Four email templates for different purposes. Copy, customize, and send — or use these as the basis for your mailing list. All designed to render well across email clients with inline-safe CSS.
Sent when someone joins your mailing list. Introduces the core concept and gives them one action.
You signed up because you can see what's happening — democratic institutions under attack, vulnerable people being dehumanized, authoritarianism advancing — and you wanted to know what you could do about it.
Here's the short version: political scientist Erica Chenoweth studied 323 resistance campaigns across a century of history and found that every nonviolent movement that achieved sustained participation from 3.5% of the population succeeded. Every single one.
3.5% of the United States is about 11 million people. That sounds like a lot. But 3.5% of your workplace is probably 7 people. 3.5% of your neighborhood is a few dozen. The number that changes everything is far smaller than you think.
You're not the only one who's uncomfortable. The bystander effect — a well-documented psychological phenomenon — makes everyone think they're the only one who's concerned. They look around, see everyone else's poker face, and assume they're overreacting. You're not. And neither are they.
Your first step is simple: find your number.
Use our calculator to see what 3.5% looks like in your community — your workplace, your school, your town. Then share it with one person. That's it. That's the first step.
Welcome to the few.
— The You and a Few team
A personal email you can copy and send to someone you want to bring into the conversation.
Hey [Name],
I've been watching what's happening to our democracy — the attacks on institutions, the dehumanization of people, the slow erosion of the systems that protect all of us — and I wanted to share something with you because I think you'd find it as powerful as I did.
There's a political scientist named Erica Chenoweth who spent years studying what actually makes social change happen. She looked at over 300 campaigns across a century — nonviolent and violent — and found something remarkable:
Every nonviolent movement that got 3.5% of the population involved succeeded. Every single one. No exceptions.
That number — 3.5% — really hit me. Because in our [workplace/community/town], 3.5% is [number] people. That's not some impossible revolution. That's a [lunch table/neighborhood meeting/group chat].
There's a site called youandafew.org that breaks down the research and has a calculator where you can plug in any community size and see what 3.5% actually looks like. I found it really powerful — not in a "rah rah let's go march" way, but in a "oh, the math actually works" way.
Would love to talk about it with you sometime. No pressure — just thought of you.
[Your name]
P.S. The site also explains why we all feel frozen right now (it's a known psychological phenomenon with a name) and what actually works based on the research. Worth a look: youandafew.org
For inviting people to your first gathering. Warm, low-pressure, specific.
Hey everyone,
I've been talking to a few of you individually about the same thing: watching our democratic institutions get attacked, seeing vulnerable people dehumanized, not knowing what to do, and wondering if anyone else feels the same way.
Turns out: we all do.
So I'm suggesting something small. Let's get coffee on [Thursday at 4:30pm at location]. Not a meeting. Not an organization. Just a conversation between a few people who want to stop pretending everything's fine.
I came across some research that I think will change how you think about what's possible. The short version: you don't need millions of people to create change. You need 3.5% of your community — and in our [workplace/neighborhood/town], that's [number] people.
There's a site — youandafew.org — that lays out the research, the psychology of why we all feel frozen, and a practical framework for what actually works. I'd love to walk through it together.
No obligation. No agenda beyond being honest with each other and seeing if there's something we want to do about it. Even small things.
Can you make it?
[Your name]
A recurring newsletter template for keeping your list engaged with pillar updates and action items.
This Week's Pillar Watch
We track the pillars of support — not the leader — because that's where the leverage is. Here's what happened this week that matters:
⚖️ Judiciary
[Summary of relevant judicial actions — rulings, appointments, challenges. Focus on what courts did this week that either upheld or eroded democratic norms. Name specific judges and courts.]
🏛️ Legislature
[Summary of legislative actions. Focus on bills, votes, and statements from legislators. Highlight both courage and complicity.]
💼 Business
[Companies that took stands, complied with harmful directives, or responded to pressure. Consumer action opportunities.]
📰 Media
[Independent journalism to support. Attacks on press freedom. Reporters doing critical work.]
Your Action This Week
Every issue includes one specific, achievable action. This week:
[Specific action — e.g., "Call your state representative about HB 1234. Here's the number: (XXX) XXX-XXXX. Here's what to say: 'I'm a constituent and I'm calling to urge a NO vote on HB 1234 because...' The call takes 2 minutes."]
Defector of the Week
[Highlight someone who broke from the pillars of support this week — a judge, a legislator, a business leader, a civil servant. Celebrate them by name. Make defection visible and rewarded.]
Remember: ignore the leader, target the pillars. Every action on a pillar weakens the structure. You don't need millions. You need you, and a few.