Americans of Conscience Checklist

Turning bad news into positive action

No matter your political stripe, Americans are good, generous people who pull together in a pinch. Katrina. New York. Sandy Hook. When the chips are down, we look out for each other.

Now is no different.

Get the weekly Americans of Conscience Checklist .

After the election…

Like many Americans, I grew concerned for my rights—like the right to free speech, the right to be married to my wife, to dissent, and to privacy.

Even more, I grew worried for my Latino friends, my Muslim friends, my Black friends, and my gay sisters and brothers—especially as acts of violence and harassment increase.

For weeks, I honestly didn’t want to get out of bed. But then…

I turned bad news into positive action

My first list of actions was shared on Facebook over 1,600 times. I call it the Americans of Conscience Checklist. It helped me get involved.

So can you.

In the Americans of Conscience Checklist , you get…

Clear, well-researched actions in support of:
- Democracy and Constitutional freedoms
- Voting access
- Equality for all Americans
- Respectful treatment of people who immigrate to the US
Acts of Gratitude to praise elected officials when they do something good for all people, no matter which side of the aisle.
Good News about our democracy and people doing kind things for each other.
A short reading list of quality articles.

Actions + hope = perseverance.

The AoC checklist helps you…

Feel more encouraged and less overwhelmed.
Tune out the noise and focus on what really matters.
Take action easily.
Make a difference even when you’re busy.
Feel purposeful and a little more at ease.
Continue engaging with your democracy for the long run.

What’s not in the Checklist (this is important)

No partisan b.s., name-calling, or insults.
No exclamation marks or yelling.
No vilifying.
No conspiracy theories.
No scary hype.

We have enough polarization. There’s no need to add to it.

A word to Republican friends

You are not the enemy. You’re a fellow American concerned about the direction of our country. We have that in common.

Conservatives like Susan Collins, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and other Republicans are publicly opposing unethical decisions in spite of pressure to conform. This takes courage.

If you believe that we’re Americans first and party second, your voice is more needed than ever.

Here’s what one subscriber said:

“My spouse and I have started to sit down with a drink in the evening once a week and make all the calls on your list and then some extra ones. You are creating a lot of hope with this tool. Thank you so very much!”

Another…

You know, each week when your checklist shows up in my inbox, I feel better. I am completely exhausted by the daily onslaught, but when your list comes on Sunday, I know it’s going to be OK. There are so many good people standing up. Thank you for being such a steady source of YES WE CAN.

And a note from a Republican friend…

I am so proud of Jen and her bipartisan political efforts. She puts a lot of time and effort into having everyone with a conscience work together for a better world. I really admire her openness and patience. She has a special talent of listening to everyone’s feelings without being judgmental and finding common ground.

About the editor

I’m Jen Hofmann, a writer of blogs and teacher of social media for small business. As an introvert with a people-pleasing bent, I’m the least likely person to be creating this checklist. I detest politics, but I can’t sit back and watch our freedoms erode. Democracy matters. I believe in the power of people and our voices. Creating this checklist is my passion.

Praise for the Americans of Conscience Checklist

This is grade-A stuff. And I’m a librarian. So you know you are GOOD! Seriously, thank you!

I can’t thank you enough for this action plan. I will do all the actions, but as a senior I am not very savvy in collecting all the info. You are making a huge difference. Thanks again.

Holy shit this is amazing! Now THIS is how Nasty Women GSD!

Here’s what to expect:

Weekly actions: You get an email every Sunday with specific actions to take—backed by good research. We take a week off for rest the 4th Sunday.
Only weekly actions: Your email address will never be shared, sold, rented, or distributed for any reason ever. It is used only for the purpose of sending you the checklist.
Permission to share: You are free to share, forward, retweet, or distribute the information the email contains. A “hat tip” is appreciated.
Fee-free: You receive the checklist at no cost. I do this because I love it and want to make a difference. If you would like to support my work, it covers the cost of subscriptions, writing time, and the service that sends out your email. This is completely optional and not required.