Bring Your Cause Home With You

The whole system is rigged. Lobbyists like me have all the access because we're there - in the capital cities - and regular people are shut out. So, is it really worth it to travel all the way to Washington, DC, wear uncomfortable clothes, sit across from perfect strangers and talk about your issues? Does it really help at all? Do they really need to hear from you?

Yes. Unequivocally yes. There. Here. Wherever you can make a connection, your perspective matters far more than you may realize. The generalists we elect at every level will always need your specialty, your expertise. They need to learn the lessons you've picked up from living a real life. It's incredibly powerful when citizen advocates make their way to Capitol Hill to share those hard-earned lessons.

But don’t forget what you can accomplish at home too. Because traveling to far-off capitals doesn't have to be a barrier for you, or your cause.

Last week, I was in Washington, DC with a group of advocates heading to Capitol Hill. We met formally with every single congressional office that represents Ohio. We took our issues to them. We sat with them and dug into the hard topics - and there’s nothing that can take the place of those intensive experiences. But there are steps we can take, right here in our own back yards to build on, and add tremendous value to that work. And finding opportunities like that is part of my job too.

I love getting advocates to Capitol Hill. I love seeing a courageous few stand for what matters to them. But I also recognize that’s a REALLY big step for the vast majority of people.

Most people don’t want to be in the thick of it. Most people don’t want to experience the political process in that way. But most people also DO want to feel heard on something important to them. So how do we balance that out? How can we empower the full spectrum of concerned citizens to make some kind of impact in the system?

For me the answer is simple: bring those advocacy opportunities back home.

When you’re in DC, you almost always have to speak in abstractions. You have to share a lot of information, often to new faces, and with very little time. It’s a fault in the system. The legislative work happens in a place removed from the real world applications of the policies that are adopted. But we don’t have to settle for that. We can - and should - look for opportunities to bring the real world and the policy world together.

You just have to remember: we don’t have the luxury of leaving the task to others. Helping these very real people in positions of power step back from abstraction, and into the outcomes of their work does more than just educate them on issues, it humanizes our causes. That process doesn't happen in a vacuum. Someone has to take ownership, to take charge, and bring those moments to fruition.

That’s what I told someone just this week who - for the first time - was meeting their member of Congress. When they asked me if I really thought visits like this could help, I put it in those terms. Because it’s important for us to remember that elected officials at every level are still humans first. Humans who have to learn about new challenges and new ideas just like the rest of us.

When those public servants see and touch the results of good policy up close and personally, it makes all those abstract issues immediately more concrete. And it can make a HUGE impression.

It’s absolutely worth it to go to DC. It’s absolutely worth it to represent your cause in your own state capital. It’s absolutely worth it to get those touch points whenever you can. But don’t hesitate to bring those touch points closer to home too. That’s where being a member of a trade association, or working with a non-profit can put you into a place to make that local connection happen.

You’d be shocked how few do. And you’ll be amazed by the relationships you can build by bringing it all a little closer to home.