tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978968793859065572024-03-12T21:57:36.373-05:00Anti-Poverty Mom: Raising my voice & my kidsAdventures in being a volunteer advocate to fight poverty while raising children. My insights are seen through the lens of motherhood and a desire to help moms uplift each other to make a better world for our kids. For tips on how to take advocacy actions, type "Advocacy Made Easy" into the search bar!
By Cynthia Changyit Levin, @ccylevin
Visit my main webpage at www.changyit.comCCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.comBlogger638125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-77440750857292372642024-03-03T23:05:00.022-06:002024-03-04T06:29:25.570-06:00Affordable Places For Activists to Stay in Washington DC<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4JeLixB9K_khUd5TRxN6QpSe72gAyWM1tx_6DJHHldUoIJKMNQD9uZtArqB5FWTaStT0Bxq2Ws3m98C-vzUgYGd8d7XBrJKr1ZaiGuZVP2p1qR2JGHEE6_fvmJRvzac5597fZdp9Dy8Npve1RCRrAqEIZj3doNTGYOHrVOw5MWbDIi93NuW8poEcxKpd/s944/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-04%20at%2012.00.35%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4JeLixB9K_khUd5TRxN6QpSe72gAyWM1tx_6DJHHldUoIJKMNQD9uZtArqB5FWTaStT0Bxq2Ws3m98C-vzUgYGd8d7XBrJKr1ZaiGuZVP2p1qR2JGHEE6_fvmJRvzac5597fZdp9Dy8Npve1RCRrAqEIZj3doNTGYOHrVOw5MWbDIi93NuW8poEcxKpd/w400-h320/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-04%20at%2012.00.35%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia pulling a suitcase through Union Station in Washington D.C.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>NOTE: This blog was posted March 2023, so prices may rise over time.</p><p>Washington D.C. is THE place to be when it comes to advocacy on a national level. This is where our decision makers work and where professional lobbyists and volunteer advocates flock to learn together and inspire each other. Unfortunately, since lobbying is big business, D.C. is an expensive place to stay. I once went to an anti-poverty conference where the main conference hotel was about $600 per night! Yikes!</p><p>One of the hardest things about being an activist is figuring out a place to stay in D.C. while you lobby, protest, or attend conferences without breaking the bank. Here is a list of my favorite places I’ve found to be clean, convenient, and affordable when I stay in Washington D.C. </p><p>NOTE: I know some of these prices are still going to seem pretty high to folks used to paying $130 for a Homewood Suites in middle America, but the Capitol Hill area is prime hotel real estate and I’d be wary of a $130 D.C. hotel. Besides, when I tried the Homewood Suites by the Convention Center in D.C., we had multiple problems with cleanliness, excessive street noise, a faulty safe that wouldn’t release our valuables, and a super loud room fridge! </p><h1><strong><a href="https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotel-washington-dc" target="_blank">Yotel DC (about $200-250 per night)</a></strong></h1><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPP4BagaOuvXSAWKmllx6kOLwSkYmyyit4UIfCIPB3MwTcWrcJDFssbyBGnhvq5QpA0ynErzISxPprYaHLe1OBXNnL152vDuOTlyv_geT3TB6I7xdefOiY0HmPWXTzTCIXRYu88OnFmtSsee6sqOma2XtgcAgwHIUt85Sc7Yljjdf02cXOQhW5x08yxhWb/s1278/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.27.52%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXi7AXWHw3kba1cjqj-db8qpV8Gj7lXGYLHHGpyFTq4X-BMSkfxvxex6wywOM0w8likwrsuQ4yKS2vcfnwCLG35mzAleFNz9WocSMGjf5HTsBPhE8nTbym2SSCTjhYmbnFrOyzYKZHo5yCsD_pDoCFClHARyR5dET3Mg3IVD7BDWPEDTMMHLD79IuF-VXc/s1278/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.27.52%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1278" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXi7AXWHw3kba1cjqj-db8qpV8Gj7lXGYLHHGpyFTq4X-BMSkfxvxex6wywOM0w8likwrsuQ4yKS2vcfnwCLG35mzAleFNz9WocSMGjf5HTsBPhE8nTbym2SSCTjhYmbnFrOyzYKZHo5yCsD_pDoCFClHARyR5dET3Mg3IVD7BDWPEDTMMHLD79IuF-VXc/s320/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.27.52%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A hotel room with two queen beds and <br />green lights around the mirror and TV set.</td></tr></tbody></table>415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20001 <div><br /></div><div>Yotel is a popular place for advocacy organizations to hold small conferences of 100 people or so. It’s a 10-minute walk to the Russell Senate Building on Capitol Hill. It’s very clean with futuristic styling. Beds incline with a touch of a button to become couches if you’d like more room during the day. </div><div><br /></div><div>I enjoy changing the room’s mood lighting to the brand color of the organization for the conference I’m attending. In this picture, I’ve changed the Yotel branded purple to <a href="http://www.shotatlife.org" target="_blank">Shot@Life</a> green since that was the conference I was attending. Amenities include free coffee on every floor and a rooftop pool in the summer. The hotel bar has great, but pricey cocktails. If you’re saving money on that, too, you can visit Kogod Liquors next door. A full FedEx business center and Starbucks are in the Hyatt across the street. If you join their rewards program, you can get a little cash back on your room.<div><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="https://hotelhive.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Hive (about $180-$250 per night)</a> </strong></h1><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhK0WXTkiNyEQ3r0mZdQ7u_qb8ds30UfAcq937f99eSexkHAau47CX22oud0Vifns-n-bUCPBuWCdXhWy960PwmrUEYMAXTRCPi6qo5NZ68kHb8iXdSHW9sEBoGFzIIHzIyamMGvav_OSAXu3ftqFqjkVaoanqVGJhI_LLqKk4yc_YY0leJT7-IAh_GKu/s1008/62500688_10157171726787591_6900560668416540672_n.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1008" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhK0WXTkiNyEQ3r0mZdQ7u_qb8ds30UfAcq937f99eSexkHAau47CX22oud0Vifns-n-bUCPBuWCdXhWy960PwmrUEYMAXTRCPi6qo5NZ68kHb8iXdSHW9sEBoGFzIIHzIyamMGvav_OSAXu3ftqFqjkVaoanqVGJhI_LLqKk4yc_YY0leJT7-IAh_GKu/w320-h310/62500688_10157171726787591_6900560668416540672_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia with a towel on her head pointing to<br />the words "WORK HARD. TRAVEL HARDER."<br />on the wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />2224 F St NW, Washington, DC 20037 <p></p><p>Hotel Hive is a micro-hotel. The rooms are tiny, but the vibes are fun, the rooms are very clean, and the price is right. Some rooms only have one twin bed. The old historic building is irregular, so every room is a little different in size and shape. Rooms have funny or positive statements painted on the walls in big block letters. Everything is bee themed. Their “buzz” room label is a cutesy way of saying that they are potentially noisy, located above or below the bar or pizza shop. The website says, “What they may not offer in views or silence they make up for in value.” I’ve seen a buzz twin room as low as $157/night ($181 with taxes and fees).</p><p>It has a rooftop bar and yummy flatbread style pizza in the pizza shop. It’s 2.7 miles from Capitol Hill, which is about a 12 minute drive. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="https://www.airbnb.com" target="_blank">AirBnB (varies widely)</a> </strong></h1><p>If I have to do an extended stay in DC, I enjoy reserving an AirBnB apartment because they come with kitchens (so I can eat healthier for less money) and laundry (so I don’t have to pack as much). The cost can vary widely, but I’m usually able to find something safe, clean, and within a short walk to Capitol Hill for about $200-250 per night, inclusive of fees and taxes. I like to get units with fold-out sofas, so I can invite another volunteer to join me and share cost while having their own space, unlike a hotel room, which would have us in the same room. </p><p>Here are two listings that I especially enjoyed. In both cases, the owners live upstairs from the basement, so they are on the property in case anything goes wrong. They both look exactly like their pictures in the listing.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/51128245?adults=1&checkin=&checkout=&children=0&infants=0&pets=0&wishlist_item_id=11002248433203&source_impression_id=p3_1709431276_lnpwCadvtbTwMwE%2B&previous_page_section_name=1000" target="_blank"></a></strong></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu-i4xj9w0Dge_00Z_EKzsOFFPxcjQE062VefP9lswrfjxht5GKrg_V3lLadLeDw8sYQUROqKv-tSLrkZFOWOZBcANSalPsaCzRt1KgN7U3zyAzb5-bs8Izzxy-sHVzOvjbskxbaQsw774mMivlhhafGBmeTMTcpI1rFwL5ak7SkBIJP9_8hyr4YWWnpT/s1272/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.26.09%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1272" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu-i4xj9w0Dge_00Z_EKzsOFFPxcjQE062VefP9lswrfjxht5GKrg_V3lLadLeDw8sYQUROqKv-tSLrkZFOWOZBcANSalPsaCzRt1KgN7U3zyAzb5-bs8Izzxy-sHVzOvjbskxbaQsw774mMivlhhafGBmeTMTcpI1rFwL5ak7SkBIJP9_8hyr4YWWnpT/s320/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.26.09%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Convenience store</td></tr></tbody></table><strong><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/51128245?adults=1&checkin=&checkout=&children=0&infants=0&pets=0&wishlist_item_id=11002248433203&source_impression_id=p3_1709431276_lnpwCadvtbTwMwE%2B&previous_page_section_name=1000" target="_blank">Capitol Hill King 1 Bedroom Apt + Free Parking</a></strong><p></p><p>Comfortable, spacious, and very near the Senate buildings. This one is my favorite because of the location. I got complimented on the outside flowers every day because people passing by would think I was the owner! Next to a convenience store with affordable and delicious made to order sandwiches. Around the corner is a street with a pub, a Vietnamese pho restaurant, a barber, and a nail salon.</p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/42073006?adults=1&checkin=&checkout=&children=0&infants=0&pets=0&wishlist_item_id=11002974369353&source_impression_id=p3_1709431276_g2eQDrww0M%2BMKUyB&previous_page_section_name=1000" target="_blank">Capitol Hill Charm ~ Modern Refinement</a></strong></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGESvMiI_G1PPQQ4e9x2l7EygmjquH_f760ommYe3ufKYOYkJdeMAyuKdwdZTdfuw2kzyG6w1L3ebWwLJ9bfQxdDu-wVwUjsiFmWNVUfzS5kryLRbchJVHATmQFBlNaq3Kdk3iAJAWks0iPoBw3oWJn5J0jYJlxafPk6Q6KbKGjZdKcof-dg9AfdePv-R/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.26.17%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1274" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGESvMiI_G1PPQQ4e9x2l7EygmjquH_f760ommYe3ufKYOYkJdeMAyuKdwdZTdfuw2kzyG6w1L3ebWwLJ9bfQxdDu-wVwUjsiFmWNVUfzS5kryLRbchJVHATmQFBlNaq3Kdk3iAJAWks0iPoBw3oWJn5J0jYJlxafPk6Q6KbKGjZdKcof-dg9AfdePv-R/w200-h149/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.26.17%20PM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Queen sized bed with <br />attractive bedding</td></tr></tbody></table>Super cute decor. It’s in a neighborhood with lots of parents out and about with children and dogs after school going by the neighborhood parks. It’s a 10-minute walk away from a fantastic Jamaican restaurant called <a href="https://jerkatnite.com/ " target="_blank">Jerk at Nite/District Jerk</a>. Be advised the fold down couch only fits shorter folks, so keep that in mind if you're inviting a roomie!</div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h1 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="https://www.friendsplacedc.org/" target="_blank">Friends Place on Capitol Hill ($50 per night)</a></strong></h1><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHfrHOgF3NZmVfxQvxxYfcu0n8D9uI2hAR_HoHYJoUrqfUkeLA4PEPI2_9hGHrdFX3iB2P_XP6XUuN6MGLkm2_Bs1JaFGbcHMD8HbeJImI2_u8XCMgG-wR3h5XxqvIs5PzMX-yVIR92Iqo_4Gv5IPiEgZGSRft_sKSB_Gt-ykgUaQUBp_iZWYQZ3Mbk4d/s2828/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.43.20%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2828" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHfrHOgF3NZmVfxQvxxYfcu0n8D9uI2hAR_HoHYJoUrqfUkeLA4PEPI2_9hGHrdFX3iB2P_XP6XUuN6MGLkm2_Bs1JaFGbcHMD8HbeJImI2_u8XCMgG-wR3h5XxqvIs5PzMX-yVIR92Iqo_4Gv5IPiEgZGSRft_sKSB_Gt-ykgUaQUBp_iZWYQZ3Mbk4d/s320/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-03%20at%2011.43.20%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Bunk beds at Friends Place </td></tr></tbody></table>515 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003 <p></p><p>If you have three or more in your party and don’t mind a summer camp sort of vibe, Friends Place is a fantastic resource. Run by the <a href="https://www.fcnl.org/about " target="_blank">Friends Coalition on National Legislation (FCNL)</a>, an advocacy group started by the Quakers, Friends Place is a Quaker learning center and a guesthouse open to activists in town to take action on issues aligning with their missions to advance peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.</p><p>For just $50 per person, Friends Place has rooms with a handful of bunk beds in each of them. Each room has a digital lock on and a private bathroom. Guests have access to communal living spaces and kitchenettes on each floor. You can even rent out their meeting spaces. There are many stairs, but I know at least one room is ADA accessible. </p><p>My favorite thing about Friends Place is that it’s only a 2-minute walk to the Senate buildings, so you’re pretty much on Capitol Hill. You can easily walk to Union Station. There are little convenience stores and restaurants nearby.</p><p>Because of the bunk beds and shared spaces, Friends Place is very popular with student group trips, so book early! Check out a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAD4iHYpQhM" target="_blank">video walk through of Friends Place on YouTube.</a></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-5837327340667530812024-01-28T16:27:00.003-06:002024-01-28T16:27:54.836-06:00 Sharing About Giving: Let Your Light Shine<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Hi! I need your help…”</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A friend reached out to me last year asking me to take part in her client’s social media campaign to share acts of kindness of social media. An organization called <a href="https://wearealight.org" target="_blank">Alight</a> used the hashtag of #AlightChainReaction to inspire good works from individuals throughout the 2023 winter holiday season. Alight is a global humanitarian organization dedicated to providing support and resources for over 4 million people displaced by conflict, exclusion, and climate change. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; float: right; font-size: 19px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYLoTLBwdPepBlq8-kUhScXDHtzV9KTYdVs-mTfeJY8y2tghGAS3JNNJpfX3dl8eGlSVvS0zUZuUbKbOsCdtnHK8OzEQsmR9Jkj_lrRNgtPozaNBCERIqWdCaUHHwLgCDGHyZIhJryqh1SobIF6HyfbC7EAabusuUyKxHdaurcebqpsIjzBz4Aank3TV2/s1176/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-28%20at%204.17.07%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1176" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYLoTLBwdPepBlq8-kUhScXDHtzV9KTYdVs-mTfeJY8y2tghGAS3JNNJpfX3dl8eGlSVvS0zUZuUbKbOsCdtnHK8OzEQsmR9Jkj_lrRNgtPozaNBCERIqWdCaUHHwLgCDGHyZIhJryqh1SobIF6HyfbC7EAabusuUyKxHdaurcebqpsIjzBz4Aank3TV2/s320/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-28%20at%204.17.07%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: Cindy with a stuffed Pikachu pokemon<br />donated to Toys for Tots</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">What started out as a favor turned out to be a fascinating social experiment for me. As an author and speaker with a brand about advocacy and helping others, it’s common for me to post about acts of advocacy actions. Yet I rarely post about local, personal volunteering. Maybe part of me feels like it’s bragging to say “look what a good person I am” when I know I’m full of little foibles and bigger flaws. Reactions to my posts on #AlightChainReaction turned made me rethink that attitude. I quickly lost those awkward feelings when I my friends started asking where they could join in or reporting that they, too, took the same action because of my post. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; float: left; font-size: 19px; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv880YVICkTudf5d6gFzGJdKovHmT3CcysKGB1KH-XMub7EQe-94eoujD38K8P7cBcA0CMXDAdGD_mi3rjy3O67WmxKznU6mbf-lqUxoixDHYkozBErYRz16cvEwDiimxazYj8Xps9fSrsowz_AkgNAvgkwJ9bFSV3mKp1N8UJEEH1MBdTBqIP-p3CAIu0/s1090/blood%20drive.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="950" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv880YVICkTudf5d6gFzGJdKovHmT3CcysKGB1KH-XMub7EQe-94eoujD38K8P7cBcA0CMXDAdGD_mi3rjy3O67WmxKznU6mbf-lqUxoixDHYkozBErYRz16cvEwDiimxazYj8Xps9fSrsowz_AkgNAvgkwJ9bFSV3mKp1N8UJEEH1MBdTBqIP-p3CAIu0/s320/blood%20drive.png" width="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: Cindy in front of a Red Cross van</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">A great example was my post about giving blood. Donating blood to the <a href="http://www.redcross.org" target="_blank">Red Cross</a> is just something my mom (a nurse) taught me to do when I became an adult. But there’s a physical limit to the amount of blood one person can give! Once I give my pint, that’s all I can do for the next 8 weeks. So, when I saw a couple of friends jump into the comment section of the post right away, saying they made appointments, I thought, “Wow! That’s 3X what I could do alone!”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nB9mEeLELn5F-KV9FZhUmPCVc4C-HW47QHc28b8Q_fHIDSeNgr8wV405cfgA15dtIuKEpLdrXF-PYCLb4UpN02hqHtgx1LjI4elsfzS8rmEx_Yf3YiSHmPpl5x2IwtImJQIBh994jAfyK35ZwurWwPlcJbbwMBSAHER0KVjroyWPngBuSEoEw0LrzOrg/s1272/present%20wrap.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1272" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nB9mEeLELn5F-KV9FZhUmPCVc4C-HW47QHc28b8Q_fHIDSeNgr8wV405cfgA15dtIuKEpLdrXF-PYCLb4UpN02hqHtgx1LjI4elsfzS8rmEx_Yf3YiSHmPpl5x2IwtImJQIBh994jAfyK35ZwurWwPlcJbbwMBSAHER0KVjroyWPngBuSEoEw0LrzOrg/s320/present%20wrap.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: Cindy's hand with wrapped gifts</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">Another fun action was gift wrapping presents for kids experiencing homelessness at a pop up wrapping station in a mall. I stopped by and gave an hour of my time doing that fun task, but my schedule didn’t allow me to sign up for another shift. I was thrilled when I got a text of a family member who loves wrapping gifts and had the spare time!</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; float: left; font-size: 19px; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPOy1rGsZzZ7eKaT8LijxvXsqWHj9F0hOsqZulJNrCxtHLnWsAW9q9LfEMwoNYVYY9V88I-SODqAzm8MB2wDzB7A7Fcs_hVjT0ajr2ELn1U98b3xZUT4TIOmPQajhivvUEEQ-hrc1XxSfHhECULZBxwXL2UI8fbmBzlo3if3-TC0zfREGdV8iyre93PxR/s1020/snack%20box.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="966" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPOy1rGsZzZ7eKaT8LijxvXsqWHj9F0hOsqZulJNrCxtHLnWsAW9q9LfEMwoNYVYY9V88I-SODqAzm8MB2wDzB7A7Fcs_hVjT0ajr2ELn1U98b3xZUT4TIOmPQajhivvUEEQ-hrc1XxSfHhECULZBxwXL2UI8fbmBzlo3if3-TC0zfREGdV8iyre93PxR/s320/snack%20box.png" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: A box of snacks with a note saying,<br />"THANK YOU for delivering our packages!<br />Please help yourself to a snack"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">The last one I’ll mention is the snack box for delivery people. I got the idea off of social media during COVID-19 isolation in 2020 to make a box of snacks and water for folks delivering packages to my door. They work very hard during the holidays to make sure gifts get delivered on time. It brings a smile to my face to see USPS and UPS drivers walking away from my door with water, granola, or chips. I liked the enthusiastic responses I received when I posted about it, but I am genuinely touched when I visit my friends that commented and see that they’ve made their own similar boxes!</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is proof enough to me a chain reaction of kindness is possible. I’m grateful to Alight for teaching me that sharing about caring can spread kind actions throughout our community.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How appropriate that after the campaign ended, the scripture assigned to me to read at church was from the <a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/compare/MRK.4.21-41" target="_blank">book of Mark</a> when Jesus said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.” If no one can see your light, it can’t spread around and inspire others to have their own experiences like it. Which is to say - as the children’s song puts it best- “Let your little light shine!”</span></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-20206208522437606852023-07-14T15:29:00.027-05:002023-07-18T13:00:02.485-05:00Advocacy Made Easy: Scheduling a Lobby Meeting<p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN75COCEBu9AcyZhYIiH8jSMrExtEATfoqu3QhC6CT_PO7vejjeceMqgyVyctyXdMSFGy7Yajy1IKHm3Adocg9Y41qV1YaKHKXhN9MOyoIHhdCDJUAjJqzMLlkeKPpFH-wSfo-7kbjQyAq1NLPTXD5witjolAWT003DRABwkbmBuhsru-JPdSc8iFb8z8u/s1512/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%203.23.11%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1512" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN75COCEBu9AcyZhYIiH8jSMrExtEATfoqu3QhC6CT_PO7vejjeceMqgyVyctyXdMSFGy7Yajy1IKHm3Adocg9Y41qV1YaKHKXhN9MOyoIHhdCDJUAjJqzMLlkeKPpFH-wSfo-7kbjQyAq1NLPTXD5witjolAWT003DRABwkbmBuhsru-JPdSc8iFb8z8u/w400-h301/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%203.23.11%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Image: A calendar grid with a giant question mark on it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Even among seasoned activists, I don't meet a lot of folks who schedule their own lobby meetings. Many advocacy groups rely on staff for that work, but really anyone can request a meeting! Setting up a lobby meeting is a harder advocacy action than some of the other things we do, but it’s not as impossible as most people assume. This blog will give you clear steps to submit your meeting request and some advice for getting your meeting scheduled. </span></span></p><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">NOTE: I wrote this advice from the perspective of meeting with a U.S. representative or senator. The same basic process works for state officials, but I notice more variability with procedures at the state level. It might be due to state members having fewer constituents and shorter sessions. (Missouri legislators meet only five months out of the year!) </span></i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scheduling a meeting with a member of Congress takes a lot of persistence. If possible, submit your meeting request a whole month before you want to meet, so you have plenty of time to work through these steps. That way you can get on their calendar before they're totally booked up!</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">How to submit a meeting request</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>STEP #1:</b> Submit a meeting request by using the website form for the congressional office. If you don’t hear back from them in a week, move to Step #2.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>STEP #2:</b> Call the office of your member of Congress. Ask the admin for the name and email address of the “scheduler” for the location where you want to meet (D.C. or local district office). Ask to speak to the scheduler directly with your request. If they are not available, send them an email directly.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here’s a picture with a sample template you can follow for crafting your email. It should clearly and concisely provide information about who you are, when you want to meet, what your organization does, and why you want to meet. Don't forget to provide both your email and phone contact information!<br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX-gftjsJSXPoTOWmr6MUcVyWEDrN_YIH5CfrKT7HadKgXcFXfyYi1zD1-WDFarEcLm0zui4jfmwtfhWjPZDfL8HeF_gWwNNMZtyadQSursxzbho8yRCOBaJJ_pkjyoRn-AAlya3A864GFiJ9Tk0xjcLjohJj9MRee2pMISbrGHdnAqqdoyHNhFHifu_1/s2236/Mtg%20Request%20Email%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2068" data-original-width="2236" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX-gftjsJSXPoTOWmr6MUcVyWEDrN_YIH5CfrKT7HadKgXcFXfyYi1zD1-WDFarEcLm0zui4jfmwtfhWjPZDfL8HeF_gWwNNMZtyadQSursxzbho8yRCOBaJJ_pkjyoRn-AAlya3A864GFiJ9Tk0xjcLjohJj9MRee2pMISbrGHdnAqqdoyHNhFHifu_1/w640-h592/Mtg%20Request%20Email%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: Sample template for requesting a congressional meeting via email.