In much of the United States, it’s hot, humid, and sticky. Back-to-school ads are starting to show up on TV.  And every time you send an email, you're greeted with an out-of-office reply about someone's last-ditch-effort summer vacation.

That can mean only one thing: August is here, and Congress is back home for the August recess. 

Many of our member organizations are busy focusing on local and state work, but this year, we've seen unprecedented momentum in advancing two critical pieces of federal legislation: the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) and comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). During this August recess, we have a unique opportunity to let our federal lawmakers know why ENDA and CIR matter to our community.

Here are two simple steps you can take right now to make an impact: 

1. Collect the stories of your members. Identify members of your community who are affected by employment discrimination or our broken immigration system.  Find them through social media or email; seek them out at membership meetings or events. However you do it, track down community members who have a story to tell.
2. Share these stories at an in-district or town hall meeting. If you haven’t already, request an in-district meeting with your Congressional delegation. Or, locate a scheduled town hall meeting using NCTE’s tool. Have a conversation with your federal lawmakers about why immediate action on ENDA and CIR is absolutely critical for our community.

Right now, during the August recess, we have the opportunity to make sure our voices are heard, as critical debates are happening. Let's seize this moment and make a difference!

I know, I know. This all sounds great, but you don't know where to start, right? Don't worry. I'm here to help. Just send me an e-mail, and I'll pass along a step-by-step toolkit for engaging in this work.

August is a great time to elevate the local work you do to a national level.  What do you have planned for August recess? Let us know how we can help -- or just let us know how your meetings go so we can celebrate these successes together!