The 4th of July is always an important reminder of our power and rights as individuals and American citizens to fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. From all of us at LitNet, we hope you had a safe and happy holiday.

Currently, your members of Congress are home for the 4th of July recess. As you know, our fight to save federal funding for the arts is far from over, so please take the time to visit your representatives at their district offices, call them, and encourage them to support the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The July 4th recess is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet with lawmakers face-to-face and directly communicate the importance and impact of the arts in your community.

The most powerful thing you can do right now is engage with your representatives’ district office. Tell them that the arts and humanities matter to you as a writer, educator, lover of literature and arts—and as a voter. Unsure of how to engage? Here are a couple options:

• Find your Senate and House representatives. Click through to your senator or representative’s website to find district office locations in your state. Then, give them a call and voice your opinion on the importance of federal art funding.
• Join forces and visit district offices. If you are interested in scheduling and coordinating district office visits and would like to join up with other LitNet ActionAlert members in your area—please email info@litnet.org. You can also visit your district office independently, but remember, there is power in numbers and you are not in this fight alone!
• Attend a town hall. Many representatives will be hosting town halls and meetings in various districts, giving you an opportunity to attend an event with them with a larger group of concerned constituents. For more information on town halls, please check out Town Hall Project.
• Don’t give up. If your representative’s schedule is too packed to accommodate a visit or meeting in the immediate future, don’t be discouraged! The act of calling your representative sends a powerful message about your concern for and passion about the arts. Remember, though they might not be available during the July recess, they will be back.

Whether you attend a district office meeting, a town hall, or just make a phone call, carving a slice of your representative’s attention for the arts is one of the best ways to have an impact on their decision-making process.

Looking for more ways to take action? Check out our #SAVEtheNEA page and social media for more resources and strategies. If you schedule a meeting during the recess, we want to hear how it went! Please share your story by emailing info@litnet.org, and be sure to tweet and post on Facebook about the meeting (tag @Litnet_org on Twitter). Be sure to use the hashtag #SAVEtheNEA.