Through the periods of political highs and lows that our country has recently experienced, it is easy to feel as though we as individuals do not have much of a voice regarding our legislators in the federal government. However, student advocacy is as important as ever and more accessible than it may seem.
At EMU, our close proximity to Washington, D.C. allows for a valuable opportunity to participate in office visits. As a part of my internship last Spring on Capitol Hill, I was able to accompany several of these visits and I became aware of how influential constituent advocacy can be, especially when the advocates are students. For legislators at all levels of government, their constituents are the main priority, as they were elected to represent them and also rely on their votes in order to maintain their position.
Almost every Congressperson has a website that provides contact information and outlines their basic agenda. This can be a valuable resource when advocating for your specific cause. You are able to find whether or not an issue is a priority for your legislator and information about the right people to contact. While it is more difficult to meet with the elected official themselves, they have staffers dedicated to particular issues who can be valuable people to meet with, as they will pass that information up the chain of command. A phone number or email address will be listed that will often lead you to a scheduler who will quickly direct you to the appropriate staffer. With a few simple emails, an office visit can be scheduled.
The most beneficial way to advocate for your cause is to highlight your personal reasons for engaging with the issue. Stories are helpful ways to get your point across and emphasize the significance of the issue. It is also important to highlight what actions you hope the legislator will take going forward, whether it be voting a certain way on legislation or advocating more for your particular issue. These visits do not need to be long but can be impactful in just a short amount of time.
If you are unable to or uncomfortable with a face-to-face meeting, there are also opportunities to call or email the office to advocate for your issue. The information will be collected and passed on to relevant members of the office. Written letters can also be impactful. Even a message sent out through social media to the legislator’s accounts can be seen and recorded.
As the number of young voters has risen, we have made many strides toward further political involvement from our generation, and an increase in student advocacy in all of its different forms is a natural next step toward participation in a greater democracy. Legislators are eager to hear from their constituents on a variety of issues, and all interactions, from face-to-face meetings to phone calls, are ways in which our voices can be more clearly heard and accounted for. It is an exciting time to be politically involved and we must take advantage of every opportunity that we have to help create positive change.