<br />Graphic from the book "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>STEP #3:</b> Follow up every couple of days with polite emails and phone calls to the scheduler if you don’t hear back in a few days.</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Tips to improve your chances of getting a meeting</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The following tips can help get your request noticed out of all the other people clamoring for attention. Schedulers are people, too. If you make things easy for them, they'll do their best to make things easy for you.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">• Be persistent, but not belligerent.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">• Offer as much flexibility as possible for times and location, including an online zoom meeting. Follow their rules respectfully. If they say you can only bring three people, stay within that limit.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX0H6D4U5qGdGlT44f3EjaJeWPIbk_V6gGGmXMEz8rbBryFN_q20nx4itbyrWKwHhrrmSyBvBvV771iFJmsJHV2KnWEE7FycIy8FdjMARplMhsvDbfAOPJNkzV5jA8oH5n4MjWPtB2esPb0T-IxAFdL_9SCUshT-DFkYOe740Qu15QDa3S9ma4K_5FtbL/s1250/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%202.58.09%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1250" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX0H6D4U5qGdGlT44f3EjaJeWPIbk_V6gGGmXMEz8rbBryFN_q20nx4itbyrWKwHhrrmSyBvBvV771iFJmsJHV2KnWEE7FycIy8FdjMARplMhsvDbfAOPJNkzV5jA8oH5n4MjWPtB2esPb0T-IxAFdL_9SCUshT-DFkYOe740Qu15QDa3S9ma4K_5FtbL/w400-h220/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%202.58.09%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: ONE volunteers got a surprise meeting in DC with <br />Rep. Cori Bush when she returned early from her prior meeting. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">• </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Accept a meeting with an aide if the congressperson is not available. Aides are important members of the team who help the member make decisions on your issue. Plus, you never know when you might get a surprise meeting from the member walking in unexpectedly.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">• Work with a respected nonpartisan organization aligned with your position. They can support you, and their excellent reputation can help legitimize your request. </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzWUAGaVS25odEPTGdBM5Blb4nkyqIcOTIaOZp6Cscqh9tpIBITfGTosHsbwKaJE9GgkokOu-Y45GgD5ObXE3Qj_HSLnCcH1Bhq-RrLUwGF8w2nyVl4-f89nYHRfNfy8eCItf1iiMAVsFbptSEkGAxhJzhqQR11NG6_DXp38bq4oGjURmErEEft6T5HHc/s1102/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%203.03.06%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1102" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzWUAGaVS25odEPTGdBM5Blb4nkyqIcOTIaOZp6Cscqh9tpIBITfGTosHsbwKaJE9GgkokOu-Y45GgD5ObXE3Qj_HSLnCcH1Bhq-RrLUwGF8w2nyVl4-f89nYHRfNfy8eCItf1iiMAVsFbptSEkGAxhJzhqQR11NG6_DXp38bq4oGjURmErEEft6T5HHc/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-14%20at%203.03.06%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Image: RESULTS volunteers met with <br />Rep. Ann Wagner during an August recess</span><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">. </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">• If possible, request a time when you know your member will be in your local area, like August recess when members leave Washington D.C. to go home for almost an entire month. District meetings tend to be longer and more relaxed than D.C. meetings. </span></p><h1><br /></h1><h1>Resources to prepare for your meeting</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you're successful and move on to the happy problem of wondering what to do in that meeting. Don’t worry! My kiddo and co-author for my next book, Yara Changyit-Levin, has you covered with their blog: <a href="https://teenadvocates.blogspot.com/2022/03/how-to-lobby-member-of-congress.html" target="_blank">“How to Lobby a Member of Congress.”</a> If it’s a Zoom meeting, you can look up a few pointers on my blog, <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2021/03/advocacy-made-easy-zoom-lobby-meetings.html" target="_blank">“Advocacy Made Easy: Zoom Lobby Meetings.”</a></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good luck!</span></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-58040510585736086892023-06-11T10:06:00.014-05:002023-09-01T10:32:21.622-05:00 Could You Set Aside Your Differences for 5 Minutes? <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNKNxmCyiYicqwmSfzcoQlbXrhHmKrhDpdR87k_9LFSgtTSDGcotOndxkjdScu-Y4FJNw9tNUNUkyrBj3kzQQvrNxpc6Oeu7V3KfuXTlQ_kIcpn2wW3ioqzFgbYzMnOF4GeENLVTyLXdEe9AgrGRs-JQIlmSMN4Mq5B_Uob1JXxkl4PKw3ZrL56mxw/s1086/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-08%20at%2010.42.48%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1086" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNKNxmCyiYicqwmSfzcoQlbXrhHmKrhDpdR87k_9LFSgtTSDGcotOndxkjdScu-Y4FJNw9tNUNUkyrBj3kzQQvrNxpc6Oeu7V3KfuXTlQ_kIcpn2wW3ioqzFgbYzMnOF4GeENLVTyLXdEe9AgrGRs-JQIlmSMN4Mq5B_Uob1JXxkl4PKw3ZrL56mxw/w640-h570/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-08%20at%2010.42.48%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cynthia with Senator Josh Hawley playing Rock, Paper, Scissors</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">I’d love to tell you the story of my nuttiest lobbying picture. Please read this blog to the end before commenting.</span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>The Cause</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">This week, I was in Washington D.C. with the <a href="http://www.one.org" target="_blank">ONE Campaign</a> lobbying for global AIDS programming and general foreign aid funding. The ONE campaign is a global campaign to end extreme poverty and preventable disease in our lifetimes so everyone, everywhere can live with dignity & opportunity. ONE has a non-partisan reputation of people of all different political stances coming together to fight global HIV/AIDS. So, when I go to visit any elected official, that’s what I’m about.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">As a constituent from Missouri, I can go to Senator Hawley’s constituent coffees if I'm in DC when one is being hosted. I don’t have a lot in common with Josh Hawley besides voting in Missouri and knowing my way around Capitol Hill. He would probably admit himself that he is a polarizing figure in Congress. But my goal is to build consensus with him to <a href="https://www.one.org/us/blog/pepfar-20/" target="_blank">reauthorize the PEPFAR program</a> to fight AIDS and get him to remember me positively for future work together. I've met him briefly before in a similar situation when I told him about global vaccines for <a href="http://www.shotatlife.ort" target="_blank">Shot@Life</a> and then took a standard photo I'm sure he didn't remember at all. While in line for this picture, I thought about how I might make this encounter more memorable.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); float: left; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNMJbp4zagbFNrV7p-dSBHTC9QR9ILwoCjbQpw1abRWLo9ZJUf6gO1pYQKt1ujTFrpD8mlUVNPqnbnjueCovPteUJabXCqM3R9zbKz4-MhLlYwS-L76V8SJVNwthkzb_k6QknMMAlKRx6f-oOxHabIsM5cXZdE-xgRsJcmGrsVo1LQmYYke_LvQNWqw/s1002/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-11%20at%2010.30.10%20AM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNMJbp4zagbFNrV7p-dSBHTC9QR9ILwoCjbQpw1abRWLo9ZJUf6gO1pYQKt1ujTFrpD8mlUVNPqnbnjueCovPteUJabXCqM3R9zbKz4-MhLlYwS-L76V8SJVNwthkzb_k6QknMMAlKRx6f-oOxHabIsM5cXZdE-xgRsJcmGrsVo1LQmYYke_LvQNWqw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-11%20at%2010.30.10%20AM.png" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia explains more about <br />PEPFAR to Senator Hawley</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When it was my turn to speak to him, the senator gave me a couple of minutes to talk about PEPFAR. He already knew the basics: that it provides funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in impoverished countries. I told him this is the 20th anniversary of the program and it has helped save over 25 million lives since it started in 2003. We discovered we both feel PEPFAR is the "best thing George W. Bush ever did." (his words) I asked him if he would sign the reauthorization bill coming up soon and he agreed that he'd take a look at it, which is exactly what most members will say because they want to make sure nothing weird gets attached to the bill before they commit.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgMFBZ_BvL4P-MOoWiznO6alDRTSmqLHv-JHvTEzuVUmBN7XCzmRx8NI4ecF6x1377f9JyL02JQ9M7QOLVb3Uu-UpnC0dTa3YzNvpxoovd1tFrNp7pqrhHEXzdRmWIZAWiYIoiuxlmHiHC7RLfGBq0EUR01l3OvlOhrSesI7EW7HHG7UtR4HFCK8cv6op/s1138/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-01%20at%2010.25.23%20AM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgMFBZ_BvL4P-MOoWiznO6alDRTSmqLHv-JHvTEzuVUmBN7XCzmRx8NI4ecF6x1377f9JyL02JQ9M7QOLVb3Uu-UpnC0dTa3YzNvpxoovd1tFrNp7pqrhHEXzdRmWIZAWiYIoiuxlmHiHC7RLfGBq0EUR01l3OvlOhrSesI7EW7HHG7UtR4HFCK8cv6op/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-01%20at%2010.25.23%20AM.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: The signed picture of Cynthia <br />& Senator Hawley posing formally<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Then, I asked him if - after we took the stuffy, formal photo that would show my ONE T-shirt -could we take a picture for fun and play Rock, Paper, Scissors? His staff didn't think he would, so they all stood nervously about while I asked. But he said, "Yeah, sure!" So, we found out we have one more thing in common: that we can be a little silly at a normally tedious Senate event.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>The Picture</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0IZKFP1mAAbhByYe9Cr8PzF5AvZEO2xIDjFmL00ae9SKZ7ECfFCAeWZAX_zpimmRC6Dg5w_-KtzYYEoRC5de7meNBRy4x-KcDU1So7bZ-X_DpEN2WFj6kNSsyRk6ycJxJN6N2xokDbyLrrMDBbXBmwIJ89aj4MYZhWWKPWKBi5npgSdp-gVSlwMBoQ/s1086/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-08%20at%2010.42.48%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1086" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0IZKFP1mAAbhByYe9Cr8PzF5AvZEO2xIDjFmL00ae9SKZ7ECfFCAeWZAX_zpimmRC6Dg5w_-KtzYYEoRC5de7meNBRy4x-KcDU1So7bZ-X_DpEN2WFj6kNSsyRk6ycJxJN6N2xokDbyLrrMDBbXBmwIJ89aj4MYZhWWKPWKBi5npgSdp-gVSlwMBoQ/w400-h356/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-08%20at%2010.42.48%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia and Senator Hawley are surprised they both chose scissors</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When we both came up with scissors, all the staff and other Missouri folks shouted and laughed. He asked, “Should we do it again until someone wins?” But I said, “No, it’s perfect. We agreed on that, too!” The picture captured a moment that stood out in everyone's mind as unusual and positive.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Now, why did this work? I can't speak for the senator, but I should acknowledge some of it probably has to do with the setting on his comfortable home-turf, the bi-partisan nature of my global health request, and my privilege as a cis-gender, middle-aged, white-ish mom constituent who is already known to the senator's staff because of frequent lobby visits. All of that grants me a lot leeway in many offices, and I'm aware I have colleagues and loved ones who wouldn't feel comfortable or safe making odd requests of members. But I did use that privilege and that moment to try to work toward a program that will assist millions of people who don't have access to speak to a U.S. senator nor access to the health resources they need.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I think Senator Hawley, his aides, and I are going to remember that for a long time…or at least until the PEFAR bill is introduced and he hopefully signs it!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">The Backlash</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Not everyone is as enthusiastic about this picture as I am. Of course, there are always critics in the facebook comments. A common thing Missouri Democrats say to me is that I should not talk to or work with him or any Republicans at all. People call me "naive," a “fool,” an “appeaser” and worse.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFz8OWMztgkjTdxWQChek-iQyd5CSElCLw67jVJG4XvdYYzVB5mF5s2un1VIdAguU0nTxiuRCRtbr_6be__3T-Qov8gsP11HpBoZORYzOIDBLZI3sD5KdRw6OM6alvLz1R_qNtaV7bO7OZIXcT57H3wbyvOMZlCZ0tVdsB0WeEaTfKEG6IUPZquvx24Q/s1340/Comment%203.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1340" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFz8OWMztgkjTdxWQChek-iQyd5CSElCLw67jVJG4XvdYYzVB5mF5s2un1VIdAguU0nTxiuRCRtbr_6be__3T-Qov8gsP11HpBoZORYzOIDBLZI3sD5KdRw6OM6alvLz1R_qNtaV7bO7OZIXcT57H3wbyvOMZlCZ0tVdsB0WeEaTfKEG6IUPZquvx24Q/w640-h180/Comment%203.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Facebook comment saying I am a fool and beneath contempt for my lobbying with Hawley</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO5HuYnbldE0fs407WkC8fZQhPeh7CTvIIWg0ZFg1Uagcx2cZtrDAnYrlFJ0tg8PCXtO9GYvqveVYOn7zI6NzEHF6rR09Pb8iVCbUizp200JwvLg1Ovto21k5WencY6X5yvd0LEFoULD4PCrv413Z7_SvX6zWVcz2WsIMJgIRppGmF1Zzb9T6tQM4Tw/s428/Comment%201.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="428" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO5HuYnbldE0fs407WkC8fZQhPeh7CTvIIWg0ZFg1Uagcx2cZtrDAnYrlFJ0tg8PCXtO9GYvqveVYOn7zI6NzEHF6rR09Pb8iVCbUizp200JwvLg1Ovto21k5WencY6X5yvd0LEFoULD4PCrv413Z7_SvX6zWVcz2WsIMJgIRppGmF1Zzb9T6tQM4Tw/s320/Comment%201.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Facebook comment saying <br />"I would find other supporters"</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">I understand emotions run very high and some people cannot set aside their deep feelings for the 5 minutes of a photo op for the sake of a global good. The trouble with that way of thinking is the reality of how the American government works. We each only get two senators and one representative in Congress. If I refused to work with members who are not of my preferred party, then I’d give up 100% of my influence with the Senate because I’m only represented by Republicans. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I campaigned for Democrats in election season, but we lost. Yet I feel so strongly about the 38 million people in the world with AIDS, that I will not take a pass right now just hoping to get lucky in the next election cycle. I do this work because other Americans give up while millions of people are still dying from treatable and preventable disease. They cannot wait for the next election cycle. Most of them in Africa don’t know who Senator Hawley is or anything about him.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When I'm on Capitol Hill with my Nigerian ONE partners, I’m not going to say, “No, I won’t do my best for you because I don’t agree with these folks on issues you’ve never heard about.” The important part is that I agree with my Nigerian colleagues that their friends and relatives should not die needlessly. Historically, corruption in their country has been a constant phenomenon. They persist a system far more corrupt than ours. So, I persist as well.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Still, because of my relationships with other activists in my state, I get to tag along with them to meet with THEIR representatives. So, yes, I work with Democrats, too! Here’s a picture of our face-to-face meeting with Congresswoman Cori Bush of St. Louis. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy9eHXgPIPCvW_bZvQU0vYaZhQ6E-CLkM0-5oU2LmjISzOytoCDR7-gRfdkLNd_NXbDqaIEfR7MSIo2JdEZ_LULZIriYgSPXW-MJgwzOF-cCXFHyve6cDeZgWfbFsAZl96FDupjS4gOjPfpm7MRlySSQ7oruyZ0UzyK_BDmuwM3OTOaeNu1TpatDCnQ/s1754/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-11%20at%2010.24.04%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1754" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy9eHXgPIPCvW_bZvQU0vYaZhQ6E-CLkM0-5oU2LmjISzOytoCDR7-gRfdkLNd_NXbDqaIEfR7MSIo2JdEZ_LULZIriYgSPXW-MJgwzOF-cCXFHyve6cDeZgWfbFsAZl96FDupjS4gOjPfpm7MRlySSQ7oruyZ0UzyK_BDmuwM3OTOaeNu1TpatDCnQ/w640-h478/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-11%20at%2010.24.04%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">She’s known as a member of the progressive coalition known as The Squad, infamous among hard-core Republicans who don’t like them. So, yes, we DO find other allies. And that's the point. It’s not easy to pass bills, so we need supporters from every party. The more different they are, the better. Because if their colleagues see that Cori Bush and Josh Hawley can agree on PEPFAR, it must be something very good and very special that everyone should agree on.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">Can YOU Set Aside Differences for 5 Minutes?</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Now, this is the part that gets personal. Can YOU set aside your active beef with your members of Congress for 5 minutes or less to help achieve the end of AIDS in our lifetimes? I’m not so naïve to think that one game of Rock, Paper, Scissors would assure Senator Hawley’s signature on the reauthorization bill for PEPFAR. He and his colleagues need to hear from a LOT of people. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">A phone call to Congress takes only 2 minutes. An email from a weblink only takes a few seconds. Neither of those will be as publicly strange as what I did at that coffee. Add your name to join the ONE Campaign in the fight against HIV/AIDS<a href="https://act.one.org/letter/power-summit-email-congress-2023?utm_source=event&source=event&utm_medium=mobile&utm_term=powersummit&utm_campaign=hivaids&fbclid=IwAR0xCMYK8I0p_5klxb1pgIphoFNRTxjdJjgSg6VNdUHucD0Gz0_L6Xsphco" target="_blank"> with this link today</a> for future actions to reauthorize the PEPFAR program this year!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p><div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-72861209406755568092023-06-10T13:15:00.023-05:002024-03-02T11:14:12.414-06:005 Tips & Tricks to Make Your Hill Pics Pop!<p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3rhLLdykRZ2y3nZu_a-eLUpt0pp1rhJtS2SVGzcr2S4sR0_ZEbx9r7ThpUPsSHCoPl1x7kvsNajtFg_-t4i9zWJXh-NcZxcm2TT_l6T3DpzfmfiNtr2NqC2JwgvRswWdAV9fufRuWSzj8jBXlGiOy2zh1FfztNc26-fyNtOXZhU_6dsKCjJiQpAUPA/s2076/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.00.10%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="2076" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3rhLLdykRZ2y3nZu_a-eLUpt0pp1rhJtS2SVGzcr2S4sR0_ZEbx9r7ThpUPsSHCoPl1x7kvsNajtFg_-t4i9zWJXh-NcZxcm2TT_l6T3DpzfmfiNtr2NqC2JwgvRswWdAV9fufRuWSzj8jBXlGiOy2zh1FfztNc26-fyNtOXZhU_6dsKCjJiQpAUPA/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.00.10%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia sitting on the edge of the fountain by the <br />Library of Congress between the House and Senate buildings<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Along with hot tips for burning belly fat, my social media algorithms insist on showing me reels of tiny girls with "10 Tips & Tricks to Take Amazing Instagram Photos." I know they’re offering to make me more attractive while boosting their own clicks, but I started to wonder: Could these influencers help my activism? Was what I perceived as shallow actually great marketing advice to help me spread the word about global health?</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKAWIr2k4-IT3zrZm5sy4M6PHbTb6h_x1h8tOHfCreFIqkEQGBOAIqsYZpL3BCvJnYhTHqw8I4d7C_Px3k5u0GnsBQOstQH4si0cFUwWW4lVzNLls8z0FgbPF7u4OOajJhL9wpOFp7bHbmDej_kjp6vxVufg79KarM-d0t0D6guTbZUogfE1n7wLHZg/s1454/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%2012.23.01%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKAWIr2k4-IT3zrZm5sy4M6PHbTb6h_x1h8tOHfCreFIqkEQGBOAIqsYZpL3BCvJnYhTHqw8I4d7C_Px3k5u0GnsBQOstQH4si0cFUwWW4lVzNLls8z0FgbPF7u4OOajJhL9wpOFp7bHbmDej_kjp6vxVufg79KarM-d0t0D6guTbZUogfE1n7wLHZg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%2012.23.01%20PM.png" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia in front of U.S. Capitol 2009<br />Photo by Richard Smiley</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">For 15 years, I’ve been coming to advocate on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. with various global health advocacy groups almost every year. I have over a decade’s worth of pictures of me in front of the U.S. Capitol! My early pics look like 1980’s vacation photos of my youth. As I crossed the Capitol grounds on the way to the House and the Senate with my <a href="http://www.ONE.org" target="_blank">ONE Campaign</a> group this week, my teammates helped me experiment with Instagrammer tips.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Let’s see what happens when a 51-year-old mom applies tips from glamorous influencers about how to make pictures more interesting and flattering! </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">This first photo is what you DO NOT want. From a publicity stance, we can’t see the organization logo, so it’s not helping to build awareness of the cause. From a composition angle, we cut the top of the Capitol off. The activist has a closed off posture with a unhappy, disagreeable face. Even if your Hill meeting didn’t go well, your face doesn’t have to tell that story! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCvi_MAWjTSaUj_724QuEiAUjfs7UWSIKd-MNYJCg6M7mnXTm6LaQb3mTfDNGHJNsXt2eRN49plJ8Uj33WCaKgVfEygzPPXx6JTgYf3kMsKwXsXmA_OcdZh98gxQ4jPhA2Bd756CRFmGpATTTOfe8FXR1P48bK3DMJ9mZof8l9Qt7Ur-A_eGk6VHGKg/s1394/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.03.38%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1162" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCvi_MAWjTSaUj_724QuEiAUjfs7UWSIKd-MNYJCg6M7mnXTm6LaQb3mTfDNGHJNsXt2eRN49plJ8Uj33WCaKgVfEygzPPXx6JTgYf3kMsKwXsXmA_OcdZh98gxQ4jPhA2Bd756CRFmGpATTTOfe8FXR1P48bK3DMJ9mZof8l9Qt7Ur-A_eGk6VHGKg/w534-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.03.38%20PM.png" width="534" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia shows what not to do in a Hill photo</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">This next one is the standard photo most people expect to see. I bet 95% of my Capitol Hill day photos look like this. Nothing wrong with it. Nice smile. Nametag and jacket are moved aside so people can see the logo. But every activist has this picture. Can we improve on it to be something that will cause your friends to stop scrolling on social media, read your post, and maybe even take an action to help your cause?</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: break-spaces; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDU7oYoaGRuUjeCAozNCezHIBG5Vvgxl6sRvu9bFOhNrEVPhWWp-ejCe2zrjgi_XjOZQEeH3B0RebqtXHgFFiBduWLv_fmdYzjGK2O8f19WBa0NFzJDBccslL8bEHLCuO31tcEwUlkyNwY0N9yI_0ldRFnklqFEXbOu0UnRoa3NiqC0_vmx2fAz7-XA/s1554/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.05.31%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1166" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDU7oYoaGRuUjeCAozNCezHIBG5Vvgxl6sRvu9bFOhNrEVPhWWp-ejCe2zrjgi_XjOZQEeH3B0RebqtXHgFFiBduWLv_fmdYzjGK2O8f19WBa0NFzJDBccslL8bEHLCuO31tcEwUlkyNwY0N9yI_0ldRFnklqFEXbOu0UnRoa3NiqC0_vmx2fAz7-XA/w480-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.05.31%20PM.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia standing in front of US Capitol with arms at her sides</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Okay, enough waiting...here it is:</p><h1 style="text-align: center;">5 Tips & Tricks to Make Your Hill Pics Pop!