RESULTS Weekly Update August 19, 2025
Quote of the Week
“All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you.”
— from Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
(Is this newsletter too long; didn’t read (TL;DR) the whole thing? Scroll to the bottom for the most important points or the “TL;DR”)
Action Matters: Building momentum, building power
“What kind of a difference am I making?”
“Does my voice still matter?”
In the current political climate, these questions are understandable and common. With things changing so rapidly, it’s difficult to feel effective in our advocacy. But our founder, Sam Daley-Harris, built the foundation of RESULTS on the idea of the trimtab. In simple terms, the trimtab of a ship, when moved, turns a rudder. Rudders turn the ship. And soon the ship of state moves in a new direction. YOU are the trimtab.
One thing remains true. Staying the course creates momentum, and drawing others into the movement builds power. We may not see immediate positive outcomes to our advocacy. But that does not mean it’s the end. Every call to a congressional office. Every lobby meeting. Every outreach moment. Every published letter. They all accrue, creating a gradual, gathering force that can set the stage for real breakthrough when we least expect it. It’s how you helped the House hold the line on global health appropriations for FY26. It’s how you helped stop the reconciliation bill from getting much worse. When you take a single action, you are making hope tangible. Others see that, and they are inspired to act. The movement grows. And soon things turn.
Take it from RESULTS Fellow Brandon Bond: “Being a RESULTS Fellow reminded me that people are neither powerless nor inadequate. This work is not just about resistance, it’s about reclaiming our agency, rest, and humanity. Together, we can design a future rooted in dignity, care, and possibility.”
Take it from RESULTS St. Louis advocate Cynthia Changyit Levin who (much to her shock and delight) is now 6-for-6 this month alone for published letters to the editor published. These letters are being read by hundreds of people. Who knows how many she is inspiring into action? (Read her sixth letter online.)
Take it from RESULTS West Virginia advocate Edith Martinez, who went to Capitol Hill as part of a powerful fly-in while the reconciliation bill was being debated. By leveraging local partnerships, she was able to bring 30 letters to each of her lobby meetings, each written by individuals or organizations sharing the impact of policy on everyday lives. As Edith said, “I believe that there’s hope and faith that the people in Congress are there to do the right thing. And I appeal to that human part that they still care for the people that they represent.”
When you advocate, you not only change policies and decisions, you change yourself. You are no longer just a witness to the ills of the world. You are now part of the solution. Speaking up is transformational. You are never the same person again.
Speak up with members of Congress. Make the most of these last two weeks of the August recess. When they go back to Washington, make sure your members of Congress know exactly what you want them to do. Contact scheduler now about getting a meeting. You can find updated background and action-taking materials on our Action and Allies page. Look for events where you can talk with your members of Congress (e.g. Labor Day parades). Create spaces for your community to hear about the impact of every voice on these issues. For meetings and events, you can find updated background and action-taking materials on our Action and Allies page, and please contact RESULTS staff to help you prepare.
Also, speak up in the media. See our website for letter to the editor templates you can use and share. Also, check out this fantastic resource, the Media and Democracy Project, which provides a list of independent media outlets to which you can submit letters. Support these newspapers with your letters. Help us reach 350 letters published by the end of the August recess.
Finally, speak up with others. Utilize our August action sheets as a centerpiece for a library or coffeehouse gathering to learn about the issues and take action. Don’t let the chorus grow silent. Tell Congress that the Child Tax Credit, Medicaid, and SNAP are vital tools for the empowerment of families all over the country. Tell them the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, still need our championing. Your advocacy for these solutions will strengthen democracy itself. You’re proving that government works best when it invests in people’s ability to succeed.
TL;DR (too long; didn’t read): Use our refreshed Action and Allies page to prepare for August recess meetings; check our website for letter-writing templates you can use to get published; share use our August action sheets to help others take action. And stay the course!
Quick Links: Action Center, Events Calendar, National Webinar recordings