Advocacy Plans

I’ve shown you through my work in South Carolina that change is attainable. With perseverance you can and will make a difference. After all the hard work, now South Carolina can make the claim as the first state to formally recognize Fibromyalgia Day.

Now you have finally made the decision that you want to get involved as a political advocate.

What should you do?

You’ve discovered ideas, opinions, and laws that require change. The kind of change that has the potential to positively affect the lives of others. Getting involved drives you, so what do you do first?

Let me take the time to try and help you get started.

My first piece of advice is to let you know that it is of the utmost importance for you to become entirely versed in the topic you’ve chosen. Obviously this isn’t the exciting portion of the job. Research is extremely tedious and can sometimes be the boring aspect of political advocacy. However, learning the ins and outs will give you the edge you need.

You will come to understand that having all the facts at your disposal will be a necessity. This data is the most vital tool you’ll utilize when you begin to constantly combat the arguments you will face. Locating and organizing all the information is a huge job. If done accurately and completely this process could take months. Advising you that this step is time consuming would be an understatement.

I’m not trying to discourage you, that’s the last thing I want to accomplish. However you need to enter the political arena fully aware of exactly what it takes to be successful. Otherwise you’ll wake up one day so frustrated you’ll want to quit. My main focus with this information is to try and spare you the level of aggravation I personally faced. To be successful as a political advocate, knowledge and perseverance are the keys to making change happen. Throw in a dose of determination and you’ll be unstoppable.

Let’s use my work as a disability advocate as an example for the steps I’ve just discussed. The term disability advocate is a broad and general term that requires you to decide which area of disability is your “hot spot”. The specific area you want to focus your attention. Once you’ve made that decision you’ll need to figure out the exact change you want to enact and which laws will be affected. The next step is to form an opinion as to how the law needs changed for the better. For example, is the law out-dated? After you’ve completed this step, it’s back to research. Yes unfortunately I said more research.

Now that you’ve formed an opinion and concluded which laws need changed you need to formulate a plan of attack. What I mean is you need to come up with an alternate law. Start by deciding how the law you’re challenging can be altered in order to make it more effective? This is the area that requires more research. You need to completely research the exact law you’re trying to change. Or exactly what is needed to have a new law enacted.

You will need to be specific in this area. The politicians you will be confronting need to see the value in the bill you are proposing. In other words, they need to see the positive effect the new bill will have on their constituents. They have to be able to sell it to the other members of the either the House or Senate. They also have to be able to see that this won’t have a negative impact on their own political careers. It’s up to you to convince them.

Okay, you’ve done your homework and have your game plan ready. The next step in this endeavor is to reach out to one of the politicians in your area. If you begin with the ones who represent you then you are more likely to be able to establish an open line of communication with them.

If you don’t know who your local politician is then visit your states website for either the Senate or House, which ever branch you are pursuing first.

For examples purpose let’s suppose you’re starting with the Senate, on your states website you will find a list of Senators, the area they represent, their party affiliation, and their contact information. I would suggest you chose more than one to write to. That way you aren’t limiting yourself.

Begin by drafting a letter that will not only introduce yourself to them but will also introduce the topic you wish to discuss. Be specific. Let them know the concerns you have and that you would like to talk with them about the change you are seeking. One main fact you need to keep in mind when communicating with Senators and House Representatives. They are very picky about the way they are addressed.

The proper way to address a politician is “The Honorable” then follow with their title which will either be Senator or Representative. So if you are writing to a Senator, the addressee should be “The Honorable Senator and then list their name. The other area that goes with this is making sure you are using the right title. If you are writing to a Senator, use Senator. This can seem like a small detail but if you want to be taken seriously then you MUST know who you are speaking with.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response right away. However, don’t be afraid to write more than once. Again, determination is a key factor. They need to see that you aren’t going away.

Your goal at this point is to find a Senator willing to sponsor the bill you want to see enacted. In my next article I will discuss what you need to do once you’ve found someone willing to sponsor your bill.

Until next time, live life with hope and faith…

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About the Author:

Kelly Cozzone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. Besides writing, she is an ardent disability advocate in the state of South Carolina, where her efforts have changed lives.