</h1><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">#1 Photographer shooting up</span></h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Ask your photographer to get down low on their knees and shoot up. (Thanks, Jorge!) Show us that swag bag with your logo right out front to tell us who you are and what you stand for. I think a blend between these pictures of Angela Pancella and I would be exactly right. She looks more natural, but you can see the logo better in mine. Either way, the angle on the shot is already a bit more interesting. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoZQAlz9BXhuK4b0sxw99YaErWSe4Yz248zYNf8uVBEquBGd9aMB-O4xmMQtKEmOHKwhMWc_k_Ig3BvwB4pRZIfa1CKQAK0xgdKFN0KgJzKgq0W1zfgIvc_ShglNeNxELY1eB1Im8do718UbzHcWKMH5mMg0Snzi0Kw3qLQh2l2GKnVH3k0Ny9RmcWQ/s1548/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.12.17%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoZQAlz9BXhuK4b0sxw99YaErWSe4Yz248zYNf8uVBEquBGd9aMB-O4xmMQtKEmOHKwhMWc_k_Ig3BvwB4pRZIfa1CKQAK0xgdKFN0KgJzKgq0W1zfgIvc_ShglNeNxELY1eB1Im8do718UbzHcWKMH5mMg0Snzi0Kw3qLQh2l2GKnVH3k0Ny9RmcWQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.12.17%20PM.png" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrQYzX6oDWqnt7HFAyiivjFs5b6w_SH0HlIUNEOUGH8W8lWvwktqeQPUdjNevIRE8l02OoWvPyFpGezlbdp5HmAEYpKj36VI1QNuuQD0bUqh6efAS8rpoGLpO6bcP-GA88oo8GAf3T6M8YaFjPHkSdCTvQXu2GAdsOdNNrtbtoDllBEpsgPDdPJ4trA/s1546/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.12.41%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrQYzX6oDWqnt7HFAyiivjFs5b6w_SH0HlIUNEOUGH8W8lWvwktqeQPUdjNevIRE8l02OoWvPyFpGezlbdp5HmAEYpKj36VI1QNuuQD0bUqh6efAS8rpoGLpO6bcP-GA88oo8GAf3T6M8YaFjPHkSdCTvQXu2GAdsOdNNrtbtoDllBEpsgPDdPJ4trA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.12.41%20PM.png" width="241" /></a><h2><span style="font-size: large;">#2 Swing a bag</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Get this carefree, confident look by rocking back & forth on your feet while swinging the bag & taking action shots until you get a great one. Logos on both the bag & T-shirt are visible with a cheerful face on the volunteer! It looks silly when you're doing it, but the pictures turn out well. The foot closest to the photographer stays put. When your foot farthest from the camera steps forward, swing the bag forward. When it steps back, swing the bag back. FYI, the Instagrammer I got this tip from says that swinging the bag forward will hide your tummy if you are self-conscious about it. I don’t know much about that, but Angela and I modeled both options to for you to choose from.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcYuWMAIidWVnDbbR7QeVEozd6OALJmnt0y_NsvOWZefGqhO4Sw56HCwqvtbvrPXUhGIZwDsW4D5OC1Y58Gki_H07Y4SHjOmmr_4w5UwfCDfcv6dgw0rj_5xYkX-Rz1RQuS96VBURXux906ZxQy2HuYq9-nEcSukSjiAjD8qZlcKWVX-iUYR2v24uhA/s1554/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.21.01%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcYuWMAIidWVnDbbR7QeVEozd6OALJmnt0y_NsvOWZefGqhO4Sw56HCwqvtbvrPXUhGIZwDsW4D5OC1Y58Gki_H07Y4SHjOmmr_4w5UwfCDfcv6dgw0rj_5xYkX-Rz1RQuS96VBURXux906ZxQy2HuYq9-nEcSukSjiAjD8qZlcKWVX-iUYR2v24uhA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.21.01%20PM.png" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5-aO0ZqOqm5JMDUluD9rlGlH9MXQJRorqSTZu26d-S7jcMScUh1xqM3azb09cpJ7xkKevmas7wvtUsQWWwvhY4GmN-mFkrIbUB2qgLnLrjfmnhfJzoxS9-9mF2V6arp3bYHBQiP4ehNb-UQaA43ctevklFfTcfnvCnI1Jor22CtidZbIqAzxeGUj1A/s1554/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.21.20%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5-aO0ZqOqm5JMDUluD9rlGlH9MXQJRorqSTZu26d-S7jcMScUh1xqM3azb09cpJ7xkKevmas7wvtUsQWWwvhY4GmN-mFkrIbUB2qgLnLrjfmnhfJzoxS9-9mF2V6arp3bYHBQiP4ehNb-UQaA43ctevklFfTcfnvCnI1Jor22CtidZbIqAzxeGUj1A/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%201.21.20%20PM.png" width="240" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">#3 Find a Friend</span></h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Find a friend and strike a pose! Lobbying should be a team sport. We’re more powerful together, so grab a colleague and strike a dynamic pose that shows how much fun you’re having.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwW57sbZKE3fY3YDf2ISwWm-Ap5H40TylGxs9kzBXB-1ZeII2nBCb9nrdyDvWxsJtr32e3PdHYDatHZgRYX28ZhMHTTH4LQchvxMOcjBd3xkoMk2wrnLAdXx_7cEjGPRqStvopb7YLZguPWa-NCDJ7a5iHv62UTeHpqJn65fHTbUtNIm0F10Kf-6cAIw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="1164" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwW57sbZKE3fY3YDf2ISwWm-Ap5H40TylGxs9kzBXB-1ZeII2nBCb9nrdyDvWxsJtr32e3PdHYDatHZgRYX28ZhMHTTH4LQchvxMOcjBd3xkoMk2wrnLAdXx_7cEjGPRqStvopb7YLZguPWa-NCDJ7a5iHv62UTeHpqJn65fHTbUtNIm0F10Kf-6cAIw=w481-h640" width="481" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia and Angela smiling and holding out hands together</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfYFy5aEfHWQS4haGPwoGaQQZuuuV8wKJTTyvbHzUIZ2WrDrxYGPuw2g4FRZWYbnehlh7-qhhZfTjupQSdNBLTbptwfY4LK0XxNRLQ4TLhTUgOJNk530PC9vy4tzfGmo79ym6h1YD71kw_7GAV7U20lTSMcmDoyqM0kErlgQhpxrYcYMzaN-r1IlAi3GM/s1280/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-01%20at%209.03.07%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="952" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfYFy5aEfHWQS4haGPwoGaQQZuuuV8wKJTTyvbHzUIZ2WrDrxYGPuw2g4FRZWYbnehlh7-qhhZfTjupQSdNBLTbptwfY4LK0XxNRLQ4TLhTUgOJNk530PC9vy4tzfGmo79ym6h1YD71kw_7GAV7U20lTSMcmDoyqM0kErlgQhpxrYcYMzaN-r1IlAi3GM/w477-h640/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-01%20at%209.03.07%20PM.png" width="477" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia with Shot@Life volunteers Aaron and Srihitha</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">#4 Add a New Level</span></h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Get down low along with your photographer to add an unusual level. These look confident and really focus attention on your location and your organization’s logo.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTga7rZ6qlix6zYGRERByRuax7kjJ9g6NQtfeaiOCkE6V4CqcsOigsHeEpylYKjDn18_VzvDw1fFPDh3yVKF6V_rRzzFCc096WaJga3trcX3iNVnEyz53Jj1NddZpsThilicrckPc_pvjQZEzTlo_OstCbrH72VCo4BjiiQ1Iw8Osru_DbuqmbJquk1Q/s1424/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.04.29%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="1166" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTga7rZ6qlix6zYGRERByRuax7kjJ9g6NQtfeaiOCkE6V4CqcsOigsHeEpylYKjDn18_VzvDw1fFPDh3yVKF6V_rRzzFCc096WaJga3trcX3iNVnEyz53Jj1NddZpsThilicrckPc_pvjQZEzTlo_OstCbrH72VCo4BjiiQ1Iw8Osru_DbuqmbJquk1Q/w524-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.04.29%20PM.png" width="524" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia squats down in front of the US Capitol</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjef73LaNr3hyphenhyphenSlqCRQpEhkT52O7m6J-u3P6zt1USTlthMG4YW_42PYOmHX4A2UoPh-4FrnKhdPDeU-Mr0ETHFMrP40Y5pjbOrguyTzLoO_N3PQB4ajsPNPIfqF9rLFFMxMZVAgkFbXHq7KomR7OoB_R9yyqRFnf3JPwmDcrvGZ9Rm4pNTeruVianfgd-2/s1198/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-01%20at%209.02.42%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="958" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjef73LaNr3hyphenhyphenSlqCRQpEhkT52O7m6J-u3P6zt1USTlthMG4YW_42PYOmHX4A2UoPh-4FrnKhdPDeU-Mr0ETHFMrP40Y5pjbOrguyTzLoO_N3PQB4ajsPNPIfqF9rLFFMxMZVAgkFbXHq7KomR7OoB_R9yyqRFnf3JPwmDcrvGZ9Rm4pNTeruVianfgd-2/w512-h640/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-01%20at%209.02.42%20PM.png" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia seated on the Capitol steps looking down at the camera</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">#5 Feature a Different Architectural Feature</span></h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">You don't HAVE to have a picture in front of the Capitol building to show you're lobbying in D.C. Find a different interesting feature to set you apart from other activists, like this fountain in front of the Library of Congress. Sitting on the edge of a wall with a leg up looks casual and adds interesting angles to the picture. Prominently display your organization's logo and wear sunglasses to look cool, especially if you’re facing into blinding sun. Look off-camera and add a filter for extra coolness points. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3rhLLdykRZ2y3nZu_a-eLUpt0pp1rhJtS2SVGzcr2S4sR0_ZEbx9r7ThpUPsSHCoPl1x7kvsNajtFg_-t4i9zWJXh-NcZxcm2TT_l6T3DpzfmfiNtr2NqC2JwgvRswWdAV9fufRuWSzj8jBXlGiOy2zh1FfztNc26-fyNtOXZhU_6dsKCjJiQpAUPA/s2076/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.00.10%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="2076" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3rhLLdykRZ2y3nZu_a-eLUpt0pp1rhJtS2SVGzcr2S4sR0_ZEbx9r7ThpUPsSHCoPl1x7kvsNajtFg_-t4i9zWJXh-NcZxcm2TT_l6T3DpzfmfiNtr2NqC2JwgvRswWdAV9fufRuWSzj8jBXlGiOy2zh1FfztNc26-fyNtOXZhU_6dsKCjJiQpAUPA/w640-h480/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-10%20at%202.00.10%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia sitting on the edge of a fountain at the Library of Congress</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Now that you know how to get some great photos, you'll want to share them with the world to spread awareness of your issues. Be sure to tag your organization. Better yet, tag your policymakers with a message reminding them of your request "thanks for meeting me -- counting on you to help end AIDS in our lifetime!" etc. (Thanks, <a href="https://twitter.com/dodsonadvocate" target="_blank">Meredith Dodson</a> of <a href="http://www.chn.org" target="_blank">Coalition for Human Needs</a>, for reminding me of that!)</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"> Good luck with your photos...and good luck with your meetings!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;"></p></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-48509582223854033062023-05-14T10:13:00.007-05:002023-05-15T07:24:16.785-05:00What we NEED on #MothersDay: Safety From Gun Violence<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This year, I did not write a “Mother’s Day Gift Idea” blog. Because my friends and I at Moms Demand Action don’t need more flowers. We NEED our kids & friends safe from weapons of war while they are just trying to live their lives.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This advocacy fight for safety from gun violence has always been personal. From the moment my kids started practicing hiding in classrooms from armed intruders, it hit home. But 8 days ago, it finally happened. Someone I love became a victim of gun violence. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/29/us/fatal-shooting-new-orleans-restaurant/index.html" target="_blank">A friend of mine was hit in a public shooting.</a> </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like so many American gun victims, Victoria Luz was out living her life doing normal things and when her life was disrupted by violence. She was at a 75th birthday party in a restaurant, travelling in New Orleans for a fun Jazz Fest weekend. She was surrounded by friends when a shooter came hunting a server (fatally shot). My friend ended up with a bullet in her back.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is what Birthday Girl, <a href="https://momsdemandaction.org/events/?fbclid=IwAR0zhQTYI3oMT7q42nSeF6SLQJhhXwYnMH_NZPMn9fdEZC_TA6Ed1J6lzb4" target="_blank">Terri Hemmert</a>, said about that day on Facebook: </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"What I did on my spring vacation. I went to New Orleans. I did not go to the Jazz and Heritage Festival. I did not eat Crawfish Monica. I did start my big birthday party. It was interrupted by a hail of bullets. 28 of my precious friends were hitting the floor. I looked to my right. Two very special women were on the floor by my feet. There was blood. And a bullet hole in the wall. Two inches from me. And a bullet in my friend’s back. It was surreal. But it was real. Only too real."</span></blockquote><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wde3f8PsVN8XeGpuV9e5iXJJoh9Aai2A0lpy9Xh1AzwugEhIIOKYJyVORwyTDnSHffDgSjdfOeiOuk__6jYD1J5a80Q0AUNnzjh4j3b-f05yY0kyDqwg8olWjrOKquf2PKOJRn93xkCngMXthVCBYtwonsD4D0FmH6PQv9X7vrYBXiYF5aGRLlg-pw/s642/Moms%20Demand%20Tshirt.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="642" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wde3f8PsVN8XeGpuV9e5iXJJoh9Aai2A0lpy9Xh1AzwugEhIIOKYJyVORwyTDnSHffDgSjdfOeiOuk__6jYD1J5a80Q0AUNnzjh4j3b-f05yY0kyDqwg8olWjrOKquf2PKOJRn93xkCngMXthVCBYtwonsD4D0FmH6PQv9X7vrYBXiYF5aGRLlg-pw/s320/Moms%20Demand%20Tshirt.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy wearing a Moms Demand t-shirt</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After processing the fear and relief of hearing about it and that she was in stable condition, I thought, "Sh-t, there it is." After years of advocating and wearing my now-worn-to-softness Moms Demand Action t-shirt to avoid a day like that...gun violence finally arrived for one of my Special People. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m very grateful she is alive, well cared for, and got to celebrate Mother's Day and her own birthday days later! Let me share a tiny bit about this wonderful woman who could never be encapsulated in a blog post. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">She’s a mid-west, suburban mom who fiercely loves her two kids. She likes Chuck Taylor shoes, geeky comic-y stuff, Broadway musicals, costumes, and books and libraries. She is weird in all the best possible ways. She cheers on her friends in their life goals. She makes reading glasses look so good, that when it was my turn to need them, I thought “I get to be like her!” instead of being upset about needing readers. I'll also add that she's been acting against gun violence WAY before I started. She began volunteering for the national Coalition Against Handgun Violence when she was 13! She has always been a survivor, and now she is also a gun violence survivor.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">People who know me might recognize that several things on that list describe me, too. Yeah, those are things we have in common and first drew us together. They’re also a reminder - as if I needed any more reminders - that this violent act can easily happen to me or any of us. This is not just a school problem or a concert security problem or a race problem or a “bad neighborhood” problem. It’s a nationwide problem that gets more and more ridiculous with every passing week when Americans are gunned down doing normal, ordinary things, like going to movies, ringing the wrong doorbell, pulling into a wrong driveway, or accidentally getting into the wrong car.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://forusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FILE_0737-1.pdf" target="_blank">Over 650 faith leaders </a>urged Congress to declare Mother’s Day to be declared a national day of prayer, mourning, repentance, contemplation, and action “so that we are able to overcome our country’s idolatrous worship of guns.” As far as I know, despite the too-common assurances that we have their “thoughts and prayers,” Congress didn't make any such proclamation declaration. But Mother’s Day 2023 is a Day of Action for <a href="https://momsdemandaction.org" target="_blank">Moms Demand Action</a> volunteers. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please honor this day by taking one or more of these three actions against gun violence:</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"><a href="https://momsdemandaction.org/events/" target="_blank">Find and event to attend for "Wear Orange"</a> gun violence awareness week. </span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Join in this Moms Demand <a href="https://act.everytown.org/sign/Fed_up_House_gun_safety/?rd=1&refcode=emmo_Mothers_Day_contact_20230513&source=emmo_Mothers_Day_contact_20230513&t=10&utm_campaign=Mothers_Day_contact_20230513&utm_medium=o&utm_source=emmo_Mothers_Day_contact_20230513&referring_akid=294535.8626531.amcGdd" target="_blank">online action</a> or write a letter to Congress with the sample text below to suport common-sense gun legislation and re-instate the assault weapons ban. </span></span></li></ul><blockquote><blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am writing to you as a constituent filled with grief, fear, and anger. I am fed up. As countless acts of preventable gun violence continue to threaten the safety of communities across the country day after day, I am urging you to oppose the extreme attempts to attack the ATF, including efforts to repeal the ATF’s arm brace rule, and, instead, support action on gun safety. I ask you to support common-sense legislation that would expand background checks to all gun sales, create a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order law, and reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban. This common-sense legislation can help prevent tragic mass shootings, as well as the 120 gun deaths that happen every day.</span></em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please, I’m urging you to prioritize public safety. Take action and save lives.</span></em></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><em style="font-size: inherit;"></em></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Write a social media post asking for others to take action by giving your version of <i>"For #MothersDay I don't NEED flowers, I NEED my kids and friends safe from weapons of war while they are just trying to live their lives. I'm calling on Congress to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban. Join me & text FED UP to 644-33"</i></span></span></li></ul><p></p></blockquote><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b7e1TwCWDm2rq4brYAGekzbxov_614oaGs03v1QVBffQ4EELnElH9rKLKSGb5Vo9W8GOizoJLZ0akIAj0fCKPl0BcuXAhcR_MTNzl89uYfkWg6ryO6zHQaXljml8it-Eu-eqTQFq4g3OYb0iwxfEZ62L0BV1wuuVJsNMdFH-4RajS1yl_JLQz8rxtw/s1266/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-13%20at%203.30.39%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1192" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b7e1TwCWDm2rq4brYAGekzbxov_614oaGs03v1QVBffQ4EELnElH9rKLKSGb5Vo9W8GOizoJLZ0akIAj0fCKPl0BcuXAhcR_MTNzl89uYfkWg6ryO6zHQaXljml8it-Eu-eqTQFq4g3OYb0iwxfEZ62L0BV1wuuVJsNMdFH-4RajS1yl_JLQz8rxtw/w376-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-13%20at%203.30.39%20PM.png" width="376" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image: My facebook post for a Mother's Day social media action</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, as I hit "submit" on this blog post, I'm headed to church wearing that broken-in, red Moms Demand shirt. Because Victoria deserves all my thoughts and prayer AND actions.</span></p><div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br style="font-size: inherit;" /><br class="ProseMirror-trailingBreak" style="font-size: inherit;" /></span></p><h2 style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; white-space: break-spaces;"><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: 400; white-space: normal;"><br /></p></h2>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-59193879329950625082023-03-24T19:34:00.024-05:002023-04-05T13:39:57.706-05:00Tuberculosis is still The Phantom Plague on #WorldTBDay 2023<p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Another World Tuberculosis Day has come around today. This time, I’m out and about on college visits with my youngest kid, so I’m not lobbying about TB as I have for <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2021/03/surprise-its-worldtbday.html" target="_blank">past World TB Days</a>. But I am still thinking about it a lot because my local <a href="http://www.results.org" target="_blank">RESULTS</a> group is working hard to rally U.S. support, as Congress is now facing funding decisions for global health programs and other budgeting plans. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">The fight against tuberculosis is at a precarious point in 2023. TB cases and deaths have been on the rise ever since COVID-19 caused resources to be diverted for that new pandemic. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that has left its fingerprints all over world history. This World TB Day, I highly recommend reading a newly published book by Vidya Krishnan called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Plague-Tuberculosis-Shaped-History/dp/1541768469/" target="_blank">The Phantom Plague: How Tuberculosis Shaped History</a>. Krishnan is an award-winning journalist who has been reporting on medical science for the last twenty years. She traces the history of tuberculosis from the slums of 19th-century New York to modern Mumbai. In a narrative spanning century, Krishnan shows how superstition and folk-remedies, made way for scientific understanding of TB, so it could be controlled in the West. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwW0gSFAWEisqMJU8MZ4ygZXXshbtQt2OfEmoja2Cj44rr1P_IfPJCABEW2g62n7BX75DXI-7mdhztOmEdNS_cUcDNjosR2zMTRaMZNBqGjFe2Y6qMJ7tZNnS3LdW8MMQYEwaI-RrblWqZvLeQbyTYRQvxGCE11g-PReLB9Hkbbk2j0zcEZXGMKvJKw/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-24%20at%208.00.31%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1274" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwW0gSFAWEisqMJU8MZ4ygZXXshbtQt2OfEmoja2Cj44rr1P_IfPJCABEW2g62n7BX75DXI-7mdhztOmEdNS_cUcDNjosR2zMTRaMZNBqGjFe2Y6qMJ7tZNnS3LdW8MMQYEwaI-RrblWqZvLeQbyTYRQvxGCE11g-PReLB9Hkbbk2j0zcEZXGMKvJKw/w400-h299/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-24%20at%208.00.31%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia & Yara holding copies of <br />The Phantom Plague</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">One of my kids, Yara Changyit-Levin, is now a college freshman enrolled in the <a href="https://www.jhu.edu" target="_blank">Johns Hopkins School</a> of Public Health. Being global health advocates, we each have our own copies of The Phantom Plague. It shouldn't have surprised us when we both arrived at our spring break destination still reading and annotating our books. We both look forward to getting to the parts where real people we actually know, like <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/tb/investigators/madhukar-pai-associate-director" target="_blank">Dr. Madhukar Pai at McGill University</a>, played a significant part in the history of tuberculosis. It will help us see our own part in defeating this disease even though we still have an awful long way to go!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Want to learn more about what you personally can do to advocate in support of global TB programs? <a href="https://results.org/blog/transforming-the-global-fight-against-tuberculosis-campaign-overview" target="_blank">Visit this blog from RESULTS</a> for an overview and actions.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">To give you an example of what this advocacy can look like, here is my letter to the editor published last week in my local St. Louis Post-Dispatch Newspaper that thanks our area U.S. representatives for their actions to fight against TB:</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyFIGvLnTAMBT-Ch1XDtfjvyD0xClQCCjlXYTS1ewC8OC1m2yzyhxjQJsfx1MzG9wy9xJEoJkXGyU3nNxXeXWD2g53brfzmC6eosO1SCK-WqUKIxLQIkP2WUdMvTUs4K8zPWqqgFZhjik95vOEXGkOWOFiZuZmRM58-YhaKgtyVitnWkwrUkZ37VtVQ/s1246/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-24%20at%208.33.35%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="882" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyFIGvLnTAMBT-Ch1XDtfjvyD0xClQCCjlXYTS1ewC8OC1m2yzyhxjQJsfx1MzG9wy9xJEoJkXGyU3nNxXeXWD2g53brfzmC6eosO1SCK-WqUKIxLQIkP2WUdMvTUs4K8zPWqqgFZhjik95vOEXGkOWOFiZuZmRM58-YhaKgtyVitnWkwrUkZ37VtVQ/w284-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-24%20at%208.33.35%20PM.png" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Clipping of my letter to the editor<br />Photo credit: Greg Campbell</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">“I applaud <a href="https://wagner.house.gov" target="_blank">Congresswoman Ann Wagner</a> for using her leadership to fight a deadly pandemic on the rise. Not COVID-19, but tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) – an airborne disease – was the pandemic we were fighting long before coronavirus made news. It kills more people each year than HIV and malaria combined and has alternated with COVID-19 as the leading infectious disease killer over the past three years.