Getting Started as an Advocate
What Is Advocacy?
The dictionary defines it as "the act of speaking, writing, or acting in support of something or someone." There are many ways you can advocate. While this site focuses mainly on legislative advocacy, it's worth thinking about the other kinds. We're out to change a lot of minds, so we need to use a variety of techniques to get the job done! The Wisconsin Assembly for Local Arts's purpose is to support, educate, and advocate. The following examples show that these three things are closely tied together.
Personal Advocacy
This includes your and your organization's work, such as performances, exhibits, classes, programs, and services. Giving people in your community the opportunity to participate in the arts is the best form of advocacy. You do this kind of advocacy every minute of the day, as you strive to present, produce, exhibit, and create. In the long run, your audiences are your best advocates. Personal advocacy is closely tied to support.
Public Advocacy
Unless the public understands and sympathizes with our issues, it will be very difficult to get officials (the public's representatives) to change or improve the system. Every time you speak to a club, church or other organization about your organization and the value of the arts in our society, you are doing public advocacy. Every time you write a letter to the editor or send an article, you are doing public advocacy. You can see that public advocacy is part of education.
Legislative Advocacy
This is the activity most of us think of when we say "advocacy."
Legislative advocacy is working to influence legislation on a national,
state or local level. This includes legislation to provide more funds
or to create or improve services.
Doing legislative advocacy is easier than it sounds. Every time you write,
call, or meet with your elected representatives, or inform your representatives
about your work and the activities of your organization, you are doing
legislative advocacy.
Adapted from Advocacy Resource Materials: General Information Paper
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Source: Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Wisconsin Legislative Advocacy
Handbook February 20, 2001