If there were ever a time when political activism hit a height of popularity, it’s now. Through protests, petitions, fundraisers and rallies, many Americans are looking for impactful ways to make their voices heard before their local and federal government.

However, activism is best done with a group and not alone. How do activist groups form and what exactly makes them grow? What sort of rules do these groups run by? These were questions I had in mind when I sat down with Jillaire McMillan and Laura Lewis Eyi, both members of MWEG: Mormon Women for Ethical Government.

Don’t let the name put you off. While the majority of this group are religious, they have no official affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Yet, they are very much inspired by their faith, striving to reflect values of compassion and peacemaking in their advocacy. They promote no candidate or party, but rather encourage their government representatives to follow the US Constitution above all other loyalties. The group has only been in operation for eight years, yet has seen significant growth since.

Laura Lewis Eyi is a Public Relations Manager for MWEG. Jillaire McMillan has been a stay-at-home Mom for the last twenty-three years, but has always been active in the PTA. Additionally, she runs a company with her husband called Blue Trail Engineering, which sells waterproof robotics. She holds a Master’s degree in American History from Boston College, and currently heads the education foundation at her children’s high school. If this doesn’t attest enough to McMillan’s can-do attitude, she also ran for Colorado’s state legislature last fall. “It happened very suddenly,” she said. “I registered as a candidate in the last 90 days before the race when another candidate dropped out.”

“From there, it was like we were building a car [while speeding] down the Autobahn,” said McMillan. An apt metaphor that describes how the group speedily built committees and chapters as the need arose. The members learned as they went. Along the way came a variety of women with different experiences and skills. Many of the women had performed humanitarian work with refugees. An immigration attorney joined the mix. Present from the beginning was Glenn’s lifelong friend Melissa Dalton Bradford, who lived in foreign countries most of her life, and therefore saw up-close how authoritarian governments operated. “We were all driven by a desire to see the vulnerable protected,” McMillan recounted.

Glenn is no longer an active leader, having moved on to projects of her own. Yet, she is still proudly supportive of the group she helped build. Today, MWEG is a nonprofit with permanent staffers that work remotely from Alabama, Colorado, Utah, Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, and beyond. With that growth came some necessary tweaking to the organization’s mission statement and ground rules. These can be found on the MWEG website, which advertises the purpose of the group as such: “To inspire women of faith to be ambassadors of peace who transcend partisanship and courageously advocate for ethical government.” McMillan expounded on the meaning of this mission statement.

“We follow 4 core principles,” she said. “Faithful, nonpartisan, peaceful, and proactive. MWEG still does not affiliate with any politician or party. We just focus on policies we care about.” It’s also important to note that although many members are practicing Latter-Day Saints, MWEG does not advocate for any official Church policies.

McMillan described some of the obstacles MWEG faces. For one, being so spread out can prove difficult. For another, funding is complicated, as many women already do a lot of unpaid labor. Websites and other tools for running an organization cost money, so some members donate a regular $5-25 a month. McMillan added, “we receive grants from various places, but we sometimes turn down money because it comes with strings attached. We want to remain independent and true to our values.”

The daily administrative work in particular demands flexibility. McMillan revealed that she devotes 6-10 hours a week in her own appointment as project manager. MWEG’s staff includes full-time and part-time employees, while volunteers commit about 2 hours a month. Still, one particular obstacle stood out among the rest as the most challenging. McMillan explained, “When we first started out, I didn’t feel qualified, and a lot of our members felt the same way. Yet, while we may not have professional credentials, we have taken leadership roles through our churches, communities and families. We believe that these experiences have helped us become better problem-solvers. Then, of course, having women from different backgrounds has made us a lot stronger. They all have knowledge and skills to contribute. That’s the power.”

It is clear that “power” has paid off too. MWEG has seen several proud moments in its work, particularly around policies for immigrants and refugees. Recently, the organization has brought attention back to the Afghan Adjustment Act, which will ensure that displaced Afghans will be able to maintain their refugee status in the United States.

In 2020, a pivotal moment when mail-in ballots faced severe controversy, MWEG advocated for accessible voting, mostly by reminding quarantined Americans of where and when they could vote. “If there’s anything I’m most proud of,” said McMillan, “it’s the organization itself. When we were obtaining a professional designation from the Utah Nonprofits Association, we were pleased to learn we were already doing many of the things they required.”

MWEG also provides tools for women to become activists on their own. Beyond sharing media literacy skills on their instagram, MWEG also provides opportunities for women to write and publish op-eds through various media contacts. All so that women can act as forces for good in their own communities.

At the end of our interview, I asked my most burning question. One that perhaps many women struggle with across the world: “What advice would you give to women who see the importance of political activism, but feel like their voices don’t matter?”

McMillan said it best: “Your voice does matter! It is not just wanted, but needed. It’s valuable and powerful. You don’t have to be a Latter-Day Saint or even religious to join us. You just have to be a woman. Men can participate by donating and following us on social media. If not our organization, join something else. At the very least, if you feel despair at what you see in your community, don’t try to correct it alone. It’s easier and a lot more fun with a friend. You may not feel informed or confident, but you can grow with whatever group you join. Every part in the movement matters!”

The time spent with Jillaire McMillan and Laura Lewis Eyi was both enlightening and insightful. The call, then, is to get involved. Find your people. Know that your voice has power. MWEG is proof that when women lead with principle and purpose, change follows.

To learn more, follow MWEG on instagram @mormonweg, or visit their site directly at https://www.mormonwomenforethicalgovernment.org/