Civic Engagement at ThinkShout

By Lev •

One of the defining characteristics of the ThinkShout team is our desire to use business as a force for good. It’s what inspires the team, drives our B Corp status, and draws clients and partners who share our values.

This fall, there are many events taking place around the world that demand our attention and efforts, from the war in Syria to the drumbeat of concerns about climate change. But none, perhaps, combines the urgency and importance of the upcoming United States election, which will have a major impact on those issues and much, much, more. Luckily, unlike many of those other concerns, this one is easy to get involved in and have a direct impact.

ThinkShout is proud to support our team spending up to a half day on various civic engagement efforts. Some quotes and actions taken by the team:

  • “I spent the afternoon with a colleague knocking on doors of registered voters. With the election right around the corner, it felt good to encourage my community to rock the vote – not only for the presidency, but down the ballot as well. It really is the boots-on-the-ground, face-to-face interactions that make all the difference during election seasons.”

  • “I called potential volunteers for Basic Rights Oregon to help elect their endorsed candidates who all support LGBTQ rights. I really appreciated that ThinkShout made this time available for us, because it’s hard to find time to do all the volunteering I’d like to do on the evenings and weekends. This has been one of the most demoralizing elections I’ve seen, and it really helps to take action to do something positive in our local community. For the Democratic Party canvassing, I went in a group with three other ThinkShout team members, which was a great team-building experience. Everyone that I talked to, both canvassing and phone banking, was responsive and supportive. I felt like I made a difference and ThinkShout made it possible.”

  • “I’m launching a project this week called Hold Up, Bruh. that encourages men to talk about and challenge behavior that leads to sexual assault. Seeing what’s become of our politics lately, I think it’s important for men specifically to take a stand on sexual harassment and sexual assault. All proceeds of the projects, which will eventually include t-shirt sales, will go directly to rainn.org.”

  • “My favorite part of knocking on doors to help a political campaign is feeling more connected to my community. People seem to appreciate that you are trying to help and are enthusiastic to show their support. While Portland is full of many like-minded folks, even in more mixed political areas I’ve always found people to be friendly and happy to share their thoughts. It makes you feel proud of our democratic process and the kindness of strangers.”

I am honored to be able to work with a group of individuals so willing to dedicate themselves to making the world a better place. The least that ThinkShout can do is stay true to its values and leverage the business to have a positive impact, however small.

I’ve heard it said that Democracy is a participatory sport. Go get in the game while you can!