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">COVID-19 diverted global resources meant to fight TB. As a result, TB cases and deaths increased with 11 million sickened and 1.6 million killed worldwide in 2021. Representative Wagner recently co-authored a bi-partisan letter with Representative Ami Bera to the House appropriations committee recommending $1 billion for USAID bilateral tuberculosis funding in the FY24 spending bill to properly identify, treat, and prevent all forms of TB and develop new, more effective tools to fight it.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Happily, <a href="https://bush.house.gov" target="_blank">Congresswoman Cori Bush</a> signed onto this letter, too. I’m grateful both of our St. Louis area U.S. representatives are engaged in this effort to support global health systems.”</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I invite everyone to join in the fight against tuberculosis. Whether you make a couple of simple phone calls in honor of World TB Day, <a href="https://twitter.com/ccylevin/status/1639442763249774592" target="_blank">tweet about it</a>, join a <a href="http://www.results.org" target="_blank">RESULTS</a> group for a lobby meeting, or write a letter to the editor of your own, you can help us write the next chapter of world history and global health.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p><div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-42998503605570941882023-01-17T11:34:00.004-06:002023-01-18T06:24:28.485-06:00Racial #Oppression: Unravel the Whole Damn Cloth<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNFYjYrqr8Pc3dxAAYaDs5EKnDNg8cthzfIomTvRpJb9Aai5MF-izSe_GT5yn0QjgG3jJTEf7JaHLzxRkd0h5wJqzHmaeewi6-tA9sId39KvHazcTudnfmOsXgJYyYmXe2XVRZNS4RwF1PkMtncNM3bfCD9O392S8TuhmfAEaPeZriyU7iitSUbMYDA/s1270/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-17%20at%2011.00.15%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1218" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNFYjYrqr8Pc3dxAAYaDs5EKnDNg8cthzfIomTvRpJb9Aai5MF-izSe_GT5yn0QjgG3jJTEf7JaHLzxRkd0h5wJqzHmaeewi6-tA9sId39KvHazcTudnfmOsXgJYyYmXe2XVRZNS4RwF1PkMtncNM3bfCD9O392S8TuhmfAEaPeZriyU7iitSUbMYDA/w384-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-17%20at%2011.00.15%20AM.png" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Hand pulling at a string, unravelling the fringe on a cloth. <br />Image Credit: Cynthia Levin<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">As I learn more about systemic oppression and racism, I’m rocked again and again by how deep our problems go in America. Here are just four injustices that are top of mind for me:</span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>1. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html" target="_blank">Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women</a></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>2. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01846-z" target="_blank">Black men are 2.5 times more likely than white men to be killed by police during their lifetime</a></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>3. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2021/05/08/991535564/black-americans-and-the-racist-architecture-of-homeownership" target="_blank">Black homeownership is declining more dramatically than for any other racial or ethnic group in the United States</a></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>4. <a href="https://www.aclu.org/podcast/the-movement-to-erase-black-history-culture-and-joy" target="_blank">Black history is being minimized or erased in school curriculum</a></b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">There are many more, but those pop up for me because of my activism in the areas of maternal/child health, housing, gun violence, as well as my mentorship of high school advocates. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Now that I’m in the college application phase of parenthood, standardized testing is on my mind. When I spoke with a friend in academia about how <a href="https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/racist-beginnings-standardized-testing" target="_blank">standardized ACT/SAT tests for college essentially prevent students of color from admission to prestigious schools</a> without being accurate predictors of college success, I kind of threw up my hands saying “I don’t even know what to do about that.” She said, “It’s one more thing you can throw on your list of things you advocate about.” Ack. It’s so frustrating how many THINGS there are. I know there is a danger for me and others for the frustration to get overwhelming to the point of inaction. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I’m urging you NOT to succumb to inaction. <b>Don’t become so frustrated about how you can’t solve everything, that you fail to do something.</b> In the words of a tweet by <a href="https://www.learningforjustice.org/author/ursula-wolferocca" target="_blank">Ursula Wolfe-Rocca</a> a.k.a. @LadyOfSardines, a teacher and organizer in Portland, OR: </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 19px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxvmXjBO72ZQXOzApoW4MVZerhSaoEAXK947DVnucsyvMjFcJHUiXfPwPYOO5mlu-TwaGC0v82cZscb8VfFAaalG40_fm5UV3bkOTsJSoOAssqKEry5KzJlcmZyC7XaO_tZs20JJL21la6WoOESQOsgN2gjftF1SMnv4_2QRrirqG-ge2ZZcSAEGxXw/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%201.21.41%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It can be overwhelming to witness/experience/take in all the injustices of the moment; the good news is that *they're all connected.* So if your little corner of work involves pulling at one of the threads, you're helping to unravel the whole damn cloth."</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxvmXjBO72ZQXOzApoW4MVZerhSaoEAXK947DVnucsyvMjFcJHUiXfPwPYOO5mlu-TwaGC0v82cZscb8VfFAaalG40_fm5UV3bkOTsJSoOAssqKEry5KzJlcmZyC7XaO_tZs20JJL21la6WoOESQOsgN2gjftF1SMnv4_2QRrirqG-ge2ZZcSAEGxXw/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%201.21.41%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1274" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxvmXjBO72ZQXOzApoW4MVZerhSaoEAXK947DVnucsyvMjFcJHUiXfPwPYOO5mlu-TwaGC0v82cZscb8VfFAaalG40_fm5UV3bkOTsJSoOAssqKEry5KzJlcmZyC7XaO_tZs20JJL21la6WoOESQOsgN2gjftF1SMnv4_2QRrirqG-ge2ZZcSAEGxXw/w400-h156/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%201.21.41%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Tweet by Ursula Wolfe-Rocca</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">These words are incredibly helpful to me. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Print out that tweet and paste it to your bathroom mirror. Use it as a reminder that you’re with me, I’m with you, and together we’ll make things better if we KEEP GOING.</p>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-3374763330851427102023-01-16T15:21:00.003-06:002023-01-17T07:38:36.232-06:00Allow Yourself to Be Disrupted on MLK Day<p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space: break-spaces;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjla1dvOb8EO9YivYCEb744VvK3JQsMlLjbGV-H2iRmZmZp4F2-j6yQDR5OalVXb3O_m7h3UJxs6t-sqPLJIcY3JV1XtB1eX6n1N6mRZgL7BwFvwyUnNiX1AtElo-nzQ8NGwp-xcE1F2MKFLePYe91pimlAcnqfdCZhNXQ8iVp-RDwAlkArlwXmeCJQ4Q/s1850/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%202.43.11%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1850" data-original-width="1630" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjla1dvOb8EO9YivYCEb744VvK3JQsMlLjbGV-H2iRmZmZp4F2-j6yQDR5OalVXb3O_m7h3UJxs6t-sqPLJIcY3JV1XtB1eX6n1N6mRZgL7BwFvwyUnNiX1AtElo-nzQ8NGwp-xcE1F2MKFLePYe91pimlAcnqfdCZhNXQ8iVp-RDwAlkArlwXmeCJQ4Q/w353-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%202.43.11%20PM.png" width="353" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image: MLK Jr. memorial in Washington D.C.<br />Photo credit: Cynthia Levin</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px;"><br /></span>Have you ever been to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington D.C.? It's one of the most moving memorials in a city so full of monuments and memorials that you can hardly remember all the people you’re supposed to be remembering. Rather than having some anonymous obelisk or rotunda, MLK Jr.’s figure looms larger than life as he emerges from an imposing block of stone. Surrounded by his own quotes, there is no doubt whose statue you gaze upon. When I look at the face the sculptor gave him, I see determination of a strong organizer and I see a challenge to authority. And maybe, I see a challenge for me to BE a strong organizer who can BE a challenge to authority.</span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxsYQBmtwuW9qUKYh2kPEIS8RL56IfInGemICrSrZN2IDbA2P-Cqkn4OCurGK8F5N5_ZHG_cRopMr6_C2x57tU85ZITxs_x1sG38wE8G3ovNBR9zwyZbvXOirikuC1aKmGcgm3jD5q0VYwLnyOmDUlDnm4uoHp2zlIdIjsGe1KPX7NvQzomAK0wwizg/s1800/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%203.08.38%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxsYQBmtwuW9qUKYh2kPEIS8RL56IfInGemICrSrZN2IDbA2P-Cqkn4OCurGK8F5N5_ZHG_cRopMr6_C2x57tU85ZITxs_x1sG38wE8G3ovNBR9zwyZbvXOirikuC1aKmGcgm3jD5q0VYwLnyOmDUlDnm4uoHp2zlIdIjsGe1KPX7NvQzomAK0wwizg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%203.08.38%20PM.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Tying fringe on fleece <br />blankets is an activity even <br />kids can do!</td></tr></tbody></table>Every year, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day rolls around, I wonder if we Americans are paying proper homage to this man with our days of service and charitable acts. On one hand, the tradition of service on this day is wonderfully unique among national holidays. I have to think it would have heartened him to know that thousands of adults and children dedicate time to helping fellow humans instead of just lolling about on a vacation day. I’ve taken part with my own children by sorting non-perishable food for the hungry, making blankets for homeless folks, repairing and cleaning underserved schools, and countless other good works.<p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: small;">And yet, the reason we celebrate his life wasn’t because of his charity, was it? Like any pastor, he probably looked favorably upon any activities helping people in poverty. But the reason we know who he was at all is his dedication to advocacy and non-violent protest. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: small;">Martin Luther King Jr. was not an advocate who played it safe. He knew when he went to Birmingham that his actions might land him in jail. That's exactly what happened. He took that imposed time of reflection and cranked out his legendary <a href="https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html" target="_blank">“Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”</a> If you haven’t read it, it’s a letter written to leaders who criticized his methods as an agitator and his urgency to take disruptive action. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are so many gems in this letter that I won’t list them all here. But I'll point out that he directed his letter at moderates who were supposed to be on his side, but were so inactive that they played into the system of oppression. If you are ever showed discomfort with Black Lives Matter by not showing up for a protest (that would be me) or insisting that “All Lives Matter,” he was writing to you, too. Read the<a href="https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html" target="_blank"> full letter at this link</a> or even just the passages below and allow yourself to be a bit more disrupted:</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><blockquote>“You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations.” </blockquote><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><blockquote>“I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”</blockquote><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I read his words and think about the conditions he was writing from (“what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?”), I think we can all borrow a little inspiration and courage from him to be a bit more disruptive in our country and our communities. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-t9-73UVVhr_9yZ1H0T2wfwpF2KU2DIsU2AWrNW95VK8D4a8LCIfgi4FCrdjvRIW8eQ5Z66muXxymmaYTuiN5uYJOCN7v2nPowmBjUjiVenFksqjgBHFmKqqnpnHzdLE3WfHEY8aL5GpKVsLbCbzVXJyiJIfKweJsMD4tS3iS8kXZNoQSPGdvOXC5EA/s1902/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%202.51.16%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1902" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-t9-73UVVhr_9yZ1H0T2wfwpF2KU2DIsU2AWrNW95VK8D4a8LCIfgi4FCrdjvRIW8eQ5Z66muXxymmaYTuiN5uYJOCN7v2nPowmBjUjiVenFksqjgBHFmKqqnpnHzdLE3WfHEY8aL5GpKVsLbCbzVXJyiJIfKweJsMD4tS3iS8kXZNoQSPGdvOXC5EA/w400-h236/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-16%20at%202.51.16%20PM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Child standing by MLK memorial quote that says<br />"Make a career of humanity, commit yourself to the noble<br />struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of<br />yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer <br />world to live in." - MLK Jr.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We can’t all be Martin Luther King Jr, but we can strive to be like him and honor his legacy by opening our eyes to what’s around us and using our words to challenge oppression in its many forms. So after you see to your charitable action today, ask yourself, “How can I use my words in this time to fight poverty and oppression?”</span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: small;">Will you take a stand against book banning? Will you oppose a state bill that bans the teaching of accurate Black history? Will you ask legislators for funding for maternal care for low-income mothers? There are so many ways to fight oppression and honor the legacy of Dr. King. Let’s all pick one and commit ourselves to actions, so next MLK Day, we can say that we answered his call.</span></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/s1288/BOOK%20COVER.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1034" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcV9OO94iwx9DgLglhLAtWGCvBIFBDE2w3y8qeN_Y8Ku5thzm2mj5Fyypni4AVfTWA9mmw4XrfZOFShYQ4FKrjb7DlyPChK9tcmzmcLOzZveS8l10fqdSeHLzFgRhCuniLg__C_1l5bSzdGWnx3s7rS502O14Nx-dWPHxY0d2c49p5IBjwWgxpcFzZg/w161-h200/BOOK%20COVER.png" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-7073410164790832572023-01-07T13:29:00.003-06:002023-01-14T12:23:27.904-06:00Write a "Welcome to Congress" Letter to the Editor<p style="text-align: left;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; white-space: break-spaces;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbAUhrcFLllgfzp6pDPydYMq_ShFvUhXXrN9dWA_4pAQogW0Tf1Q39rpOnIPnRtcApq_vntr1egI3p6_UqPAnDAc3t-3ORm5qA8XXKpAw6cL-JHh3cqwf8xhc1m37ULBKSLV5M9OblwVE3NitB5f-5Hb1X9CrhKM75ltLz5iuGA3cTK_luAqVYtb8Yg/s2202/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2012.42.42%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="2202" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbAUhrcFLllgfzp6pDPydYMq_ShFvUhXXrN9dWA_4pAQogW0Tf1Q39rpOnIPnRtcApq_vntr1egI3p6_UqPAnDAc3t-3ORm5qA8XXKpAw6cL-JHh3cqwf8xhc1m37ULBKSLV5M9OblwVE3NitB5f-5Hb1X9CrhKM75ltLz5iuGA3cTK_luAqVYtb8Yg/w400-h265/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2012.42.42%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia smiling in front of the U.S. Capitol building</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Start the 2023 session with a positive attitude of partnership and cooperation! </span></h1><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">Did you know we have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-lawmakers-incoming-freshman-class-118th-congress-2022-12" target="_blank">82 new lawmakers in U.S. Congress</a> this year? According to the Washington Post, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2022/new-members-of-congress/" target="_blank">12 of them have no government experience at all</a>. With 75 new members in the House and seven new senators, we have no time to lose in bringing them up to speed on all the important issues they'll be voting on this term. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">But how do we do this when they aren't quite ready to talk to us? I was lucky to get through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard (1-800-826-3688) to discover my own new <a href="https://www.schmitt.senate.gov" target="_blank">Senator Eric Schmitt</a> from Missouri is still in a temporary office and hasn't yet hired a tax aide nor a foreign policy aide. Even if they haven’t fully staffed their offices, we can still begin building relationships with them by using local media to urge them to focus on your issues. The quickest way to do this is to write letters to the editor (LTEs). If you get them published, you can send them links to your letters over social media, mail your published pieces to their office later when they settle in, and hopefully bring a nice stack of media to your first meeting to show you mean business.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Tips for a "Welcome to Congress" LTE</h1><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Reference something in their resume that might show common ground with your issue.</b> For instance, <a href="https://www.schmitt.senate.gov" target="_blank">Senator Schmitt founded Habitat for Humanity chapter in college</a>, so I could tie that to our American housing crisis.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Concentrate on educating them on your general issue(s).</b> Since Congress must re-introduce all bills, you won’t have specific bill numbers to reference. </span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Acknowledge their new role has many expanded responsibilities.</b> No new member of Congress can know everything about all issues. Make this letter a reminder that you are a resource for them as well.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Don't come out swinging.</b> You have very little to gain by starting a relationship with insults. Even if you don't agree with their campaign positions, set yourself apart from the crowd by modelling the positive, mature tone of respect you would like to see from them. Even if your relationship sours later, it shouldn't be because of you!</span></li></ul><p></p><p></p></div><blockquote style="color: #2f3333; text-align: left;"></blockquote><blockquote style="color: #2f3333; text-align: left;"></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAML52xo0NWc49ijOPPYK8zclCh8UyR51yRYQeDhJJEQoa4UkRmuuMzRN1VvddzYERgPvmBNDqeFtLuxSvWdM2pPDHZ4lDnjX66IPo9ZPBZG6vRn7hHVaLFRBV2LTm7TCgXsN9bD-jfBgZ299DBFXOXb8GZCRkqku_D0CodIImvtVhCfrQMisPTI4w5w/s2428/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2010.47.09%20AM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Sample Text for LTEs</h1><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAML52xo0NWc49ijOPPYK8zclCh8UyR51yRYQeDhJJEQoa4UkRmuuMzRN1VvddzYERgPvmBNDqeFtLuxSvWdM2pPDHZ4lDnjX66IPo9ZPBZG6vRn7hHVaLFRBV2LTm7TCgXsN9bD-jfBgZ299DBFXOXb8GZCRkqku_D0CodIImvtVhCfrQMisPTI4w5w/s2428/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2010.47.09%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="2428" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAML52xo0NWc49ijOPPYK8zclCh8UyR51yRYQeDhJJEQoa4UkRmuuMzRN1VvddzYERgPvmBNDqeFtLuxSvWdM2pPDHZ4lDnjX66IPo9ZPBZG6vRn7hHVaLFRBV2LTm7TCgXsN9bD-jfBgZ299DBFXOXb8GZCRkqku_D0CodIImvtVhCfrQMisPTI4w5w/w400-h195/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2010.47.09%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: RESULTS.org Action Alert website</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">Not sure what to say about your issue? You can use a <a href="https://results.org/volunteers/action-center/action-alerts?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns" target="_blank">template from an organization like RESULTS</a> and just alter the language to use the member's new job as a "hook" for the beginning of your letter. You can also refer to my <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2020/02/advocacy-made-easy-writing-letter-to.html" target="_blank">"Advocacy Made Easy: Writing a Letter to the Editor" blog</a> about writing letters to the editor for general instructions. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">Here’s a sample of one I submitted last week that used an article about Senator Schmitt's replacement getting sworn into Schmitt's old state position:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b><i>Schmitt Should Support Tuberculosis Policy</i> </b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>Even as Andrew Bailey takes over as our new attorney general (“Andrew Bailey sworn in as Missouri’s third attorney general in five years,” January 3), Senator Eric Schmitt is setting up his office in Washington D.C. Like many state officials who move to the federal level, Schmitt will need help from constituents to become familiar with many life-or-death global issues he may never have considered before.</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>One of those issues is the spread of tuberculosis (TB), the pandemic that already existed before COVID-19. Despite headway in reducing global TB cases over the last decade, COVID-19 diverted TB resources. Now, TB cases and deaths are rising. 1.6 million people worldwide died of TB in 2021.</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>The End TB Now Act would help regain progress. It requires the U.S. to target TB resources to countries and populations who need it most. It would foster more public-private partnerships in the TB fight and increase accountability. </i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>Congress had the opportunity to easily pass this bipartisan legislation but did not get it done. That cannot happen again.</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>I urge Senators Hawley and Schmitt to make the End TB Now Act a top priority in 2023. Lives literally depend on it.</i></p></blockquote><h1 style="text-align: left;">Be Patient, But Don't Stop</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;">Arriving as a new member of Congress is a bit like drinking from a fire hose. Be patient with our newbies, but don't let precious time go by without reaching out to them. Instead, focus on standing out as an advocate by building a reputation of being a persistent advocate, a cooperative ally, and a prolific media writer. Good luck!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17rELfc_Qkl3TKTImom7V2dYFYX-UMah9Vsb6DOhqKEwG_e_V3YOeWbhDqGGo-u2zWYbzFZBSZv_Os3t1wEtpz_6e-dle2-JGvagktErVKAhHNBV4IsIqZM-B7khJwF7eUYKxVlRNi7Aj82IKF0D2BNbdrM8BPSlTo6sVkmV2qVL1fpzZR4YU1j4SpQ/s1446/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2010.24.38%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1446" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17rELfc_Qkl3TKTImom7V2dYFYX-UMah9Vsb6DOhqKEwG_e_V3YOeWbhDqGGo-u2zWYbzFZBSZv_Os3t1wEtpz_6e-dle2-JGvagktErVKAhHNBV4IsIqZM-B7khJwF7eUYKxVlRNi7Aj82IKF0D2BNbdrM8BPSlTo6sVkmV2qVL1fpzZR4YU1j4SpQ/w400-h190/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-07%20at%2010.24.38%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Meme of a person holding a running fire hose to their face.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h1>Update: Published Letter in Joplin Globe</h1><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; white-space: break-spaces;">I'm happy to say that the <a href="https://www.joplinglobe.com/opinion/your-view-new-members-of-congress-should-support-global-health/article_b39b5b9c-91c9-11ed-a6a5-fff0477c9277.html" target="_blank">Joplin Globe newspaper published one of my letters </a>just a few days after I posted this blog. Here it is so you can see another example of my letters, how they differ, and what is similar.</span></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><b><a href="https://www.joplinglobe.com/opinion/your-view-new-members-of-congress-should-support-global-health/article_b39b5b9c-91c9-11ed-a6a5-fff0477c9277.