Author | Lightnews

Amanda McCellon

@amandamccellon.bsky.social

2.1K followers 1.3K following 300 posts

Oklahoma. Change facilitator. Community builder. Thought leader. Civic Engagement Consultant. https://linktr.ee/amandamccellon

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Jul 3

New drop: For anyone who’s ever said “I want to help, but I don’t know where to start.”
I got you. And I made it printable.
#organizing #bluedot #oklahoma #civicengagement

NEW: The Blue Dot Local Action Toolkit is Here

A hands-on, ready-to-use resource for taking local action. No matter how red your state is.

amandamccellon.substack.com

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 3d

Red towns flip blue when the relationships get deeper than the outrage. We don't just resist - we root. That's how movements grow.
That's how social capital becomes policy change.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 4d

Your local action inspires others.

When you show up, speak out, and organize, it's contagious. Be the spark. Your one action might be someone else's permission to get involved too. That's how movements grow.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 6d

“Why does nothing ever change here?”

Because power stays in the hands of the connected. Let’s build our connection. Meet your people. Organize. Social capital is the currency of community change.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 8d

We love to say “all politics is local,” but then ignore school boards, city councils, & county commissions like they’re side quests.

Spoiler: they’re not.

They’re the whole game board.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 9d

Developers show up at city hall in suits. You can show up in sweatpants. Democracy has no dress code.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 15d

We keep waiting for “someone” to fix things.

Newsflash: YOU are someone.

And local government is where your power actually scales. Show up. Speak up. Repeat.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 16d

Local government isn’t sexy until you realize it’s basically controlling your dating pool, commute, and grocery store prices.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 22d

You don’t need permission to care. You don’t need credentials to lead. And you sure as hell don’t need to wait for someone else to fix it.

Start where you are. With what you have.

Change grows locally. Let’s plant some seeds.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 24d

You’re not “just” a citizen. You’re a stakeholder. A voice. A force. When you know how the system works, you stop asking for change and start creating it.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 25d

You don’t need a degree in poli-sci to care about potholes, school lunches, or library hours.

Local politics is personal. If it affects you, you belong in the conversation.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 26d

Want to know who has the most power locally?

The person who never misses a meeting.

Consistency builds credibility - and credibility is power.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 27d

We keep talking about “building movements.” But what if we built relationships instead?

Start with a block party. A school supply drive. A Facebook group for your precinct.

Political change starts with community trust. That’s social capital.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 28d

The “power vacuum” people complain about in their community?

It’s usually just empty seats at the table.

Fill one. Bring friends. That’s how policy shifts.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 29d

If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.

The time for civic engagement is now.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Oct 2

Social capital is just a fancy term for “who’s got your back.” Start building your army of +1s now.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Oct 1

A public comment period is not a formality. It’s a chance to get your words on the record. Use it.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 30

Democracy is not DoorDash. You don’t get change delivered. You get it by showing up, speaking up, and backing it up.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 29

You don’t need to run for Congress to change lives.

You need 5 friends at a zoning meeting.

That’s how you stop the bad projects and greenlight the good ones.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 28

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport.

It’s a contact sport. It’s time to get in the game.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 25

eople tell me: “Local government feels too complicated.”

It’s not - it’s just deliberately hidden behind jargon and procedure.

I translate it, simplify it, and teach you how to use it. Because knowledge is power.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 23

“Nothing ever changes.” Buddy, your mayor approves multimillion-dollar budgets every year. That’s change - you just weren’t in the room.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 21

City government isn’t a side note to democracy.

It’s the main stage where your daily life is decided.

If you want to make change, start local.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 20

If you think your city council is boring, congratulations - you’ve fallen for their greatest PR trick.

Reposted by Amanda McCellon

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · Sep 19

Folks, you can't report the United States to its manager. There's no superhero coming to save us.

We don't need one giant act of heroism. We need millions of small acts of solidarity. Help one person in your community for nothing in return. Then, do it again. And again.

That's the revolution.

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Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 19

Local politics isn’t boring.
It’s personal. It’s your rent, your park, your school, your neighborhood safety.
And once you understand how it works, you realize: you have way more power than they want you to think.

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