puerto Rico, and disbursed nearly $12 million in multi-year grants to 30 culturally specific organizations! You can read the full impact report here.

Making a donation is one way you can support Esperanza United, you can also amplify their message on social media. Follow Esperanza United on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube and share stories of their work.

Finally, if you or anyone you know needs help, or wants to chat with an advocate, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Standing with survivors this Domestic Violence Awareness Month.