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>New members of Congress should support global health</i></span> </a></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>I wish to congratulate U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Missouri, and U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, as they formally take their new positions in Washington D.C. (Globe, Jan. 6).</i></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Like many state officials who move to the federal level, they will need help from constituents to become familiar with many life-or-death global issues they may never have considered before.</i></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Two of those issues are the tuberculosis pandemic and immunizations against childhood diseases such as measles. The world lost headway with vaccines and TB control when COVID-19 caused disruption in health resources around the world.</i></span></p><div class="tncms-region hidden-print" id="tncms-region-article_instory_top" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Now, TB cases and deaths from the disease are rising, and 1.6 million people worldwide died of TB in 2021. Approximately 25 million children (about the population of Texas) missed routine immunizations in 2021, per WHO and UNICEF.</i></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Catching up is going to take an enormous effort.</i></span></p><div class="tncms-region hidden-print" id="tncms-region-article_instory_middle" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>I urge our new members of Congress and those previously in office, such as U.S. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, to meet with constituents and act decisively to support global health in 2023.</i></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Lives literally depend on it.</i></span></p></blockquote></div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-53348884129724204502022-11-08T12:45:00.013-06:002022-11-09T11:14:01.509-06:00#ElectionDay2022 with GenX & GenZ<p style="text-align: left;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">How do a Gen X mom and a Gen Z kid are spend their first election day far apart? We’ll show you…<br /></span></p><p>This is the first year my kiddo has lived away from home. <a href="https://teenadvocates.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Teen advocate Yara</a> is now a freshman at Johns Hopkins University, which makes me proud. But I’m also proud they’re spending Election Day with the <a href="https://www.sunrisemovement.org" target="_blank">Sunrise Movement </a>up at my old campus at the University of Wisconsin - Madison to mobilize students there. I’m still here in St. Louis where Yara graduated high school from last spring. We’re both doing our best to keep up the election momentum and do everything we can for our issues on Election Day. This is what it looks like based on our texts to each other through the morning. </p><p><br /><b>MOM:</b> I started the morning early dropping campaign signs off at several polling locations around University City. A great use of my newly repaired Subaru. It was very heartening to see lines already going out the door and wrapping around buildings! I was a little sad I couldn't convince any friends to come out and about with me at sunrise, but that meant I got to listen to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw" target="_blank">Weird Al Yankovic</a> really loudly as I drove.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZOM3OqAxgwEFHZy8K7wBD16RCvaV-oKZ82buPQ5I-5VOcsJkgYx1LL5bySbjEgYImPv6mM-CmTpFfzYdnfFqj5QfsziwJ6LF4-wvv2QCnVAQhA8VcmhHd3SMZLhIivMV7MQYqskBXkbOKE2TjuAa_k4e6ZbrwmBJR-b63iyywU1vVus88L7d6_6wlg/s1276/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2012.24.49%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1276" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZOM3OqAxgwEFHZy8K7wBD16RCvaV-oKZ82buPQ5I-5VOcsJkgYx1LL5bySbjEgYImPv6mM-CmTpFfzYdnfFqj5QfsziwJ6LF4-wvv2QCnVAQhA8VcmhHd3SMZLhIivMV7MQYqskBXkbOKE2TjuAa_k4e6ZbrwmBJR-b63iyywU1vVus88L7d6_6wlg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2012.24.49%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy with campaign signs by the car</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>YARA: </b>"Hey, do you want a Hot Girls vote sticker?" is my favorite tactic to get people to text their friends right after they leave the polls. These stickers are even more popular than candy!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjArn5M7TSVRfRt-OEfZew3VcWqf0E4TJr3Rwyz94ZN129anC03uOqVg_ewCEZOIBAi6tcoqBL9X4uUXXJ83cnl-2B4-9olD5Ujz7qJ7EIen5z6rDIGyv3Xejmkj2nkaryt1uekguUoGcKa7CcgGByvPqDzAyakdYPEWiFnPsIembwARHZWDrPfs0dQ/s1784/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.58.07%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="1330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjArn5M7TSVRfRt-OEfZew3VcWqf0E4TJr3Rwyz94ZN129anC03uOqVg_ewCEZOIBAi6tcoqBL9X4uUXXJ83cnl-2B4-9olD5Ujz7qJ7EIen5z6rDIGyv3Xejmkj2nkaryt1uekguUoGcKa7CcgGByvPqDzAyakdYPEWiFnPsIembwARHZWDrPfs0dQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.58.07%20AM.png" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Hot Girls Vote sticker with <br />a code to scan for the Sunrise Movement</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div><b>MOM: </b>I have to admit that phone banking is not my favorite type of election work, but I gave it a go today. I reached a few people, but the best part was talking to text bankers Marge and Julie and eating donuts. And then our Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine showed up! Always fun to spend time with the person you're volunteering for. I ended up politely taking my leave saying, "I may be your worst phone banker, but I'm going to my next shift where I'll be the best poll greeter!"</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiJf5oTgkTGO5OgG4jM78Q4qFF_LerO8lKhJl6WlcdazDcGbUgiwmsAM6Slu2o9VFUwF32h_kmPibWcikbW6bgkKZsPAgdOo367jrv8RzVJ5zbL80foPhK84KcsvdwNiCc3zcGgWGljFwO1llcsESV2bnZG-U_h8WiKmz2PllFuxg4RLXETzRaOy9HA/s1288/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.59.13%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1288" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiJf5oTgkTGO5OgG4jM78Q4qFF_LerO8lKhJl6WlcdazDcGbUgiwmsAM6Slu2o9VFUwF32h_kmPibWcikbW6bgkKZsPAgdOo367jrv8RzVJ5zbL80foPhK84KcsvdwNiCc3zcGgWGljFwO1llcsESV2bnZG-U_h8WiKmz2PllFuxg4RLXETzRaOy9HA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.59.13%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy and other volutneers with candidate<br />Trudy Busch Valentine</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><b>YARA: </b>Sunrise Movement is hanging out by polling places at UW-Madison, spreading the word about our favorite thing - VOTE TRIPLING! When people come out of the voting booth, they feel really good, and if they text three friends in that exact moment, data shows that it's super effective in turning people out. Like, "Oh shoot, Emily's out there right now! When am I gonna do it?"</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi7IpOmytrmIjMA6Wav1_esOeWjrLQQ4GvpER7rKoDBkgwqWOyfQFfmVLxupN9j1_BeyDM-_6P2jo3rxrDlwpZg2p61CqugD6d_DHdVX8dsn_6xS2YORPL_W_Iq-GcVDF-VTOW3w4ayPtJu542b022uSHTFVvxSApedpW3UFl2Z2kztcGqaIYlKpzEQ/s2518/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.58.37%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1812" data-original-width="2518" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi7IpOmytrmIjMA6Wav1_esOeWjrLQQ4GvpER7rKoDBkgwqWOyfQFfmVLxupN9j1_BeyDM-_6P2jo3rxrDlwpZg2p61CqugD6d_DHdVX8dsn_6xS2YORPL_W_Iq-GcVDF-VTOW3w4ayPtJu542b022uSHTFVvxSApedpW3UFl2Z2kztcGqaIYlKpzEQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2011.58.37%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Yara on a campus mall with clipboard and stickers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>MOM:</b> I'm off to my poll greeting shift now. This picture is a cheat because I haven't yet done it, but this is what poll greeting looks like! I took a picture with these nice poll volunteers this morning while I was putting up signs. I had no idea they were Trudy Busch Valentine's kids until she tweeted it out with a note that her children were helping. I'd like to be clear that I'm in no way related to the Busch nor Valentine family, but I would like her to be my senator.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYBFEUx_zSlgqQ_Nnq_yOJEwTpvzRSJGwUWfXkyZzr1ULwnZu2YyFTWLueXERC-splu3zmZceTbBCgdRHsfQmODZhSpxrX-nQ79s2n5kdxyl-a_xdDGC91qx1j6PdKU-tFezMzTJH_AubSDxRsVwJEjn43dz-KQh-mjfMJUeKMb_ugRO5MX279XwUkA/s1178/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2012.38.43%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1178" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYBFEUx_zSlgqQ_Nnq_yOJEwTpvzRSJGwUWfXkyZzr1ULwnZu2YyFTWLueXERC-splu3zmZceTbBCgdRHsfQmODZhSpxrX-nQ79s2n5kdxyl-a_xdDGC91qx1j6PdKU-tFezMzTJH_AubSDxRsVwJEjn43dz-KQh-mjfMJUeKMb_ugRO5MX279XwUkA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%2012.38.43%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Tweet from candidate Trudy Busch Valentine<br />about her poll greeting kids with Cindy in a picture with them</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>EVENING UPDATE.....</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>MOM: </b>Here is what poll greeting really looked like for me. Lots of smiles for my "Votes for Women" Mickey Mouse ears. One young voter came to the polls and just wanted to know who was for better health care. I loaded him up with literature my candidates at all levels of his ballot and he even got to talk to some candidates. I marvelled that there are still people who rely on those personal poll greeter interactions for their decisions. Most mid-term voters, like me, arrive with a sample ballot pre-filled out. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC26pHC7ylP-Qnp64CoHdOsdKM431ULmXWZF4ig_zBtY3V-KCSN3edOwvkBgGT5nh8DaFxF_tfRiU25tqWZId5d0Z9X2AVrICNigp0OINeblSc4xewQikU9S3Mv0FHkwlv0GcXt4sFwkg-U6wdIQgHNYudfOm5Gj6XTvzTcSuf2HwQ1xkRyDw8_sRmhQ/s1278/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%204.26.27%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1278" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC26pHC7ylP-Qnp64CoHdOsdKM431ULmXWZF4ig_zBtY3V-KCSN3edOwvkBgGT5nh8DaFxF_tfRiU25tqWZId5d0Z9X2AVrICNigp0OINeblSc4xewQikU9S3Mv0FHkwlv0GcXt4sFwkg-U6wdIQgHNYudfOm5Gj6XTvzTcSuf2HwQ1xkRyDw8_sRmhQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%204.26.27%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy with another volunteer and Missouri <br />State Representative candidate Melissa Greenstein<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>YARA:</b> After canvassing across from UW Memorial Union, we moved over to another polling location. Mom loved my picture in front of the iconic Bascom hill that she used to sled down with her best friend on cafeteria trays in the winter. (MOM: I never could have imagined in 1992 that this photo would happen in 2022)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpaRDDorTUDMr_nWNzNgrfZZDPKutEqv_leKMWj6wFm30clARcuS_ffPQU8329rVD0eeRP4V4eVmG6gGMCVcGBgaXEKJ8aMnxFjMivf5LX2cRLwUiue3Y1OvAJJ1g02hJ4UC5VdFVKEyLUzdN8Obk3C1DMUOcQDGMoWcs1ty2SNMHwffcuuzu3Vnz0g/s2498/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%204.37.09%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="2498" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpaRDDorTUDMr_nWNzNgrfZZDPKutEqv_leKMWj6wFm30clARcuS_ffPQU8329rVD0eeRP4V4eVmG6gGMCVcGBgaXEKJ8aMnxFjMivf5LX2cRLwUiue3Y1OvAJJ1g02hJ4UC5VdFVKEyLUzdN8Obk3C1DMUOcQDGMoWcs1ty2SNMHwffcuuzu3Vnz0g/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-08%20at%204.37.09%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Yara holding a clipboard in front of big<br />letters on Bascom Hill that say "BADGERS VOTE"</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><b>!!!UPDATE!!!</b><div><b>CNN says, "Dane County, WI is reporting huge turnout with long lines & calls to bring in extra poll workers. The turnout from the campus is tremendous." Could it be because Yara and the Sunrise Movement are out vote tripling? Why, I do believe so!</b><br /><div><br /></div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-71821795511829294642022-11-08T00:23:00.005-06:002022-11-08T00:45:47.867-06:00Advocacy Made Easy: Text Banking<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Feeling anxious about elections? Don’t have a lot of time? Don't like to talk to people or have mobility issues? Sounds like you should join a text bank!</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Text banking, like phone banking, is an advocacy technique employed especially during election season. True to its name, it's based on phone texts, so there is absolutely no vocal conversation between you and the voter. Last night, I joined <a href="https://www.momsrising.org" target="_blank">MomsRising</a> for their 2022 #MomsVote Texting Challenge. Why were moms gathering on Zoom to text total strangers? Because there are over 75 million registered mom voters in the U.S. If every single mom voted, we’d be well on our way to building a country that works for everyone. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDemTpM7cQOSkixpjWYZf_OIRASF5wscEBAChR6D-bUXsjRWa1zwn850UqpHkoZh64movWHfSsxyAYd9BCMaDvEgDe3tL1WT4rHLGAVq_LAaGykNHaGkhuA1htT-oOObYPim5HZspm75LVVYjjQlQEoPkndko5MkKt18FfxYCWwxkAn5Lh9Iw_FnjaWA/s1966/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.07.00%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1966" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDemTpM7cQOSkixpjWYZf_OIRASF5wscEBAChR6D-bUXsjRWa1zwn850UqpHkoZh64movWHfSsxyAYd9BCMaDvEgDe3tL1WT4rHLGAVq_LAaGykNHaGkhuA1htT-oOObYPim5HZspm75LVVYjjQlQEoPkndko5MkKt18FfxYCWwxkAn5Lh9Iw_FnjaWA/w400-h209/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.07.00%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Ad for the MomsVote Texting Challenge<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cVnH3ntfSkZTz_Owx8MO7NxwwVTWg5g9eOMChiRfLe8iEqPnBMfVQcDvfFgwThjffMEW0Bfoy8Pms5PCZsbviDej68ZWW0cieQBoCRuHFXhpNq9MKdk4ccuhGxGN4TXOEXZeREMN2HJ92QUjbRXIMpyWhQ61WYqKfHE41xNhS_ajKhpnzUAYR-OA3Q/s2266/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%206.50.59%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="2266" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cVnH3ntfSkZTz_Owx8MO7NxwwVTWg5g9eOMChiRfLe8iEqPnBMfVQcDvfFgwThjffMEW0Bfoy8Pms5PCZsbviDej68ZWW0cieQBoCRuHFXhpNq9MKdk4ccuhGxGN4TXOEXZeREMN2HJ92QUjbRXIMpyWhQ61WYqKfHE41xNhS_ajKhpnzUAYR-OA3Q/w400-h221/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%206.50.59%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Training slide saying we were texting moms<br />in certain states who need a friendly nudge to vote.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><a href="http://www.MomsRising.org" target="_blank">MomsRising</a>, a non-partisan advocacy group taking on critical issues facing women, mothers, and families, says research shows that personalized messages are one of the most effective ways to mobilize voters. They had already directly reached millions of low frequency mom-voters via phone, social media, direct and hand-written mail. Sending mom-to-mom texts is the final layer to making sure that the growing wave of mom-voters continues to grow and is <b>gigantic</b> on Election Day. Volunteers had already sent two million texts this election season. We were part of the last push!</p><h1>Four Facts about Text Banking </h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I’d spent hours writing GOTV postcards to other moms and loved it, but been resistant to text banking because of misconceptions I held. Within minutes of the Zoom training, I felt rather silly for not trying it earlier. They quickly set four big worries to rest:</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">1. No one can see your phone number</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">MomsRising used a platform called “Impactive,” but any good text banking software generates a phone number for you. Responses back to that number run by the software, not to your personal phone.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">2. You can pick a different name</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">If you’re worried about securing your identity, just type in a different name! I was “Erin” for the night, but by the end, I decided it didn’t really matter since they couldn’t see my phone number nor any other info.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">3. You can use your computer instead of your phone</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">This part is important if, like me, you are of a certain age requiring reading glasses! No squinting or hunching over your phone unless you prefer to do it teen-style.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">4. You don’t have to text your responses from scratch</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I mistakenly thought text banking was going to involve constant typing. Nope! The platform has pre-written responses to the common questions like, “Stop sending texts” or “You have the wrong number” or “I already voted.” Most of the time, you just select the right response from the list and take them off of the list if they opted out.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">How it Works</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">With those concerns out of the way, we moved onto the actual action. The name of a mom would appear along with pre-written text about voting information. All I had to do was click on the send button. Easy! It only took 5 minutes or less to send out 200 texts, at which point it prompted me to check the inbox. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlDzywMWQsX1XragIxqaQSh0kiveskAPjB3ebY9XAo0CAVX433LsXfP_p-jk7dZF5vdNOJ-1eubILq-UDaMxcWR_ZPLd3DshBGgFYb3L99FTIPPTCpuk55YLX1L4fsKRMduTwOHTAa0qmpehihh-fEoDTDLO1aAjH5FY6obynYEGbiyoywlQAxsyL1w/s2200/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.34.26%20PM.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="2200" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlDzywMWQsX1XragIxqaQSh0kiveskAPjB3ebY9XAo0CAVX433LsXfP_p-jk7dZF5vdNOJ-1eubILq-UDaMxcWR_ZPLd3DshBGgFYb3L99FTIPPTCpuk55YLX1L4fsKRMduTwOHTAa0qmpehihh-fEoDTDLO1aAjH5FY6obynYEGbiyoywlQAxsyL1w/w640-h368/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.34.26%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Text banking screen</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Most of the time, there was no response. But every 500 or so, someone would text back with one of the common responses. The most unusual response of the night was, “I don’t like my kids. Don’t text me.” Oh no! We’ll never know what that was about, but I hope that mom has a better day tomorrow. For now, we just removed her from the list.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeljgRxB725w03mjlGqwqGH7qYs4AekhcNBI0jKRIj2YA6u2ZhXKIFBKLQWAekzZHLXfWZ3LjlG27M-nPa6isLpBpO4N_4hQEXGc_ZAnUICb2t9RECK2X55vfYtiGpa1aGpYazTK7mRvzqfWG9BVaVqqimOrElBkDI1Sf7Q2k03pmyPGhp8GWTEdk5JA/s1618/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.37.15%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1618" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeljgRxB725w03mjlGqwqGH7qYs4AekhcNBI0jKRIj2YA6u2ZhXKIFBKLQWAekzZHLXfWZ3LjlG27M-nPa6isLpBpO4N_4hQEXGc_ZAnUICb2t9RECK2X55vfYtiGpa1aGpYazTK7mRvzqfWG9BVaVqqimOrElBkDI1Sf7Q2k03pmyPGhp8GWTEdk5JA/w400-h297/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-07%20at%2011.37.15%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Me smiling on the zoom screen with wine <br />in hand, wearing an "I Voted" sticker.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">For most of the session, I found I could just tap the return key to send messages with my right hand and drink wine with my left hand. I don’t know any other election work offering THAT level of ease and comfort!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Fellow volunteer Jen Lofquist said, “I enjoy feeling like I’m reaching out to voters directly and efficiently.” I agree! I thought it was pretty cool we texted a handy link to give people their voting information. I kept envisioning some mom running around doing mom things, thinking, “Oh no! I forgot to find out where to vote tomorrow,” and then seeing my text pop up.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">A Comfortable Space</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">In less than two hours, volunteers generated 230,000 more texts. The MomsRising text bank Zoom was exactly what I needed to settle my nervous jitters the night before Election Day: a non-partisan space to take action with a bunch of friendly, supportive moms. Text banks for other organization can more issue focused if its for a specific cause or more partisan if its for an individual candidate. I hope you find one that is comfortable and perfect for you!</p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-62583228171139047192022-10-24T15:20:00.005-05:002022-11-08T00:46:37.394-06:00World Polio Day Action for 2022<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuxq6uknptyLPq3QR11RlakkqGW1QRrthmGbrs1A7H8zI4ZobuwW_oNUCzuB1dHL6XZ-o6LP3kcrPRI399iwT6GxGkO76wUgHfTX0YHRDJ5Rj4QYycOn7jxQqG6BnpZVuKv7YGuY7B9hsBdfjbYAuriFNbsKxjSutyANQ9eDCsnhdTo1Iq03O1o1PtnQ" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-size: 19px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="2470" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuxq6uknptyLPq3QR11RlakkqGW1QRrthmGbrs1A7H8zI4ZobuwW_oNUCzuB1dHL6XZ-o6LP3kcrPRI399iwT6GxGkO76wUgHfTX0YHRDJ5Rj4QYycOn7jxQqG6BnpZVuKv7YGuY7B9hsBdfjbYAuriFNbsKxjSutyANQ9eDCsnhdTo1Iq03O1o1PtnQ=w400-h185" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Shot@Life volunteers in Uganda pose with fingers held close together<br />indicating how close we are to ending polio </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">“We are THIS CLOSE to ending polio!”</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">That was the tagline for polio eradication campaigns back in 2012. Celebrities like Bill Gates smiled from airport advertisements holding fingers close together, showing a little tiny gap representing how close the world was to eradicating this terrible childhood disease from the face of the Earth. When I travelled to Uganda with the <a href="https://unfoundation.org" target="_blank">UN Foundation</a> for the <a href="http://www.shotatlife.org" target="_blank">Shot@Life</a> campaign, I got to be in a “this close” picture, too! I wondered if we would be done with polio in 10 years’ time?</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Here we are in 2022, and the answer is…not quite. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Back then, polio was still endemic in three countries. Now it’s only wild in two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. To show you the progress in even just the last few years, look at this graphic about Afghanistan. It shows a drop from 56 cases of polio in 2020 to only 1 case in 2022! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgf88Ep0s1ug7O9ZwENec_EPIXNnXSzPam7LY7gNdinygOpXvYzHDnY8T1DwMQ7firfccqh6BstVZ1QBXFTBOniEkKFx_xU9oWaV6sp0nP1rKos_B1yItnJEHM2IA_O_i-sYQOmX58wuiODA8Mo5cvTH3gqa3AMObwJ7n_rg0m5wQEyvawp_7UtN_r-A" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img alt="" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1634" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgf88Ep0s1ug7O9ZwENec_EPIXNnXSzPam7LY7gNdinygOpXvYzHDnY8T1DwMQ7firfccqh6BstVZ1QBXFTBOniEkKFx_xU9oWaV6sp0nP1rKos_B1yItnJEHM2IA_O_i-sYQOmX58wuiODA8Mo5cvTH3gqa3AMObwJ7n_rg0m5wQEyvawp_7UtN_r-A=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Graphic showing a reduction of polio cases in Afghanistan since 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">But the troubling news is that the pandemic caused us to lose some of our vaccine coverage gains. Polio popped up in places previously considered free from it. <a href="https://reliefweb.int/disaster/ep-2022-000181-mwi" target="_blank">A case in Malawi was detected this year</a>...more than five years after all of Africa was declared free of indigenous wild polio in August 2020. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Analysis showed the strain in Malawi was linked to a Pakistani strain. That was a wake up call for us to stay vigiliant in countries with no polio, so that an outbreak cannot take hold if the virus is imported via travel.