Writing your Representatives

One small way we can make change is by writing your representatives and making requests. Let’s give it a try together. We will request that August be declared International Cult Awareness Month. Over the next year, we will launch new letter-writing campaigns to strengthen our policy-request efforts. Below, you will find two sample letters. One as a business or organization member and another as a general constituent of the jurisdiction in which you are writing. You may copy the best one for your needs. Please fill in the blanks and send it to your local city/town council office.

To find your representatives, you can google “Contact information for [my town/city] officials. Additionally, you can use https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative to find out who the whole team of people is representing you. This shows the team from the county level to the federal level.

Also, download the proclamation sample letter and update it with your city/state information before sending it.

Letter from a Constituent to their jurisdiction Leadership

Subject: Request for Proclamation that August is International Cult Awareness Month

Dear Esteemed Members of the [City/Town] Council,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Full Name], and I am writing to you as a constituent of [City/Town], [State]. I am committed to raising awareness of cult abuse through coercive control and other forms of abuse.

I am actively involved in this mission. Over the past [Number of Years], we have [Summary of Accomplishments and Contributions to the Community].

In recognition of the importance of this cause, I respectfully request that the [City/Town] Council declare the month of August as International Cult Awareness Month. By issuing this proclamation, the Council would send a strong message to victims of cults and coercive control that their voices are heard and that [City/Town] is committed to supporting them in their journey toward recovery and freedom.

This proclamation will honor the resilience of those affected and help prevent future exploitation by coercive individuals by promoting education and awareness throughout our community.

Thank you for considering our request. I would be honored to discuss this further and provide any additional information or support needed to make this proclamation a reality. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by abuse tactics from coercive and high-demand group leaders.

I have attached a sample proclamation for your review. I believe this proclamation would send a positive message to the community. It will demonstrate that [City/Town] is a place where all are valued and supported.

Warm regards,

[Your Full Name]
[Contact Information]

The following is an example you can use while writing your representatives as a member of an organization. For instance, this is the format that The Freedom Train Project Incorporated used.

Letter from a Member of an Organization

Subject: Request for Proclamation that August is International Cult Awareness Month

Dear Esteemed Members of the [City/Town] Council,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Full Name], and I am writing to you as [Your Position] at [Your Organization]. This organization is a [City/Town]-based nonprofit organization dedicated to [Brief Description of Your Organization’s Mission]. Together with my colleagues, we are committed to bringing attention to [Issue/Cause] and supporting those impacted.

[Your Organization] has been actively involved in [Brief Description of Your Organization’s Work/Impact]. Over the past [Number of Years], we have [Summary of Accomplishments and Contributions to the Community].

In recognition of the importance of this cause, we respectfully request that the [City/Town] Council declare the month of August as International Cult Awareness Month. By issuing this proclamation, the Council would send a strong message to victims of cults and coercive control that their voices are heard. They would also send a message that [City/Town] is committed to supporting them in their journey toward recovery and freedom.

We believe such a proclamation would honor the resilience of those affected and help prevent future exploitation by coercive people by promoting education and awareness throughout our community.

Thank you for considering our request. We would be honored to discuss this further. We can provide any additional information or support needed to make this proclamation a reality. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by abuse tactics. Especially from coercive and high-demand group leaders.

We have attached a sample proclamation for your review. We believe this proclamation would send a positive message to the community. We believe it will demonstrate that [City/Town] is a place where all are valued and supported.

Warm regards,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Organization]
[Contact Information]