For the majority in our divided nation, the recent election sparked fear, devastation, and a sense of severe fatigue. Multiple voices echoed that we must remain vigilant and express our opinions at every given opportunity. Nonetheless, a query plagues many Americans – if and how they are able to steer the course of events in between these election seasons. Broadly, it seems four main options are at their disposal.
Firstly, they could engage in protesting. However, while crucial, protests often do not sustain momentum. Secondly, the potential for signing digital petition letters presents itself, yet merely 3% of congressional staff members deem this highly influential. Decidedly menial. Thirdly, and seemingly a favorite amongst many, is the option to sleep through the two-year break that leads up to the next election. Yet there’s a fourth, largely unexplored option – transformative advocacy, which not only alters an issue of concern but also brings about a significant change in the advocate.
The question to be asked here is, if such advocacy has the power to drive change in a cause we care about and impacts us positively, why does it remain largely unnoticed and not taken up by the masses? Put simply, most people shy away from considering advocacy as a means to drive change. We see an influx of donations towards causes – climate change, gun violence, racial justice, to name a few – but very few actually take up active advocacy in these fields, going beyond the confines of online petitions or sporadic rally participation.
Why is this the case? It’s because advocacy is seen as too cumbersome or frustrating, overly complex or overtly partisan, unsavory or consuming too much of our precious time, not impactful enough or just too expensive. But this line of thinking can be fundamentally flawed. What if we told you that participating thoroughly could actually quell your discouragement and bring you joy? What if you became an active supporter for a cause you are passionate about and ended up feeling accomplished and not frustrated? And, what if we said that being an active advocate was infact crucial to preserving our democracy?
Though of extreme importance, we are constantly fed counterproductive and false narratives by those who should be behaving more responsibly. A 2019 program understood that ‘people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves’ and focused on developing chapters that aim for a deeper engagement of members in transformational advocacy and fundraising. It wanted to equip them with the ability to provide impact beyond voting and signing e-petitions.
Under the preceding presidency, these chapter members embarked on the journey to enable the enforcement of the Global Child Thrive Act, which demanded from the administration a focus on early childhood development techniques to be integrated with all the child-focused international aid programs. These activities include singing to the children, playing with them using colorful objects, reading to them, and providing better nourishment – pretty basic tasks that we provide our own children and grandchildren, could make a drastic change in the lives of children worldwide, particularly those entrenched in refugee camps or otherwise harsh environments.
After persevering through an arduous campaign, one of the volunteers shared her emotions at seeing her House representative talk during the bill’s passage. The interaction with the congressman in 2019, to introduce her to the bill, stirred up nerves like she had never experienced before. Advocacy was new territory for her and she was determined to get it right. Seeing this man take a stand today, realizing that these dialogues can shape thoughts and actions and knowing that he worked for this bill, something that means so much to the people he represents, filled her with hope for the future of governance.
The Global Child Thrive Act navigated its way to pass in both the House and Senate with significant majority support as part of the larger National Defense Authorization Act. Though the Act faced an initial presidential veto, this was subsequently overridden by Congress, bringing the Act into law commencement from the New Year’s Day of 2021.
Despite this example, most Americans continue to press on the query of how they can make a difference between elections. It is high time nonprofit organizations grasped the baton to promote transformational advocacy as a tool to salvage our democratic system.