</p><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Similarly, a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/21/cdc-is-discussing-using-oral-polio-vaccine-for-first-time-in-20-years-to-stop-new-york-outbreak.html" target="_blank">polio outbreak in New York City this year</a> likely came in through international travel. We need to keep up vaccination rates to avoid pockets of unvaccinated individuals where an outbreak can take hold. As long as there are new babies born, our job of vaccinating is never done!</p><h1 style="text-align: center;">What can we do today?</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">Call Congress </strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;"><em style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></em></strong></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwVvgxy_sKuZsJt2E0TYitdyWQw6i1l6AwDHzEV3pImq7hn5Zx6iA9keZWw_Eeg0knfBrajRHiwRAZ-lZaQ76GbuzVM8ZH0PsM0E0LebC0_W4wHtkCnyA1Oqqrf8aWUV26gEr8_xjMeSSGF6_tjlWHm4nwcobRKgdf_8yRr_Lx3s6LfaUtGL1-LeQZg/s1120/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-24%20at%208.42.22%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1120" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwVvgxy_sKuZsJt2E0TYitdyWQw6i1l6AwDHzEV3pImq7hn5Zx6iA9keZWw_Eeg0knfBrajRHiwRAZ-lZaQ76GbuzVM8ZH0PsM0E0LebC0_W4wHtkCnyA1Oqqrf8aWUV26gEr8_xjMeSSGF6_tjlWHm4nwcobRKgdf_8yRr_Lx3s6LfaUtGL1-LeQZg/w400-h211/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-24%20at%208.42.22%20AM.png" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Graphic with the phone number to call Congress on World Polio Day, <br />October 24th. The phone number is 202-902-6614.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Join Shot@Life volunteers like me across the country who are calling our senators and representatives to encourage their support of global vaccine programs! Call 202-902-6614 and ask to be connected to one of your U.S. senators or your U.S. representative to leave a message for them about global immunizations. You can use this sample script below. You can call three times, once for each senator and once for your representative!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">“Hi my name is __ and I’m a constituent of Sen/Rep __. I’m calling today to talk about global childhood immunization programs and why Sen/Rep __ should support fully funding U.S. government global vaccine activities in FY23. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the suspension of vaccinations, jeopardizing decades of childhood immunization progress. This means supporting global health systems like USAID, UNICEF, Gavi, and the CDC is more important now than ever. Thank you!”</strong></em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;"></em></p><em style="font-size: inherit;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; white-space: break-spaces;">Here's a pic of my and my friends getting together to call on Zoom!</span></em></div><div><em style="font-size: inherit;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></span></em></div><div><span style="font-size: inherit;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="color: #2f3333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3D3ToHeFqxGtlnnNfuBbDvS7woDqC8M3nkWLjRTFYr8RTZm143VYK2e-uWlmNr1EDtuNGH63znCOcIz1MbZBlOt7DkJYlk59PKSOtvifydwi8IY9D8454VcwlBnQxw9SPDYmjGZhyRw9eJoM82VJaZ6AwLaeP7t7NxLvrVKFM7kd52AfBcGvWn36Cg/s2260/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-24%20at%2012.08.19%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2260" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3D3ToHeFqxGtlnnNfuBbDvS7woDqC8M3nkWLjRTFYr8RTZm143VYK2e-uWlmNr1EDtuNGH63znCOcIz1MbZBlOt7DkJYlk59PKSOtvifydwi8IY9D8454VcwlBnQxw9SPDYmjGZhyRw9eJoM82VJaZ6AwLaeP7t7NxLvrVKFM7kd52AfBcGvWn36Cg/w400-h245/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-24%20at%2012.08.19%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Eight smiling people holding phones on <br />zoom screens</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">Post on Social Media</strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Please spread the word on social media by retweeting Shot@Life or using these sample posts. You can use the hashtags, #VaccinesWork, #WorldPolioDay, or #EndPolio. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;">Thanks to U.S. leadership & because #VaccinesWork, polio cases have gone down 99.9% worldwide since 1988. However, recent detection of the virus in the U.S. and U.K. remind us that polio anywhere in the world is a threat everywhere. #EndPolio</em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;">Thirty years ago, polio was paralyzing 1,000 children in 125 countries every single day. Today, that number has fallen 99.9% thanks to U.S. support and the tireless efforts of frontline health workers, communities, and global partners. #WorldPolioDay</em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><em style="font-size: inherit;">The cost of complacency is high: if we fail to eradicate polio, we could see thousands of new cases every year within a decade, costing $33 billion by the end of this century. Now is the time to #endpolio for good.</em></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i>Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></h3></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-36747096470473811092022-10-20T06:09:00.001-05:002022-10-20T13:07:13.910-05:00What Can We Do About Imposter Syndrome?<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: arial; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRKRF_TJcOvKZKDslON1NLWscB8TlLiX-M_zqYkbJ7DqmDxpazqSQrPVhoxeeuRCVKt0ZyPGhMsP_gCTJwAHf7CHFCjqiTsqIdPBvDM23elytxSucZzumiWN0EjWjuOugqsNlzGHMv7DTvsW5vwzLUGTg-0hXdIKk9YH7TersgmIQfZW6UGxytkog6w/s654/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%205.45.16%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="654" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRKRF_TJcOvKZKDslON1NLWscB8TlLiX-M_zqYkbJ7DqmDxpazqSQrPVhoxeeuRCVKt0ZyPGhMsP_gCTJwAHf7CHFCjqiTsqIdPBvDM23elytxSucZzumiWN0EjWjuOugqsNlzGHMv7DTvsW5vwzLUGTg-0hXdIKk9YH7TersgmIQfZW6UGxytkog6w/w400-h245/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%205.45.16%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia wearing a mask</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: arial; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: arial; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">Let’s talk about Imposter Syndrome.</span></div><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">It’s come to my attention that some people don’t think I suffer from Imposter Syndrome. I want to correct this today and write a few words about how I deal with it, hoping this post might help others. Keep in mind, I’m not an expert or a therapist. I’m a mom, advocate, and author who has an active inner critic…one that worked overtime during my book writing process!</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;"> Who Experiences Imposter Syndrome? </strong></h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GnPvIoxmvQ0Av-w1zoKZpK98XdVrsCID4tz7FEmqVl-ddSTbaJ_ttAWQmM_pl9UlofwTUpGqCdwWzKKs1hhI5iJbeulDES4MuBtzrMt8Gf7gKV8wN1zRMGHBewcuHBCnIez3MNNg2kSLmPt855hl1LnK_Hcbwsiazp4XlYNDKrkfPSZA0LZ9WNn0LQ/s941/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-19%20at%2012.48.05%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Imposter syndrome is an insidious thought pattern which makes us doubt our skill, talents or accomplishments. It gives us a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Imposter syndrome creates such anxiety that we might censor ourselves precisely in moments when we should speak out for others or take risks for our own good. It can keep good advocates from sharing their stories to powerful people. It can keep people trapped in unhealthy cycles when persistent inner voices say things like, "You don't deserve to be here" or “You’re not good enough for this job” or “You don’t deserve a promotion.” It can prevent us from reaching out for needed help. Worst of all, it can drive us into abysmal mental health even when we are successful, damaging ourselves and our relationships.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); float: right; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJn2K17i5LJvcLwtdJwOrGErRKC_x396LzRi1_KIw7v66R4CW_lBiUsBjX1ESgKKgWJCWIflK061L5ttsgx4DtGrM9CY-0ksbK2Fz_6-jVFtEaW2L5oefqImu7Yn2IL7u43vrwpTbUBqKBzQ-_CnC7bflPg7Ywv2Ot4IDYRgYTq8Fc04WobAD--eHPw/s941/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-19%20at%2012.48.05%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="941" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJn2K17i5LJvcLwtdJwOrGErRKC_x396LzRi1_KIw7v66R4CW_lBiUsBjX1ESgKKgWJCWIflK061L5ttsgx4DtGrM9CY-0ksbK2Fz_6-jVFtEaW2L5oefqImu7Yn2IL7u43vrwpTbUBqKBzQ-_CnC7bflPg7Ywv2Ot4IDYRgYTq8Fc04WobAD--eHPw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-19%20at%2012.48.05%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cynthia sitting alone in a field of dead grass<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">It seems like the media usually addresses imposter syndrome in relation to the female experience - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dumm_XfHkmY" target="_blank">Michelle Obama has famously addressed it</a> - but it certainly doesn’t just happen to women! Just about everyone who is part of an oppressed or dismissed group (women, racial minorities, immigrants, youth, etc) feels it at least sometimes, even if they are a high performing individual. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">My friend <a href="https://portiamount.com" target="_blank">Portia Mount</a> has more than a few words to say on the topic. Let me preface this by saying Portia is a mom I admire. From the moment I met her, she just gave off a vibe of being cool, collected, competent, and friendly. She’s one of those moms who made me think, “I want to her friend, and I wish I could be awesome like her.” It surprised me to find she presented a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT_1xv2dk10" target="_blank">TED talk</a> about her experiences with imposter syndrome. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Portia co-authored a book called “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Impostor-Syndrome-Portia-Mount/dp/1604915293" target="_blank">Beating the Imposter Syndrome</a>.” She and her co-author were stunned to discover in interviews with 100 of their coaching clients, over 90% of them had experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">The <a href="The International Journal of Behavioral Sciences published a report which said that nearly 70% of individuals despite their gender, age and work role will suffer from Impostor Syndrome at least once in their career or lifetime." target="_blank">International Journal of Behavioral Sciences</a> published a report which said nearly 70% of individuals <b>despite their gender, age, and work role </b>will suffer from impostor syndrome at least once in their career or lifetime. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">So, yeah. More people than you think struggle with this form of self-doubt.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">What Can We Do About Imposter Syndrome?</strong></h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Here are my strategies I’ve come up with by living through imposter syndrome myself (as an engineer and later as an author), learning from authors like Portia who researched it, and going to countless sessions teaching parents how to support our kids. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Connect with Strengths </span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Tell the negative thoughts to take a back seat for a solid 15 minutes or more when you commit to thinking positively about your strengths. You deserve far longer, but 15 minutes works as a nice, manageable chunk of time for me. You can even write an actual list to look at later. Friends can be especially helpful for this exercise!</p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look at the Hard Data of Success</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Look at some inarguable personal successes to remind yourself of times when you have succeeded in the past. Maybe it’s a good performance review, a great test score, a letter of recommendation, or even a glowing thank you note written to you by a friend you helped through a tough time. As an author, sometimes I had to look at the data analytics from this very blog. Hard data confronted my doubt with evidence of people who read these posts and liked what I have to say.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">In a recent twitter thread where the original poster asked others how they deal with imposter syndrome, I saw tweets saying they forcefully tell their negative voice to be quiet. <a href="https://twitter.com/MelissaDumaz/status/1582484634415161344" target="_blank">Melissa Dumaz</a>, a licensed therapist (@MelissaDumaz), responded with two methods: remembering successes and telling the inner critic to shut up. She said, "I tell my inner bully to STFU! And then proceed to show my inner bully receipts on how amazing and worthy I am!" I love it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh_SL2KAEVr5J6GasXUWcNzNmlMfwvLvmHMlhUw-IENRF-DZIBN7Njh7F1QKyxyTgg49lOZTNiI9HbNrpSNCd4QJDXknAlJg1ExRooeuaVfvz88Sua9oBE1g-0tofp4wylWU0-BZImwxCbF2cffwLA_MW64820Cr6yaQrTpMzp88Fh-dAiyWU4c7K7Q/s1764/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%205.49.48%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1764" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh_SL2KAEVr5J6GasXUWcNzNmlMfwvLvmHMlhUw-IENRF-DZIBN7Njh7F1QKyxyTgg49lOZTNiI9HbNrpSNCd4QJDXknAlJg1ExRooeuaVfvz88Sua9oBE1g-0tofp4wylWU0-BZImwxCbF2cffwLA_MW64820Cr6yaQrTpMzp88Fh-dAiyWU4c7K7Q/w640-h266/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%205.49.48%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Tweet from @MelissaDumaz giving credit to <a href="https://twitter.com/StevonLewisMFT" target="_blank">@StevonLewisMFT</a> for her coping tools</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank Your Inner Critic for Services No Longer Required</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">The "shut up" method never fully works for me. Perhaps my inner critic is just like me (makes sense because she actually IS me) and doesn’t like to go away until acknowledged for her value. I had to learn to use a twist on that method, which I heard from an occupational therapist who works with children and teens: </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Consider that imposter syndrome is a valid survival method run amok. It’s the part of us that is honestly trying to protect us from embarrassment or disappointment. It’s a useful instinct in moderation, but detrimental when it keeps us from healthy balance and productive risks. So, when the imposter syndrome rears its ugly head, I say, <strong style="font-size: inherit;">“Thank you, inner critic, for your concern that is trying to keep me safe from embarrassment. But you also keep me from achieving my goals, so YOUR SERVICES ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED!”</strong></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What do YOU do to battle imposter syndrome?</span></b></h2><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><h3 style="margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; white-space: normal;" /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br class="ProseMirror-trailingBreak" style="font-size: inherit;" /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br class="ProseMirror-trailingBreak" style="font-size: inherit;" /></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-63894664294552053122022-10-16T18:03:00.011-05:002022-10-17T08:04:00.182-05:00Coordinated Bothering Inspires Action<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v7Ax3z7Z5-xRkZaZ9TUhWFQxtDOa81-Lpg4bkr_WDlYNTJAGzK37TQQAMY6mpu2hkyIeS4oOiI5dw1lTH0gA7gmtBM1yCGlZcVJ2Se2gbdEVhPX0oSf0GAv3CxN8ewyGGd8hqLkaP7Yn-pa4MLFimID4XvUll58GLiEZY-80d6Gkc5YrBYuG3EWP_w/s1916/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.46.09%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1916" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v7Ax3z7Z5-xRkZaZ9TUhWFQxtDOa81-Lpg4bkr_WDlYNTJAGzK37TQQAMY6mpu2hkyIeS4oOiI5dw1lTH0gA7gmtBM1yCGlZcVJ2Se2gbdEVhPX0oSf0GAv3CxN8ewyGGd8hqLkaP7Yn-pa4MLFimID4XvUll58GLiEZY-80d6Gkc5YrBYuG3EWP_w/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.46.09%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A colleague and I in a DC lobby meeting</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Today, at church, I was struck by a reference to advocacy work in a Bible reading I haven’t read nor heard in quite some time. The focus of our worship service today was Prayer: how we do it alone or together, how it changes us, how it shapes our actions, etc. I listened anew to a passage from the Gospel of Luke that likened prayers toward G-d to advocacy towards policy makers.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><b>Luke 18:1-8 (Common English Bible)</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged. He said, “In a certain city, there was a judge who neither feared G-d nor respected people. In that city, there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary,’ For a while he refused, but finally said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or respect people, but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me.’ The Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. Won’t G-d provide justice to the chosen people who cry out day and night? Will G-d be slow to help them? I tell you, G-d will give them justice quickly. But when the Human One comes, will he find faithfulness on Earth?’”</p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXaDAmWswDlzhAT43MupOlR3VWR4XIZ9jJ_G-Hm7t1WgJKkBYawcoCuu_NoAl911ttvbz4cUqjtealzhOwnBlnjRFnIz6J_xbErQRQH5boRKvnIzLsCDtYo7wH-BiVWEa1T_klR__oFE3_KmAYpkgJOSN6KhJUMlW9-76ILetcCP9y4Sv_DBMYdSbEw/s1894/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.36.02%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1894" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXaDAmWswDlzhAT43MupOlR3VWR4XIZ9jJ_G-Hm7t1WgJKkBYawcoCuu_NoAl911ttvbz4cUqjtealzhOwnBlnjRFnIz6J_xbErQRQH5boRKvnIzLsCDtYo7wH-BiVWEa1T_klR__oFE3_KmAYpkgJOSN6KhJUMlW9-76ILetcCP9y4Sv_DBMYdSbEw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.36.02%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Me receiving prayers from my congregation<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Perhaps this translation from the Common English Bible, written in a rather plainspoken way, jumped out at me because the judge’s reason for granting justice is “because she keeps bothering me.” The word “bothering” is very relatable to me as a busy person in 2022. Don’t we all get bothered by inconveniences? And if we get too bothered, aren't we moved to act on the source of irritation?</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Besides considering the main point of Jesus’ assurance that G-d will grant justice to us, I also thought about how this depiction of activism mirrors modern day advocacy. Sometimes we can move the target of our advocacy with stories that remind them of their own moral values. Other times, we might use statistics and economic facts to appeal to a sense of logic. Yet whether one or both or neither of those tactics appeals to members of Congress, the thing that always seems to inspire action is something my oldest kiddo calls “coordinated bothering.”</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">Coordinated Bothering = Good Trouble</strong></h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Coordinated bothering is what teams of advocates do when we all reach out persistently with the same request for a legislator to take an action.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: break-spaces; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); float: left; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTIwWyoMfg4lD6dAXYqYt420KKFJoHCuN5bWuulC6rytPsKQLHJkmhDYnxgjdHeYDXShkeacdj7rQXD8lk_X9P_4Bf7QbmVPstJvcNn0_iwBS1tB1U98cL10LGloDotkr3Th4SQauMAJVhrD8qA371JT1Ex1NG0i7pRvi1gwAi09ZUWbtZNy8RMGa9A/s1788/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.50.03%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1788" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTIwWyoMfg4lD6dAXYqYt420KKFJoHCuN5bWuulC6rytPsKQLHJkmhDYnxgjdHeYDXShkeacdj7rQXD8lk_X9P_4Bf7QbmVPstJvcNn0_iwBS1tB1U98cL10LGloDotkr3Th4SQauMAJVhrD8qA371JT1Ex1NG0i7pRvi1gwAi09ZUWbtZNy8RMGa9A/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.50.03%20PM.png" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Me with Rep. Cori Bush at a public<br />event where I asked about a global nutrition bill</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">We might start with a request to their aide, then move on to having each member of the group <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2014/05/advocacy-made-easy-call-in-action.html" target="_blank">call their office</a>. If they don’t act, we involve more members of the community to <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2017/10/advocacy-made-easy-handwritten-letter.html" target="_blank">write letters</a> or make our requests public by writing about them in <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2020/02/advocacy-made-easy-writing-letter-to.html" target="_blank">letters to the editor</a>. If we see them out in the community, we are ready to ask them questions about our issue directly!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Friendly, polite tactics might give way to more insistent methods, like daily phone calls or more strongly worded opinion pieces in newspapers. We can show up at town hall meetings in a group to <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2022/10/advocacy-made-easy-birddogging.html" target="_blank">keep asking a question until they give an answer</a>. Depending on the urgency or level of injustice, organized community protests might even be the only way to escalate the discomfort of a person like the judge in the Gospel without moral values or respect for others. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">There’s another name for Coordinated Bothering when it grows to a public and loud level. In the context of civil rights, the late Congressman John Lewis called it </span><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/18/rep-john-lewis-most-memorable-quotes-get-good-trouble/5464148002/" style="font-size: 19px;" target="_blank">Good Trouble</a><span style="font-size: 19px;">. He said, "Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year. It is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">PUPO (Persistence Usually Pays Off)</strong></h1><a href="http://www.results.org" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;" target="_blank"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdcj_qmIFuk-GtWdfEmKbShq6UBCPItvV2ySVGcnbbGBdH-BT-5ysTbOgphqmom_NiBzb-8xnZMcAj4EooQUcUyOjwYFDkfaNErTY2AuQ38AEiSAO1v9dv_8VP_KpxY1tOo-LGdcYr7VQv4297cH4VTa8SKGpEQsng19l-IF7WFeWWXLpMqtO0vYmzA/s1246/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.43.48%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1116" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdcj_qmIFuk-GtWdfEmKbShq6UBCPItvV2ySVGcnbbGBdH-BT-5ysTbOgphqmom_NiBzb-8xnZMcAj4EooQUcUyOjwYFDkfaNErTY2AuQ38AEiSAO1v9dv_8VP_KpxY1tOo-LGdcYr7VQv4297cH4VTa8SKGpEQsng19l-IF7WFeWWXLpMqtO0vYmzA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-16%20at%205.43.48%20PM.png" width="287" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Me smiling by a <br />RESULTS banner</td></tr></tbody></table></a><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Some senators and representatives are delightful to work with when they are personally motivated to work on our issues. But most need a metaphorical nudge or a shove to get the wheels of action turning. <b>We have to find the point where their appetite for being bothered is exceeded by our persistence.