Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Amanda McCellon

@amandamccellon.bsky.social

2.1K followers 1.3K following 290 posts

Oklahoma. Change facilitator. Community builder. Thought leader. Civic Engagement Consultant. https://linktr.ee/amandamccellon

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Jul 3

New drop: For anyone who’s ever said “I want to help, but I don’t know where to start.”
I got you. And I made it printable.
#organizing #bluedot #oklahoma #civicengagement

NEW: The Blue Dot Local Action Toolkit is Here

A hands-on, ready-to-use resource for taking local action. No matter how red your state is.

amandamccellon.substack.com

2 6

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 10h

You’re not “just” a citizen. You’re a stakeholder. A voice. A force. When you know how the system works, you stop asking for change and start creating it.

1 2

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 1d

You don’t need a degree in poli-sci to care about potholes, school lunches, or library hours.

Local politics is personal. If it affects you, you belong in the conversation.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 2d

Want to know who has the most power locally?

The person who never misses a meeting.

Consistency builds credibility - and credibility is power.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 3d

We keep talking about “building movements.” But what if we built relationships instead?

Start with a block party. A school supply drive. A Facebook group for your precinct.

Political change starts with community trust. That’s social capital.

1 2 6

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 4d

The “power vacuum” people complain about in their community?

It’s usually just empty seats at the table.

Fill one. Bring friends. That’s how policy shifts.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 5d

If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.

The time for civic engagement is now.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 6d

Social capital is just a fancy term for “who’s got your back.” Start building your army of +1s now.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 7d

A public comment period is not a formality. It’s a chance to get your words on the record. Use it.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 8d

Democracy is not DoorDash. You don’t get change delivered. You get it by showing up, speaking up, and backing it up.

1 2

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 9d

You don’t need to run for Congress to change lives.

You need 5 friends at a zoning meeting.

That’s how you stop the bad projects and greenlight the good ones.

1 3

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 10d

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport.

It’s a contact sport. It’s time to get in the game.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 13d

eople tell me: “Local government feels too complicated.”

It’s not - it’s just deliberately hidden behind jargon and procedure.

I translate it, simplify it, and teach you how to use it. Because knowledge is power.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 15d

“Nothing ever changes.” Buddy, your mayor approves multimillion-dollar budgets every year. That’s change - you just weren’t in the room.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 17d

City government isn’t a side note to democracy.

It’s the main stage where your daily life is decided.

If you want to make change, start local.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 18d

If you think your city council is boring, congratulations - you’ve fallen for their greatest PR trick.

Reposted by Amanda McCellon

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 19d

Folks, you can't report the United States to its manager. There's no superhero coming to save us.

We don't need one giant act of heroism. We need millions of small acts of solidarity. Help one person in your community for nothing in return. Then, do it again. And again.

That's the revolution.

380 5.8K 18K

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 19d

Local politics isn’t boring.
It’s personal. It’s your rent, your park, your school, your neighborhood safety.
And once you understand how it works, you realize: you have way more power than they want you to think.

2 2

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 20d

Civic engagement is more than voting every two years.

It’s showing up at council meetings.

It’s building trust with your neighbors.

It’s knowing how to hold local leaders accountable.

The time for civic engagement is NOW.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 21d

Social capital is power.
It’s not about who has money - it’s about who has relationships, trust, and networks.

And when citizens learn to build it locally? They can out-organize even the wealthiest special interest.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 23d

You can’t organize your block if you don’t understand how your city is structured.

You can’t build social capital if you don’t know where decisions are made.

I’m here to help you learn both-and use them to change your community

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 24d

I don’t want you to just understand your city government.
I want you to own it.
To see how much of your life it shapes, to demand better, and to realize - you are not powerless.
You’re the majority.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 25d

The average citizen doesn’t know when their city council meets. Developers do. Lobbyists do. Special interests do.

My goal? To make sure you do too- because democracy works best when we all show up.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · 29d

Most people can name their President. Few can name their City Manager.

Guess which one ensures your tap water is clean?

That’s why I’m here: to pull back the curtain on local power and show you how to use it.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 8

We talk about “the government” like it’s far away in D.C.

But the government that plows your street, funds your library, and approves that development down the block?

That’s local. And you can shape it.

Amanda McCellon @amandamccellon.bsky.social · Sep 5

To the “if you don’t like it, leave” crowd…

We’re not leaving.

We’re leading. 💙✊