Post-Election Wellness and Engagement Resources

The following resources are provided to support the BW community following the divisive 2020 election, compounded by impacts of COVID-19, continued efforts for racial equity, persistent economic challenges... and beyond. We recognize that our campus community (remote or in-person) remains a crucial space where dialogue, engagement, political action, and student activism are all in a pivotal moment. Below are resources to promote wellness, foster continued dialogue and highlight opportunities to stay engaged in ways that allow us to become more active citizens and contributors to civic life.

What's at Stake for Higher Education in the Election (Source: Chronicle of Higher Education)

2020 Election Center (Source: CIRLCE: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning + Engagement - Tufts University)

We Need to Talk. #HowWillYouTalk

How we talk about things matters. The divisive rhetoric of the current US presidential election and its expected aftermath have shown us that we must figure out how to talk—and listen—with civility and respect. These skills are vital to the health of civil society and the future of democracy. (Source: Facing History & Ourselves)

• Discussion strategies from Facing History & Ourselves
• Post-Election Resources for Educators (Source: Facing History & Ourselves)
• Fostering Civil Discourse: A Guide for Classroom Conversations (Source: Facing History & Ourselves)
• How to move forward after a divisive election (Source: Facing History & Ourselves)
• What's your story? The Great Thanksgiving Listen (Source: StoryCorps).      The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that empowers young people—and people of all ages—to create an oral history of the contemporary United States by recording an interview with an elder, mentor, friend, or someone they admire.
• NIFI Issue Guides (Source: National Issues Forums)
• NIFI's A House Divided – focused on dealing with the problem of partisanship
• Campus Compact Knowledge Hub (Source: Campus Compact)
• Living Room Conversation Guides – focused on "healing divides" (Source: Living Room Conversations)
• How Faculty Can Prepare to Handle the Post-Election Classroom- (Source: Scholars Strategy Network)

Possible post-election discussion prompts for conversations with students:

Adapted from James Madison University Difficult Conversation Guide

• How am I educating and evolving myself to be a better participant in democracy?
• How can we support and elect candidates who have integrity and are collaborative? - represent values that we hold
• How do we prepare the next generation of informed, engaged participants in our democracy
• What is our responsibility to to engage in respectful conversations & build bridges with the many people in our lives who actively, passively or unknowingly support the oppression of so many of our friends and loved ones
• What did this election mean to you?
• If you participated in the election, how did you feel about it? Why?
• Can you think of reasons why some people might be disappointed in the election outcome?
• Can you think of reasons why some people might be happy about the election outcome?
• How might those who have been historically underrepresented, marginalized, or minoritized feel about participating in the election or about the results? How can you uplift and support these perspectives and voices?
• What are ways you would like to see elected leaders work together on issues facing our community, nation, or world?
• What are some public issues that are important to you? How can you and others address those issues by engaging different levels of government and connecting with others in their community?
• What will you do to ensure we address issues facing our community, nation, or world? Offer some ideas: creating art, getting involved in student - like student government or community organizations, volunteering, providing research or expertise, uplift voices that are traditionally underrepresented, marginalized or minoritized, joining protests or petitions, writing public comments and attending local board and commission meetings on issues they care about, etc.
• What barriers or challenges are there to addressing issues facing our community, nation and world? How can we overcome them?
• What is something that inspires you for the future of our democracy?
• What kind of reforms would like to see to make our democracy more just and inclusive
• Admit there are problems with political and partisan divisions in our country that make it difficult to solve public problems (e.g. climate change, immigration, etc.). Ask students for their ideas for addressing political divisions and for solving public problems
• Students are knowledgeable about what is happening, but don't necessarily see politics and outcomes reflecting their knowledge, positionality, perspectives, or backgrounds. Ask them what they would like to see from elected leaders and from our government and for their ideas of how we might get there.

Wellness

Connect with BW Counseling Services  | 24/7 crisis resource for BW students: 440-260-4399

Create your election self-care plan (Source: Shine App)

Self: Care How to unplug and set boundaries during tumultous time (Source: Them.)

5 ways to cope with Political Stress (Source: Psychology Today)

8 questions to help navigate election stress (Source: DailyGood.org)

Get Involved. Stay Engaged.

Get involved - Check out BW Brain Center and local community partner volunteer opportunities at GivePulse and MyBW page.

Unite for Justice (BW student organization) - working for criminal justice reform, racial justice and fostering peer to peer dialogue about race and racism at BW. Learn more and sign up for updates.

Amnesty International 2020 virtual Activism Conference: Learn More

Media & Information Literacy

SIFT method Created by: Mike Caulfeld - Learn the strategies

News Literacy Project: https://newslit.org/

Confronting Confirmation Bias: Giving Truth a FightingChance in the Information Age