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Meatpacking District’s Standard hotel launches initiative that encourages activism

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The hotel has added a #RingYourRep phone booth to its plaza that is a direct line to government officials

There is no better way to speak up for or out against issues that matter most to you than to start on a local level and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Small steps like joining your neighborhood’s community board and knowing who your local elected officials are or, more importantly, how to get in touch with them is key. But if this isn’t as easy as it sounds, The Standard Hotel has come up with a solution to make life even simpler, reports Gothamist.

The popular Meatpacking District hotel has launched an initiative to help people get in touch with representatives, called #RingYourRep and it doesn’t get an simpler than this. Inside the hotel’s plaza, there is a bright red phone booth. Step inside the booth and you’ll find a nostalgic looking pay phone (don’t worry, this call is free) that is actually a direct line to the U.S. Capitol switchboard.

As soon as you pick up the receiver, the call will dial automatically and prompt you to either press 1 to connect to your state senator or to press 2 to contact your state representative. From there, you will be asked to enter your zip code, leave your message, and then you’re done.

“We want to encourage our guests, our staff, and the public to make their voices heard on the issues that matter to them,” a spokesperson for The Standard told Gothamist. “Whether that be health care, the environment, immigration, LGBTQ rights, or education, #RingYourRep is a way for us to provide a public and in-room platform to encourage positive, productive activism.”

If you’ve never reached out to a politician before and don’t know what to say, the Standard Hotel can help with that, too. Inside the booth is a script that allows you to get your message across as straight-forward as possible.

The Standard via Gothamist.

The booth is here to stay until the hotel decides otherwise. The #RingYourRep booth is available to the hotel’s guests as well as the general public.