</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><a href="http://www.results.org" target="_blank">RESULTS</a> volunteers have a funny little device used to reward each other called the PUPO award. PUPO stands for “Persistence Usually Pays Off.” We used to get a little sheet of stickers with “PUPO” printed on them. We would give them to a team member who made some sort of advocacy breakthrough because of their persistence.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Don’t be afraid to be persistent! I’ve been called “pushy” by a congressman in a face-to-face meeting when pressed him for an answer after he failed to give a “yes” or “no” to my colleagues asking for help for low-income Americans. I could have taken it as an insult, but I saw it as an acknowledgement that persistence is often what it takes to make sure people struggling in poverty get the nutrition, education, and health care they need. To me, feeding hungry people is worth being pushy about!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">In America, Congress works for the people. They work for YOU. So next time you wonder if you if you should make that next phone call or write that letter, remember the widow in the Bible with the unjust judge. Be a bother. </p><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><h3 style="margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><br /><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br class="ProseMirror-trailingBreak" style="font-size: inherit;" /></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-77029391999047178872022-10-14T14:01:00.003-05:002022-10-14T22:43:01.354-05:00Stop Mommy-ing for Just a Second<p><span face="OpenSans, sans-serif, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-size: 19px; white-space: break-spaces;">I have a lot of work that I should do today before writing a blog, but I gotta stop.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I was just overcome with nostalgia when my photo storage service sent me one of those automated emails with a subject line of "Your memories from this day." A click greeted me with this picture.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qnlSo_Obhj7kbpqAUDhGoDx4P_nmPqXIVzsovRDJTj2txI__AeRZKYRMta4UuC20aiHm-8B9f4qI8LMjIzj6qUta6ifU3VWC-lgeGNhVSYTTMsmvc9wh409GoqRJgg5-FeRgTvy2U985zPlKbe7S8ezD2kISpMdD9F_QjhvF3qL5oAuagPJ6WYeWhA/s1360/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.58.49%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1360" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qnlSo_Obhj7kbpqAUDhGoDx4P_nmPqXIVzsovRDJTj2txI__AeRZKYRMta4UuC20aiHm-8B9f4qI8LMjIzj6qUta6ifU3VWC-lgeGNhVSYTTMsmvc9wh409GoqRJgg5-FeRgTvy2U985zPlKbe7S8ezD2kISpMdD9F_QjhvF3qL5oAuagPJ6WYeWhA/w400-h285/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.58.49%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: My pre-school children holding a picture of the Earth with the<br />misspelled words meaning "Bread for the World Help Poor."<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">It instantly transported me back to the circumstances leading up to the photo...</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">On October 14, 2008, I was a mom with a couple of precocious preschoolers aged 3 and almost 5. My husband travelled a lot for his job, so I spent many days alone without childcare trying to figure out how to enrich their little brains and hearts. Also, I was trying to figure out how to manage a household and find a purpose for myself while keeping them out of trouble! </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); float: left; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDv4Na5xnk32H_tpMFnt_dpFhDyP6LKmYhsJrhujBthNvl9ZNOsPH2bAKnavfg1yNFU_ACs5kyqT7jGjUL4HNXfq5YVEbOc2x-co_TaLnunaiNMUf7KJZMSbVfJzxxezm18ddqNAA-oe12qlATAPyW6bLYZtEvDkKcLpdl1dJA5KrEZF6hzSmtWUFkg/s1936/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.59.31%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1936" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDv4Na5xnk32H_tpMFnt_dpFhDyP6LKmYhsJrhujBthNvl9ZNOsPH2bAKnavfg1yNFU_ACs5kyqT7jGjUL4HNXfq5YVEbOc2x-co_TaLnunaiNMUf7KJZMSbVfJzxxezm18ddqNAA-oe12qlATAPyW6bLYZtEvDkKcLpdl1dJA5KrEZF6hzSmtWUFkg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.59.31%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: My kids standing at their craft table</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">I was a novice advocate for <a href="http://www.bread.org" target="_blank">Bread for the World</a>, learning new skills to fight global poverty. When I needed a few minutes to call or write handwritten letters to Congress, an old folding table held up with crates became a child-sized art surface to keep them quietly busy. It seemed like I was always trying to sneak in little actions to fight hunger in between my child care duties.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">That evening, I’d made dinner and was calling the kids up to eat. Once, twice, three times. I felt like I’d been repeating myself all day long and my patience was running thin. I thumped downstairs yelling something like, “How many times do I like to repeat myself? None! Where are you?” They were so busy they didn’t even turn around until I used my angry Mommy Voice. And then, they turned together and showed me the project they’d been working on for me. Their confused and disappointed eyes told me they’d meant to make me happy, but didn’t know what to do now that I looked mad. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">They were holding a sign with a blob that was clearly supposed to be the world. The charmingly misspelled words said "Bred fore the world help pore." (Later, I'd teach them to say "people struggling in poverty" instead of labelling "poor people" but we were a few years away from that nuance and spelling!)</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Ah, mommies. Sometimes you gotta just stop. Stop and look at your children for who they are and not what you need them to do. I knew in my rush I was missing the key points of the day, which were:</p><ul style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; white-space: break-spaces;"><li><span style="color: #2f3333;">They worked together</span></li><li><span style="color: #2f3333;">They used the crafts for creative expression</span></li><li><span style="color: #2f3333;">They'd been watching and understanding my activism work</span></li><li><span style="color: #2f3333;">They were showing me they loved me</span></li></ul><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zZfyEeK7ggxo0HdOK6iWwAPOyS8AsX4KqJLEqA6epWRxL7MnLCtCVDfOAVStLAnqpxElZAYp6Dxorusbvg8BYymX1UkoSquazuOdG8H_GEwifBMdN_MYVlZWJoeyHhTXZ8KoAtB4_jXpm_LlCjFvzKIzCJGUGTi-mpmRLhVxME7PKUwFBIBhAwcJkA/s850/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.58.58%20AM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zZfyEeK7ggxo0HdOK6iWwAPOyS8AsX4KqJLEqA6epWRxL7MnLCtCVDfOAVStLAnqpxElZAYp6Dxorusbvg8BYymX1UkoSquazuOdG8H_GEwifBMdN_MYVlZWJoeyHhTXZ8KoAtB4_jXpm_LlCjFvzKIzCJGUGTi-mpmRLhVxME7PKUwFBIBhAwcJkA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-14%20at%2011.58.58%20AM.png" width="246" /></a>So, I stopped. I hugged, asked questions, noticed details out loud, and took pictures. I restored their giggles and their confidence. The mischievous twinkle returned to their eyes. It was a teaching moment for all three of us…a moment I get to share with you today.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">As an epilogue, I'll tell you they never stopped watching my activism. They are now both accomplished activists who teach me new things about new issues all the time.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">As I stop my busy day once again and smile at that day 14 years ago, I hope all of you are finding moments today to stop and see what is in front of YOU.</p><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><h3 style="margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div><br /><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-7530215224445642852022-10-07T13:57:00.019-05:002022-10-10T14:16:43.680-05:00Advocacy Made Easy: Birddogging in Election Season<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Birddogging is an advocacy tactic used especially around election season. Activists coordinate to seek out elected officials and candidates at public events to question them about issues in front of other people. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">In hunting, a bird dog will tenaciously look for and flush out a target so the hunter can see it clearly. In election advocacy, you will tenaciously look for events where you can find the candidate and flush out their public statements about your issue, so everyone can see their position clearly. A team of activists can follow a candidate to events all around their district asking about their issue over and over!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Birddogging can be an accountablity tool to keep politicians honest. It could change their position - or just make them stop actively opposing you - if so many people confront them regularly and publicly that they think they're losing public support. But it can also be a friendly relationship building tool depending on how you interact with folks while you do it. I like it best when birddogging helps me to:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Build constructive relationships with members (or future members) of Congress & staff</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Raise an issue in importance in the community</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Meet allies and potential volunteers in the audience</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;">All of those reasons together make it a great strategy! This post has my best tips I've learned from <a href="http://www.results.org" target="_blank">RESULTS</a> and <a href="https://momsdemandaction.org" target="_blank">Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How to Birddog at Town Halls</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0A-RGzHRqnvnQeGGlxM9q0tMcfIx2EMfdAdEXW6-duEK6cq2j7KFPWuO173I_oPtMQOIDEtP4dOUaoG1yBH6tm-RWTyw63XAkbnhFYsaN3N57qXlbGZnFhad3S1Mpq7xBmWc55P9hUa_8fwpZPyo0I0KxSPSGEzGOqJ3JhK5dT-8ILBLAD8h4Q7lxw/s1924/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-07%20at%201.53.15%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1924" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0A-RGzHRqnvnQeGGlxM9q0tMcfIx2EMfdAdEXW6-duEK6cq2j7KFPWuO173I_oPtMQOIDEtP4dOUaoG1yBH6tm-RWTyw63XAkbnhFYsaN3N57qXlbGZnFhad3S1Mpq7xBmWc55P9hUa_8fwpZPyo0I0KxSPSGEzGOqJ3JhK5dT-8ILBLAD8h4Q7lxw/w400-h295/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-07%20at%201.53.15%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A 2018 three-candidate town hall held<br />at Shaare Emeth Congregation in St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table>Town hall meetings are candidate appearances held in big venues like auditoriums, houses of worship, or large meeting rooms in libraries. I wrote a blog with <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2014/07/advocacy-made-easy-town-hall-meeting.html" target="_blank">more detail about them here</a>. The main purpose of birddogging for town halls is to get</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> officials to state their views on the record </span><span style="font-family: arial;">in front of media and a lot of voters. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">At a town hall, a candidate will speak uninterrupted for a while before opening up for questions from the audience. Written questions might be collected on note cards and then sorted by staff or drawn at random. Usually, audience members raise hands to be selected by staffers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Your birddogging goal will change depending on a candidate's level of support. If they tend to ignore your issue or if they campaigned on it in the past without supporting it in office, this is a way you can apply sharp pressure on them. If they've never heard of your issue, this is a golden opportunity to grab their attention when you know they are listening. If they support your issue, you can reward their position with a thank you and a question that lets them talk about your cause.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Step-by-step tips for town hall birddogging:</span></h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Write out your concise question ahead of time, so you can read from it if you get nervous.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Wear an organizational T-shirt <b>if the candidate agrees with you</b>. They may want a picture with you to show they align with your org's values. If you don't know their position or they oppose you, I suggest no logos, so they won't deliberately skip you. But wear a bright color, so they can easily describe you when they call on you. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Arrive early. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Be friendly to staff as you enter and ask for stickers or buttons, so you can look like a big fan of the candidate. Ask about the format of how they will take questions, so you can prepare and they can know that you want to ask one. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Submit your written question ASAP or raise your hand<b> fast & high</b> each time they call for questions.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Sit toward the front and spread your team out, so there's a better chance that a few of you will get to ask a question. I like to sit on an aisle where it's easy to get a microphone.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Be enthusiastic! Clap and cheer during the speech for parts you agree with. They like to call on smiling faces</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> because they hope for positive interactions. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Remain standing during your question and don't give up the microphone until they finish answering. You may get to ask a followup question.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't film the candidate on your phone during your turn. Have one of your team record for you and do the same for them. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">If they dodge a question from your teammate, point that out when it's your turn and ask the question again more forcefully!</span></li></ul></div><h1><span style="font-family: arial;">How to Birddog at Meet & Greets</span></h1><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeD1UqTudRnFdherIlidXZX1QvVEuSkdUjN3kU5MrB_Z60jOobauFOApIryDPCXoSmPnMjoV_jKTK2_5e0Mk7Gvf53Xh3Ex_FSaXyCCfD1oNFnumQVwQ1HgYC3rKPknxY5v1ngNupvCbkA4vkkuCaTQYfOmJWN3DHs3o08VVfbzXAKfX4iqs-1TNMDg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1112" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeD1UqTudRnFdherIlidXZX1QvVEuSkdUjN3kU5MrB_Z60jOobauFOApIryDPCXoSmPnMjoV_jKTK2_5e0Mk7Gvf53Xh3Ex_FSaXyCCfD1oNFnumQVwQ1HgYC3rKPknxY5v1ngNupvCbkA4vkkuCaTQYfOmJWN3DHs3o08VVfbzXAKfX4iqs-1TNMDg=w272-h320" width="272" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Former Senator Claire McKaskill<br />speaking at a Meet & Greet in a bar in 2018<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Meet and greets provide an opportunity for a more subtle form of birddogging. I like to use it more for a relationship building tool than a "gotcha" moment. A meet and greet is usually in a popular community venue like a park, a college student center, or a coffee shop. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">As with the town hall, the candidate will give a speech. But then, the candidate will personally talk to as many people as they can. They will also pose for pictures. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Step-by-step tips for meet & greet birddogging:</span></h3><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Arrive early. Sometimes latecomers can't even get in the door if the candidate is very popular.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Wear an organizational T-shirt </span><b style="font-family: arial;">if the candidate agrees with you</b><span style="font-family: arial;">. When I wear my <a href="https://momsdemandaction.org" target="_blank">Moms Demand Action</a> t-shirt to meet candidates who support gun sense policies, I sometimes I get to skip the line because the communications staff wants a candidate picture with that shirt for social media. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Be assertive, but not aggressive. Participants tend to crowd around the candidate in an uncoordinated mob. Be persistent and claim your space or you'll be pushed to the back and time may run out before you get a turn. Still, don't shove or be rude. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Shake their hand with a firm grip and don't let go until you've said your introduction and they have responded. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Ask for a picture together with them. Use that time while you pose to make one last comment.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyuPohU_TwAEuosnSux1dAWbFDzUslN7lpAih_-91Fb06whLH775Q6FCTkv0htAJhCAfw7gbxaAe3DyLg3TleRfvd3P1ALHxo7iuAt-cnPtEuWjNdzrWjo0n7HQkxcRlbbLdhFoegh0W8jvVpCmXtcdheIm6zmhnXsGI0wXxjRRDFgJTsB40rPHHInAw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1142" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyuPohU_TwAEuosnSux1dAWbFDzUslN7lpAih_-91Fb06whLH775Q6FCTkv0htAJhCAfw7gbxaAe3DyLg3TleRfvd3P1ALHxo7iuAt-cnPtEuWjNdzrWjo0n7HQkxcRlbbLdhFoegh0W8jvVpCmXtcdheIm6zmhnXsGI0wXxjRRDFgJTsB40rPHHInAw=w317-h320" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: My Missouri State Senator Jill Schupp<br />held a masked, outdoor Meet & Greet <br />during COVID-19 in 2020</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><h1><span style="font-family: arial;">Birddogging in a Photo Op</span></h1></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've had many experiences where birddogging worked perfectly with those tips. But sometimes it doesn't go according to plan. For instance, how do you talk with them if you only have a photo op instead of a conversation? Sometimes, especially with a sitting senator, a quick photo is all you get!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When I went to see <a href="https://www.trudybuschvalentine.com" target="_blank">Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine</a> in 2022, she was having difficulty breaking away from someone using excellent techniques for keeping her engaged. Her aide was trying to keep her moving. I caught the aide's eye and mimed a camera and mouthed, "Can I get a picture?" He saw I was wearing a Moms Demand shirt (she supports us), so he nodded and then firmly intervened to bring her right to me for a photo. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As we were quickly side-by-side and the aide's camera was up, it would have been odd for me to break away for a talk. But you can see in these sequential pictures, that I leaned slightly into her to say that I hoped she would meet with me and other volunteers about gun policy if she wins the election. Then, she looked at me to respond that she would. Finally, we both looked forward and smiled for a nice picture that was later circulated both by me and her campaign staff. Tah-dah! The whole exchange probably took 20 seconds. But that was the second time I saw her and I will likely see her again, so she's familiar with me long before the election. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMv-4VLSLycL6UZNwZhlBchFKIJnWtRvR-8mxF89XwfcPXbeaV_LLR29KkLjTYuCIb_Pm_b96tTKluxk7HR7ooUumOqP2JaIGb7Sh93qn3qfZNgDBGZu51sq-Eb6NxUlq3-o900bu1L9u0cJwa8DzsMFL-wrpqduVmGmgU9deM0T0EgwM6xIIz2YcnYg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="798" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMv-4VLSLycL6UZNwZhlBchFKIJnWtRvR-8mxF89XwfcPXbeaV_LLR29KkLjTYuCIb_Pm_b96tTKluxk7HR7ooUumOqP2JaIGb7Sh93qn3qfZNgDBGZu51sq-Eb6NxUlq3-o900bu1L9u0cJwa8DzsMFL-wrpqduVmGmgU9deM0T0EgwM6xIIz2YcnYg=w227-h320" width="227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Me leaning into say something to<br />senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglI3o0jP41fMuT8IQnvSss5aun01dHS45ghQ-NB7JCuUstR8xqik5thtw1QDTbJC4CpzSh4ukMPadn0IgjHsOjVxO0zMe4J35utmbl3REtPl21BfTOXMf6RPnvjHCmQy0ThEDqoAj5vN1URj4xvRb1h_zGLsdfzCqU-SczTQfxiRF2UQuN5_EaXmDqEQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="770" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglI3o0jP41fMuT8IQnvSss5aun01dHS45ghQ-NB7JCuUstR8xqik5thtw1QDTbJC4CpzSh4ukMPadn0IgjHsOjVxO0zMe4J35utmbl3REtPl21BfTOXMf6RPnvjHCmQy0ThEDqoAj5vN1URj4xvRb1h_zGLsdfzCqU-SczTQfxiRF2UQuN5_EaXmDqEQ=w228-h320" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Trudy giving me a response<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkpQ_rBWrILdTbEujfFAPHbUEtDzQEqIcYCMZxrwYOAA5smgt5Utv54lW3SbvUO36AmDcZ9CyrmDQPjRy4DnTNe6TLRemtDzDfStOMN7EgHgPSJgN0Si4hIFENLc6hp_M80lZR76alykkzMmI6yuYQvKxQAj4aXDczYmvldRIiHeZuDACb7ZoXdVuR1Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="784" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkpQ_rBWrILdTbEujfFAPHbUEtDzQEqIcYCMZxrwYOAA5smgt5Utv54lW3SbvUO36AmDcZ9CyrmDQPjRy4DnTNe6TLRemtDzDfStOMN7EgHgPSJgN0Si4hIFENLc6hp_M80lZR76alykkzMmI6yuYQvKxQAj4aXDczYmvldRIiHeZuDACb7ZoXdVuR1Q=w219-h320" width="219" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy and Trudy smiling for <br />the camera!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><h3 style="margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; color: #4d469c; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="border: none; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.168000221252441px; text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-4460040143705579112022-09-27T17:42:00.009-05:002022-09-28T14:39:07.200-05:00A Big Week for Global Health!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Although it didn't make huge headline news, last week was full of successes for global poverty activists here in the United States. We saw the results of years of work by thousands of activists working on worldwide hunger, infectious diseases, and education. Honestly, each item could be a separate blog, but it's so fun to celebrate all three together! Please read on...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Global Malnutrition Bill PASSED Congress!</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH30Uzav7_ikDpLhh6t15k9LcM9A0flIv22mmO_Hnuh_jS0XXGXF0MGADOpKU2m-Cx4-hkLOKPU7CEmVZEscwCzseLVx05_XcuoZ5_9W3fKWTcMFku3m7P255AT7ymwfSb8zxffDQLN2V00kvec-Gi5u2cmAtkBjyFAwHAF8lP1opmldTALnNE5fSwXw/s1390/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.29.49%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1390" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH30Uzav7_ikDpLhh6t15k9LcM9A0flIv22mmO_Hnuh_jS0XXGXF0MGADOpKU2m-Cx4-hkLOKPU7CEmVZEscwCzseLVx05_XcuoZ5_9W3fKWTcMFku3m7P255AT7ymwfSb8zxffDQLN2V00kvec-Gi5u2cmAtkBjyFAwHAF8lP1opmldTALnNE5fSwXw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.29.49%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy updates Woodridge UMC<br />church about progress on HR 4693</td></tr></tbody></table>After years of working on this bill (and even more time working on the resolutions that led up to it), the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act H.R. 4693 passed the House earlier this year and then passed the Senate by unanimous consent on September 21. This passage represents incredible work by the volunteer advocates of <a href="http://www.bread.org" target="_blank">Bread for the World</a>, <a href="http://www.results.org" target="_blank">RESULTS</a>, and other partner organizations to get this pushed through in an election year. Nobody is actively promoting world hunger, but global malnutrition is one of those issues that can get pushed to the side and forgotten as members of Congress turn their attention to getting re-elected by campaigning on high-profile issues. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, it heads to President Biden for his signature. It will make existing U.S. global nutrition programs even more effective and support countries in their efforts to prevent and treat child and maternal malnutrition. <a href="https://www.bread.org/article/bread-celebrates-passage-of-bipartisan-global-malnutrition-bill/" target="_blank">Read this update from Bread for more details.