Turns out, phone-banking is fun!

by Sophie Odell, 16

I’ve never liked talking on the phone. As a young child, the calls from relatives were the worst thing about birthdays. I’m still not sure why—something about the facelessness of phone calls or the pressure to think of things to say was unnerving.

So when I arrived at a Concord Indivisible huddle back in January, you wouldn’t have expected me to join the phone bankers; but the volunteers were so friendly and welcoming that I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did. 

The system of dialing was simple. After clicking a link on a laptop, the page loaded, revealing a phone number, name, and a script. All I had to do was press the phone number and it dialed. If someone picked up (which happens 1/10 of the time) I read off of the script and recorded their positions. Our task was to promote democratic candidates and urge people to make their voices heard by voting.

I don’t enjoy feeling helpless. Phone banking is a simple way to make a difference in our future. Please consider it. It’s easier and more fun than you probably imagine.

Though at the beginning of the session I had felt the familiar dread of speaking on the phone, I soon found myself enjoying it. With each interaction—even my first, shaky ones—I felt that I had made a difference. I was supporting the Democratic politicians that I favored, but, more than that, I was supporting democracy.

Now I phone-bank two or three times a week. Sometimes I talk to people who are totally supportive and encouraging. Sometimes I just read the script. And, sometimes, I end up chatting for several minutes with folks who have questions and seem genuinely interested in learning more. Those are my favorite calls. (Of course, sometimes people just hang up.)

I don’t enjoy feeling helpless. Phone banking is a simple way to make a difference in our future. Please consider it. It’s easier and more fun than you probably imagine.