Tuesdays at Beryl’s: Afternoon Sessions Writing Postcards for Democracy

Every Tuesday afternoon in Santa Barbara, a quiet civic revolution unfolds at the welcoming home of Neil and Beryl Kreisel. For years, Beryl — a highly respected psychotherapist and beloved community connector — has hosted a vibrant gathering with a clear mission: getting out the vote in key districts, one handwritten postcard at a time. Co-hosted by Michele Cuttler, a passionate attorney and longtime democracy advocate, this weekly tradition is both joyful and deeply purposeful.

I met Beryl Kreisel years ago, back when we were both working as therapists. I was immediately drawn to her quick intelligence, infectious laugh, and sheer force of good nature. About five years ago, Beryl and Michele started Tuesdays for Democracy. It sounded pretty pedestrian at first. But the first time I sat in the chair, pen in hand, postcard in front of me, I was unexpectedly hooked.

At any given Tuesday, 12 to 45 in-person volunteers — retired judges, attorneys, therapists, authors, educators, and engaged citizens from all walks of life — fill the Kreisel home. They gather around three bustling tables, pens at the ready, hearts engaged, writing dozens of personalized postcards to voters across the country. Additionally, 10 to 20 remote writers coordinate with Beryl and Michele each week, picking up packets and contributing from their homes with the same level of commitment and care.

And let’s not forget the furry facilitators. These Kreisel rescue dogs, with soulful eyes and wagging tails, co-host a warm, welcoming environment that feels like a civic sanctuary.

There is something deeply soothing and inspiring about the postcard work. The camaraderie around the table, the ritual of writing, and the tangible sense that small acts add up to real impact. (Full disclosure: My print is not that legible; however, every time I slow down to consider my message is going to be inside someone’s home to support democracy, I do improve.)

In an age of digital fatigue and automated messaging, handwritten postcards stand out. As Beryl puts it: “People no longer pick up their phones for solicitations, or open their front doors to strangers, but a handwritten postcard gets in the door and stands out.”

Beryl and Michele remain steadfast in their vision: a democracy in which everyone participates, everyone is valued, and every vote is counted. Their movement is driven by passion, outrage, love, and deep connection.

Michele shares, “I’ve committed to this cause to keep myself sane during alarming times. It’s given me an outlet for my outrage — and a way to turn it into action.” Laughing, she adds, “It also has saved my marriage because my husband no longer has to hear all my frustrations.”

Lois, the group’s eldest member at 97 years old, echoes the spirit of endurance and hope: “I do what I can. I have always worked to promote democracy, and I want young people to know that every voice matters.”

As Beryl reflects, “This is the way to build democracy and community — by doing something together that actually forwards the principle of ‘We the People’ in action.” Indeed, democracy is not only about voting — it’s about belonging. As suffragette and labor activist Mary Church Terrell once said: “We are all bound together in a common cause. And when we come together for justice, we come home to one another.”

Tuesdays at Beryl’s are more than postcard-writing parties. They are a ritual of radical hope, civic resilience, and intergenerational purpose — where voices are raised through pens, friendships deepen through shared action, and democracy is nurtured around kitchen tables and dog beds alike.

Because democracy isn’t just an idea. It’s a room full of devoted citizens — writing, laughing, organizing, and believing, still, that we write a better future. “If this article brings us dozens more postcard volunteers, that will be a great problem to solve,” Beryl mused. To which Cuttler remarked, “Well, we are the problem solvers.”