Florida UUs! Want to send a message to your U.S. Representative about issues that are important to you? Host a Write Here! Write Now! letter-writing table and ​ ​ tell your U.S. Representative what’s on your mind Floridians -- it’s a New Congress with New Opportunities to tell returning and five new U.S. Representatives in Washington - that’s nearly 20% of the state’s delegation - what’s on your mind. These new and returning U.S. Representatives need to hear from us. The new Congress ​ represents a “fresh start” for our advocacy efforts. New U.S. House of Representative Florida Members: Michael Waltz (R FL-6); Ross Spano (R FL-15); Greg ​ Steube (R FL-17); Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D FL-26); Donna Shalala (D FL-27). Americans are tired of partisan strife and dysfunctional government. The nation needs a Congress that takes bipartisan action and uses the democratic process to address the challenges that confront us as a people and as a nation. Tell members to seek bipartisan solutions to pressing issues UUs care about. ​ Write letter to your Representatives and the UUs for Social Justice (UUSJ) Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps, in ​ ​ Washington, D.C. will deliver them directly to offices on February 12. The Advocacy Corps will visit new and returning members and new committee and subcommittee leadership. That’s why it’s the perfect time for us to ​ take our UU values and UU wishes for the nation to Capitol Hill. UUSJ invites you and your congregation’s participation in its monthly nationwide Write Here! Write Now! ​ letter-writing campaign to raise UU voices on Capitol Hill on important social justice issues. ​ The UUSJ Advocacy Corps takes the UU voice to Capitol Hill EVERY MONTH! What’s important to you and your congregation - immigration? Keeping healthcare affordable and accessible? Rising sea levels? Protecting voting rights? Other issues? We encourage you or your congregation, issue or ​ ​ youth groups to discuss and identify a social justice issue or concern to write about. If you’re not sure what ​ to write about, consider UUSJ’s priority issues (immigration reform, escalating economic inequity, environmental ​ and climate justice, and Defending our Democracy) and use the 2018 Guide for Questions for Candidates for ​ ​ ​ questions to adapt. Exercise your democratic rights and connect with your member of Congress to share your hopes for the 116th ​ Congress. This is a great opportunity to teach children and youth about citizen engagement. Write as an individual or as a family. Ask your children to express their wishes for the country. Tell your personal story. Consider hosting a WHWN letter-writing event at your congregation (and become a monthly WHWN ​ partner). Download the UUSJ “Write Here! Write Now!” Letter-Writing Campaign Toolkit HERE to help organize a ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ letter-writing table. See our February WHWN 1-page handout HERE with Background, UU Grounding, Issue ​ ​ ​ ​ Ideas and a Sample Letter (forward widely and make copies for your writing tables). Deadline for delivery: All emailed letters must be received by 12 noon ET Feb. 11 to [email protected]. All ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ mailed letters must be received by Feb. 7 (call or email for address and further mailing details). ​ Questions? Contact [email protected]. Call/text Lavona at 703-786-5206. Visit our website www.uusj.org. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ UUSJ – Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice – is a community of UU congregations, UU affiliated organizations, and individuals working to create a peaceful, just and sustainable world. UU Justice Florida is a partner with UUSJ. .