After 2016, volunteer Elizabeth Chur realized it’s up to ordinary citizens to protect our democracy. She started learning Spanish, began phone banking, and canvassed in California’s Central Valley, home to some of the nation’s most contested swing districts. By talking with over 1,000 people, she discovered how to forge meaningful connections with the hardest-to-reach voters, including:
· Young people
· Latinos
· People who say, “I don’t vote.”
Filled with uplifting stories and practical tips, this inspiring book helps you earn people’s trust – and their votes. It demonstrates how taking positive action builds community and creates hope. Whether you’re a first-time volunteer or seasoned activist, The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers shows you how to engage more effectively with voters and win elections.
Elizabeth Chur is a Swing Left San Francisco volunteer and freelance medical writer. She has trained more than 2,500 volunteers nationally through three acclaimed workshops – Phone Bank and Canvassing Training for Introverts (& Friends), Spanish for Activists, and You and the 34%: How to Have Meaningful Conversations with High-Potential Voters. A former journalist and documentary radio producer, she studied development of free press in Eastern Europe as a Thomas J. Watson fellow, and was part of a UC Berkeley team that won a George Polk Award for their radio documentary, “Reports from a Warming Planet.” She has also worked in homeless services and arts administration. She is a graduate of Oberlin College and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.