If you’re looking to get out and about, and maybe unleash a bit of pent-up activism, opportunities abound. Whether it’s advocating on behalf of COVID survivors, in favor of the expanded Child Tax Credit, or simply want to see Congress enact more family-friendly policies, a number of activities are on the horizon. 

Beginning Sunday, April 24, and continuing for a week, organizers will host a National COVID Week of Remembrance and Action. The event comes as the U.S. is about a month away from surpassing one million COVID-19 deaths (officially recorded). 

Advocates say it is crucial that Americans come together to acknowledge the unimaginable toll that COVID-19 has taken – and continues to take on families across the country and around the world. Advocates and COVID-19 survivors are calling for a national COVID-19 task force and increased funding to address the pandemic, both at home and abroad. “This April is a critical moment to raise awareness about the needs of the broader COVID survivor community, including Long Haulers and the more than 200,000 children who have been orphaned by COVID,” COVID Survivors for Change said in a statement. 

The week will be anchored by a day-long event on Wednesday, April 27 at the U.S. Capitol. Survivors will be joined by members of Congress in reading the names of people who have lost their lives to COVID-19. Survivors will be calling for congressional action on a COVID-19 Task Force, as well as passage of the PREVENT Pandemic Act to investigate the nation’s pandemic response and learn from the mistakes of this pandemic. 

“Nearly 1 million Americans have died from COVID-19, and too many of their deaths were largely preventable,” said Chris Kocher, Executive Director of COVID Survivors for Change. “Families affected by COVID-19, including the millions who still suffer from lingering symptoms, deserve answers and accountability from the lawmakers whom we elect and trust to protect us. We’ve waited nearly two years for lawmakers in Washington to set aside their differences and prioritize families impacted by this devastating virus.”  

If you represent a group that wants to support the week of Remembrance and Action, click here. If you want to sign up to participate as an individual, click here. 

On Monday, April 25, Prosperity Now is hosting a virtual #BuildBackForJustice Day of Action to urge Congress to pass legislation that contributes to racial economic justice to help all Americans, including Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and AAPI Americans. The group’s call, which includes passage of the expanded Child Tax Credit as well as increasing funding for housing, will be anchored by an hour-long Tweetstorm from 1 to 2 p.m. To sign on your group, click here. For more information, click here. To download the #BuildBackForJustice toolkit, click here. 

Meanwhile, in advance of Mother’s Day, MomsRising is organizing a “MOMibuster,” to tell Congress families need a care infrastructure. “For eight hours over Mother’s Day weekend, hundreds of moms, dads, parents, leaders, and caregivers across the nation will be sharing our care stories over the Internet via submitted pre-recorded short videos, one after the other, and calling out elected leaders for not building the care infrastructure our nation’s families, businesses and economy need to function – for not giving us care!” the group said in a statement. 

MomsRising is asking people to submit short videos (up to 3 minutes long) by Wednesday, April 27. For ideas and suggestions regarding what to include in a video, click here. To submit your video, click here. 

Finally, it is not too early to start planning to participate in the upcoming June 18 Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls (in-person at the Capitol). To sign on your group as a mobilizing partner, click here. 

So there’s a lot to do in the coming weeks and months. Just remember that COVID-19 infections continue to increase in Washington. D.C. So exercise common-sense precautions and stay safe!