Use When
Incumbents try to overturn certified election results or block a lawful transfer of power.
Emergency decrees impose blanket protest bans and curfews.
Police coordinate with employers to break strikes and blacklist organizers.
Instructions
- 1
Identify the bill, key decision-makers, and relevant news articles to reference for context.
- 2
Verify the newspaper’s specific word limits, deadlines, and submission requirements on their website.
- 3
Write a concise paragraph with your position, one story, one fact, and a request.
- 4
Keep your language firm, factual, and respectful to ensure your letter is credible.
- 5
Collaborate with allies to send diverse letters from different perspectives during one news cycle.
- 6
Share published letters on social media and directly with legislators to increase visibility.
- 7
Track all published content and thank the outlet to foster future media coverage.
Historic Parallels
- California, 2008, advocates for menu‑labelling laws combined research with letters to build public backing for statewide calorie-labeling legislation.
- New Bedford, Massachusetts, 2014, campaigners for the Community Preservation Act used letters to the editor alongside meetings and ads.
- Juneau, Alaska, 2010s, residents opposing damaging budget changes shared personal stories through op‑eds and letters to the editor.
California, 2008, advocates for menu‑labelling laws combined research with letters to build public backing for statewide calorie-labeling legislation.Modern Examples
- Coordinated parent, student, and teacher speakers deliver linked three-minute remarks with a single, specific ask and a QR to evidence.
- Data-rich visuals and FOIA excerpts are submitted in writing while livestream clips are posted the same night.
- Coalitions rotate speakers across meetings, seed local media with quotes, and publish follow-up scorecards on board responses.
Participants
Individual
Yes
5–15 people, including directly affected residents, a subject‑matter researcher or fact‑checker, a coordinator tracking which papers receive which letters, and a few volunteers focused on follow‑up with legislators and community groups.
Helpful Materials
- A computer or tablet
- Letter templates
- A contact list for local reporters
- A campaign one‑pager
References
- Gene Sharp, The Methods of Nonviolent Action, 1973
- American Civil Liberties Union, Letters to the Editor: How To Write Them and Why They Work, 2004
- Community Tool Box (University of Kansas), Writing Letters to the Editor, 2025
- League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa, Write a Letter to the Editor, 2025
- Michael Beer, Civil Resistance Tactics in the 21st Century, 2021
- PEN America, Online Harassment Field Manual, 2023
Use of Action Playbook educational materials must adhere with Unruled Masses’ Terms of Service.
Stay Nonviolent. Coordinate Strategically. Take Back Your Power.