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">$14.5 Billion Pledged for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria</span></h1><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: arial;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfRObYRsonUqUuZQ_NJ9ASb7Ot0lznZxKPbd3hmyLH-0Ye0wmW-25vzwWgTpSzT_XY4UG3Rz8PSBrEyQEffqtho8BuIWHjV0HWahFz-MBJS5QV0uTRCW0X0c-QpHHULbzSOWt6KtGhNcEz00KA0hQUgxakitY0EOPAMn6Rivv8sAICW1Bcefm-3Z2A/s1278/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.23.51%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1278" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfRObYRsonUqUuZQ_NJ9ASb7Ot0lznZxKPbd3hmyLH-0Ye0wmW-25vzwWgTpSzT_XY4UG3Rz8PSBrEyQEffqtho8BuIWHjV0HWahFz-MBJS5QV0uTRCW0X0c-QpHHULbzSOWt6KtGhNcEz00KA0hQUgxakitY0EOPAMn6Rivv8sAICW1Bcefm-3Z2A/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.23.51%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy with Senator Hawley's aide<br />delivering letters about the Global Fund</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Replenishment Conference for the <a href="https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/" target="_blank">Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria</a> is a time when country leaders gather together in partnership to make commitments to one of the most effective programs for fighting disease across the globe. For American advocates like me, this year was especially meaningful because the U.S. played host in New York City with President Biden in attendence. The promises made there would set the stage for the next three years of Global Fund activities. As a reminder, the Global Fund fights infectious diseases of poverty with full participation from the low-income countries receiving aid from international government, corporate, and civil society donors. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbEDPIElYwUFlADrsIlMaXOsiJTJpZ64jNjM_18I9Oky_T6H64EcbsGJneBzQubE6V32vqGF3Gk-zdU3NNRFUwi_lmiOm_I3KSLT8iz8ZR--6eY9UMIOflCJTHSrNuXhREm7tZ0czpxxHmtMI0YeyIbsXtlNN7JwzOpVsteKztJ758jbROm9tdrBWDA/s1030/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.32.45%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1030" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbEDPIElYwUFlADrsIlMaXOsiJTJpZ64jNjM_18I9Oky_T6H64EcbsGJneBzQubE6V32vqGF3Gk-zdU3NNRFUwi_lmiOm_I3KSLT8iz8ZR--6eY9UMIOflCJTHSrNuXhREm7tZ0czpxxHmtMI0YeyIbsXtlNN7JwzOpVsteKztJ758jbROm9tdrBWDA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.32.45%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy delivering constituent letters to<br />Rep. Wagner's office for the ONE Campaign</td></tr></tbody></table>On September 21, the conference culminated with the President announcing that the conferenece had raised an historic $14.25 billion in pledges! </span><span style="font-family: arial;">This number includes $6 billion over the next three years from the U.S. alone. <a href="http://www.one.org" target="_blank">ONE Campaign</a> volunteers were on the streets in the city calling attention to the event. Advocates like me acted in solidarity by delivering letters from constituents to members of Congress in support of the Global Fund. Why? Because no matter what the President promises, Congress has to approve the budget every year. So, we want them to always remember the great work of the Global Fund and how much constituents want to support it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Yet as big as $14.25 billion sounds, the job is not quite done. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://results.org/blog/historic-news-in-nyc-on-the-road-to-18-billion" target="_blank">RESULTS Executive Director Dr. Joanne Carter wrote in her update to volunteers</a>: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Our full goal for this campaign is $18 billion, which means we are not there yet. But the total so far doesn't yet include the UK or Italy, who both promised to announce their pledges soon. And the UK has historically been one of the single largest donors to the Global Fund." Since the U.S. is matching every $2 from other donors with $1 from the United States, up to $18 billion total, our $18 billion goal is still within reach. Stay tuned!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimipX2BNaUp8rep7GP9FlNMhDFc-xF61L1TJajPf4hz5lXWnMGcOxH57QAixR3ZDwNf_46sYUalSNWNlewsqpDqVTJd6lSVc6xTvu4O9aMaO-6BpfLwbwx1bAzRVJkBBZA9kxiaimyihs6ELmGjSlMGY2jJDJ4fRXDxp2UsHGLsz2UjOthCso8Aqk8yQ/s1294/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%204.13.56%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1294" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimipX2BNaUp8rep7GP9FlNMhDFc-xF61L1TJajPf4hz5lXWnMGcOxH57QAixR3ZDwNf_46sYUalSNWNlewsqpDqVTJd6lSVc6xTvu4O9aMaO-6BpfLwbwx1bAzRVJkBBZA9kxiaimyihs6ELmGjSlMGY2jJDJ4fRXDxp2UsHGLsz2UjOthCso8Aqk8yQ/w400-h249/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%204.13.56%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">READ Act Reauthorization Passed the House</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNusNn0jaOZqdx4Gm5S_2_z7tQoe7mW85CvD47iToGMz3pb92gpKhU3Hh1d7LzXJMOsHbWRQ8jUi6fzuwJdw-sAiGmWdMsmCktO0dm_8BpIRpHk5xa3wpWGxF-JM_eScn1tXZ4sieMLvAooqXgfg0N_Bh-V5o9MQS3kNJb6EGRExxz1aS1kKxEJeLBw/s1614/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.22.05%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1614" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNusNn0jaOZqdx4Gm5S_2_z7tQoe7mW85CvD47iToGMz3pb92gpKhU3Hh1d7LzXJMOsHbWRQ8jUi6fzuwJdw-sAiGmWdMsmCktO0dm_8BpIRpHk5xa3wpWGxF-JM_eScn1tXZ4sieMLvAooqXgfg0N_Bh-V5o9MQS3kNJb6EGRExxz1aS1kKxEJeLBw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%205.22.05%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: My daughter in 2010 advocating for<br />global education legislation that would<br />become the READ Act of 2017</td></tr></tbody></table>Just when I thought I should start writing up a blog about those other two success, I heard a THIRD piece of good news! The READ Act Reauthorization passed the House of Representatives! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 2017 READ Act was legislation enabling the U.S. to have a leadership role for global equity in access to education. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">But that legislation needs an update. The <a href="https://results.org/wp-content/uploads/READ-Act-Reauthorization-Fact-Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">Read Act Reauthorization Act of 2022</a> will allow the U.S. to continue to help improve literacy and numeracy in basic education for children around the world. It will demand even better monitoring and evaluation efforts, improving our ability to achieve key global education goals.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The next step in the process to pass this reauthorization is to get it passed in the senate. Visit the <a href="https://results.org/volunteers/action-center/action-alerts?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns" target="_blank">RESULTS web page here </a>to send an email message to your senators immediately. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GUGawfLrTsVbklI6Oe6tS2E5N_Z3ZoMjNath534WOIBhiDn2wOsssupxJSRkMcGjcvw6H8i_5_B7fn84R4-7PqRxDID35r1LKfs8N5qMvBXmd376lnnmDJ5h1bHqKr8VDnf5YNFfzlbjNyc5tTnxWZeMz8cyJKAVJyJ2JN343bSdebh9md60sge_2w/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-18278893775013812352022-09-26T16:16:00.021-05:002022-09-27T11:55:14.664-05:00No Need to Riot...We Need to Organize!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqncC3proRcrOuBHiYHUxaedM9o6bscpYuVzbI3MRolIyGcPl8rkSO8ewEr5Lz8KR9okl8MRr4tl0VDakMpfMWG3UUvz1qtnCycTmvGD6YQvYtF4VseRc31GVjfezk1JRLKgpg2TZWV_zbp1awJ9OVSiCjZ-zBY55ErAPy95u9xxbvZweG-D_g8Bh4w/s1520/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%204.40.13%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1154" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqncC3proRcrOuBHiYHUxaedM9o6bscpYuVzbI3MRolIyGcPl8rkSO8ewEr5Lz8KR9okl8MRr4tl0VDakMpfMWG3UUvz1qtnCycTmvGD6YQvYtF4VseRc31GVjfezk1JRLKgpg2TZWV_zbp1awJ9OVSiCjZ-zBY55ErAPy95u9xxbvZweG-D_g8Bh4w/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%204.40.13%20PM.png" width="243" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image: Cindy phonebanking from home</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEy7QXx9YHK8OqOIcqlVslvt_9uHGRNEMP3m8fF9dNN_eds9H1K_9FJBvtW4Tt7_LV4YEuVaUEADLtYIvlBHtQaTpb2yDfGNVlwaNrkHPT3xNlvsShDcuvL7ehoK2zEdVFqIMCecN6KKDEyHqV7v-18N3JpdKtVJTLrmV8Oz8I-cYLCgW0bIbUmeAjw/s1444/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%202.23.11%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1444" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEy7QXx9YHK8OqOIcqlVslvt_9uHGRNEMP3m8fF9dNN_eds9H1K_9FJBvtW4Tt7_LV4YEuVaUEADLtYIvlBHtQaTpb2yDfGNVlwaNrkHPT3xNlvsShDcuvL7ehoK2zEdVFqIMCecN6KKDEyHqV7v-18N3JpdKtVJTLrmV8Oz8I-cYLCgW0bIbUmeAjw/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%202.23.11%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Tweet from AJ B Bosamcmugu saying <br />"Well, hot girl summer just became riot girl summer."</td></tr></tbody></table>Not so many months ago, I used to see a lot of posts from women saying things like, "If they overturn Roe, we riot!" When Roe Vs. Wade was overturned and dangerous abortion bans swiftly went into place, there was a lot of "We ride at dawn!" type memes. Indeed, there were protests! People like me stretched comfort levels and hit the streets. But gradually, the crowds dwindled even as the effects of abortion bans started affecting the lives of women across the country. I think most people just got frustrated and didn't know what to do anymore.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm personally glad the calls to riot were not literal, but am disappointed the protests fizzled out. We still need to capture our outrage and direct it toward change. What if there were a way we could harness all this energy we feel about abortion bans, gun violence, poverty, and inaction on climate change, that did NOT require massive protests or arrestable offenses? People who know me might think I'm about to say "advocate" or "vote," but no...right now, I'm telling you to <b>ORGANIZE for elections</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My friends, we are smack in the middle of that special, magical time of year called Election Season, when we can actually affect who we will advocate to over the next few years. As a longtime advocate, I can tell you it's a heck of a lot easier to lobby someone who agrees with your basic values. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5_x3hMmwrlGVgXrQc0VtWl257DNRnZpaSdNzdf516M-m9qtUoJPLAoCBZU_8tC8Sfom4arQRdWnBpeaIhuCR1S08-G7CtbFfjiws9Nefc6VtYLoYxlkRnIYRbKweVAuEjZxQAhtZUJkNcFlQ7Ts_A4smwHWhmOFAjrA6LE_MMzbl5oKGiYxIKZZ6SA/s2066/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%204.41.07%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="2066" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5_x3hMmwrlGVgXrQc0VtWl257DNRnZpaSdNzdf516M-m9qtUoJPLAoCBZU_8tC8Sfom4arQRdWnBpeaIhuCR1S08-G7CtbFfjiws9Nefc6VtYLoYxlkRnIYRbKweVAuEjZxQAhtZUJkNcFlQ7Ts_A4smwHWhmOFAjrA6LE_MMzbl5oKGiYxIKZZ6SA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%204.41.07%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image: Cindy canvassing for gun sense <br />candidates with Moms Demand volunteers</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd also like to say with all kinds of redistricting going on around the country plus the shenanigans we've seen in the last years to discourage fair voting practices, it's <b>not enough</b> just to show up on Election Day and cast your own vote. Each of us needs to double, triple, or quintuple our influence by convincing others to turn out to volunteer sessions and polls. Like Georgia organizers did in the races for Senators Ossof and Warnock, we have to make up for votes that will be lost due to people not being aware that they are now in a different district or don't know the rules for valid absentee voting. For instance, absentee votes in Missouri must be notarized to be valid or they get tossed out! We're not just trying to win with all the votes that are cast, we need to win with all the votes that are <b>counted</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">No matter where you are, these are the kinds of things that always need doing in campaign offices:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Canvassing neighborhoods handing out literature with your kids or your friends</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Phonebanking from the comfort of your home with tasty snacks and your favorite music</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Addressing postcards in an office with others or at home watching Netflix</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Distributing yard signs</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Throwing a house party fundraising event for a candidate you believe in</span></li></ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr6od5DYjsW-ylO-Sq9bnNAWs3sCoH3owb_5paDFsZhtKc-7mKa7QnLX9qw6OKyuE2UzYCBYw394K0m581M30lNoy6p5xXcV5kN4zIqqYwHpgJouMFnnEMyFBsA_xgYh-EX1UVbYQNAY6DPbHSY6znlexvYu9ouy-lm5wvD2yCXYoWxTDZ5N3N5XgFQ/s1272/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%201.16.50%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1272" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr6od5DYjsW-ylO-Sq9bnNAWs3sCoH3owb_5paDFsZhtKc-7mKa7QnLX9qw6OKyuE2UzYCBYw394K0m581M30lNoy6p5xXcV5kN4zIqqYwHpgJouMFnnEMyFBsA_xgYh-EX1UVbYQNAY6DPbHSY6znlexvYu9ouy-lm5wvD2yCXYoWxTDZ5N3N5XgFQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%201.16.50%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image: Cindy and friend addressing postcards</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">You might also find that your local office appreciates other skills, like the time I volunteered for an office full of high-school and college-aged organizers. They all came to call me "Mom" as I brought them homemade, healthy food and fussed at them to take breaks. You can even use some of your advocacy skills like writing <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2020/02/advocacy-made-easy-writing-letter-to.html" target="_blank">letters to the editor</a> to tell your community why you support your favorite candidates!</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's a fact that never gets talked about too much...volunteering for campaigns can be fun, too! You're bound to find other like-minded voters there, which can be a big deal if you live in a neighborhood where most people have different political views from you. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, I went down to the <a href="https://www.trudybuschvalentine.com" target="_blank">Trudy Busch Valentine</a> senate campaign office to address postcards to donors. I was happy to see a familiar volunteer who worked with me years ago for other candidates!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One last thing: When you start to think, "Gosh, I don't have the time this week," consider those volunteer hours to be a very low cost to secure your bodily autonomy. Think of them as a bargain price for protecting democracy. Isn't writing postcards or walking a local neighborhood with friends way more fun than gathering 1,000 people to drive to your nearest city center for yet another protest? Isn't it WAY more convenient than doing something that gets you arrested for your cause?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxFwm2juUbTFNCVALEthhMg1nSOC2LbqwVr92-lmpe1EakJMdNswPnxLMK8yCkXFTJ1ep3AeZFpZ-O-xTr_zq4XohKYO7x5s_5wSj2N-pVhZPQ4kzuPtErk6dISHKWGu-ZOS5gi_h1r_8CLNgImNNUg1dbwudLXAqaUXn7qNeWPmM1a1ZM-0DSE2DeQ/s1868/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%202.00.57%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1868" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxFwm2juUbTFNCVALEthhMg1nSOC2LbqwVr92-lmpe1EakJMdNswPnxLMK8yCkXFTJ1ep3AeZFpZ-O-xTr_zq4XohKYO7x5s_5wSj2N-pVhZPQ4kzuPtErk6dISHKWGu-ZOS5gi_h1r_8CLNgImNNUg1dbwudLXAqaUXn7qNeWPmM1a1ZM-0DSE2DeQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-26%20at%202.00.57%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image: Trudy Busch Valentine speaks to a <br />West County St. Louis audience</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't know where to start? Begin by rounding up friends and bringing them to a campaign event. Be vocal, clap like crazy, and meet the candidates. Tell them what you hope they will do for you. Your enthusiasm will help build momentum among the crowd! Make sure you and your buds sign up on the ever-present volunteer forms and make a donation if you can. Any campaign worth its salt will contact you quickly with a list of more things you can do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9rt3-J3KKpr_TqnjmUqtPCNtbgFVtCDci0rvLbcbfTvmYIbT60TcMIRZgRxs0k-AZDiRlhfJJYF2I-emm8jKJhuPrLlC5IAz4ZoPr547Yh__ckMuufjBJlLJOA8vySvkIANHqV65U_0wv2H1UQyTfXJK6DyVdOePiCiL0rDFYEpaBcE-KL6IXpM6dQ/s1512/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%208.59.18%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1162" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9rt3-J3KKpr_TqnjmUqtPCNtbgFVtCDci0rvLbcbfTvmYIbT60TcMIRZgRxs0k-AZDiRlhfJJYF2I-emm8jKJhuPrLlC5IAz4ZoPr547Yh__ckMuufjBJlLJOA8vySvkIANHqV65U_0wv2H1UQyTfXJK6DyVdOePiCiL0rDFYEpaBcE-KL6IXpM6dQ/w246-h320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-27%20at%208.59.18%20AM.png" width="246" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy and Cori Bush with <br />a copy of <a href="https://www.changyit.com/books" target="_blank">"From Changing Diapers <br />to Changing the World"</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />St Louis folks, I invite you to join me Sunday, October 2nd at the opening of the Webster Groves field office for Trudy Busch Valentine and Saturday, October 8 for a rally and voter registration drive with Congresswoman Cori Bush. Trudy is our pro-choice, gun sense candidate for Missouri's U.S. Senate seat this year. Rep. Cori Bush is a champion for reproductive rights, gun sense policy, and climate justice policies. I'll be there with friends and clapping like crazy! See below for details on upcoming campaign events for these two Missouri candidates.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trudy Busch Valentine Field Office Opening</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Sunday, Oct 2, 2022 </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>12-1:30PM</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>7817 Big Bend Blvd</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Webster Groves, MO 63119</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Register to attend</b></span></span><b><span style="font-family: arial;">: </span><a class="r-poiln3 r-1ny4l3l r-bcqeeo css-18t94o4 r-1ddef8g r-qvutc0 r-tjvw6i css-4rbku5 css-16my406 r-wfj8xb r-1loqt21 css-901oao" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/wYHK6vkx2Y" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" role="link" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003886; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><span aria-hidden="true" class="css-16my406 r-qvutc0 r-qvk6io r-bcqeeo css-901oao r-poiln3 r-hiw28u" color="inherit" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit; word-wrap: break-word;">https://</span>mobilize.us/s/sspMkG</a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roe the Vote with Cori Bush- STL County</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saturday, Oct 8, 2022</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">10AM-12PM</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Location private, register to find out</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://mobilize.us/s/E7DgNn" target="_blank">Register at this link to attend</a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roe the Vote with Cori Bush- St Charles</b></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saturday, Oct 8, 2022</b></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-3 PM</b></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Location private, register to find out</b></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.mobilize.us/coribush/event/515926/?rname=Cynthia&share_context=event_details&share_medium=copy_link" target="_blank">Register at this link to attend</a></b><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre;"></span></div></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roe the Vote with Cori Bush- STL City</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monday, Oct 10, 2022</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">5-7 PM</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Location private, register to find out</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(20, 29, 38); color: #141d26; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.mobilize.us/coribush/event/515950/?rname=Cynthia&share_context=event_details&share_medium=copy_link" target="_blank">Register at this link to attend</a></b><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEjmmQoB8me1hU_1AfDYmAxu5kGwEc9AgU2PGFnsjhgfMPMadqysZ2un5DtsbbR-RwUxMjwhyoKjpuwKeiu52CuJliqDY6z9YU2mAbiy25BMD6KGhwkp4Ji_iduQVS2WiAIhFlsQ1ljLQ093F0k3Ri6fSnjZJ1d1ZqVyQSUATMkf1IDnxMvOacnGBbQ/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEjmmQoB8me1hU_1AfDYmAxu5kGwEc9AgU2PGFnsjhgfMPMadqysZ2un5DtsbbR-RwUxMjwhyoKjpuwKeiu52CuJliqDY6z9YU2mAbiy25BMD6KGhwkp4Ji_iduQVS2WiAIhFlsQ1ljLQ093F0k3Ri6fSnjZJ1d1ZqVyQSUATMkf1IDnxMvOacnGBbQ/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre;"></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-91614971894944335582022-08-26T13:19:00.006-05:002022-09-27T18:13:44.118-05:00Activist Profile: Laura Frisch of Moms Demand Action<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw3bGhO_KCJ2f-hCtrRbzfQA0fF4-H6fIPheWuKzXHfZywnWMMf95pqzN97YmVYHSU08UJx0ownjLy9g_MXspNTlOQ2B8OKiYBGnu8biA10xpeNHH78KrxdoNGUPr4Nn9YJXBjok0kY1MqY1Fd1zRhEdHaDX17_7DzgtzIfROHDReCo0Ya6b1DXME3w/s3088/Laura%20Frisch.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw3bGhO_KCJ2f-hCtrRbzfQA0fF4-H6fIPheWuKzXHfZywnWMMf95pqzN97YmVYHSU08UJx0ownjLy9g_MXspNTlOQ2B8OKiYBGnu8biA10xpeNHH78KrxdoNGUPr4Nn9YJXBjok0kY1MqY1Fd1zRhEdHaDX17_7DzgtzIfROHDReCo0Ya6b1DXME3w/w300-h400/Laura%20Frisch.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Laura Frish (photo by Laura Frisch)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><i>The following is an excerpt from my book,<a href="https://www.changyit.com/books" target="_blank"> "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started."</a> In addition to stories and quotes from mom-advocates, my book features six mothers in particular whose stories highlight different aspects of advocacy. Laura Frisch, a volunteer for <a href="https://momsdemandaction.org" target="_blank">Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America</a>, is one of those powerful women. In this section, I invite everyone to consider how to be more inclusive and build stronger communities.</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: center; white-space: break-spaces;">PROFILE: LAURA FRISCH</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: center; white-space: break-spaces;">BUILDING COMMUNITY</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Although I have known Laura Frisch for more than fifteen years, I remain amazed at how she uses every opportunity to exponentially group efforts for good and to build up the community around her in positive ways. Frankly, I both admire and fear her abilities because she pushes the boundaries of my own comfort zone. Knowing Laura has made me a bolder organizer. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">As a mom of young children, Laura skillfully created a fun and welcoming community for her friends and neighbors; she carried those skills into her local schools and later into troubled Chicago neighborhoods. Now she works to foster a nationwide community that can create a safer place for all. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When we were both raising little ones in Morton Grove, Illinois, Laura’s house was a swirling epicenter of neighborhood activity. Two kids and four dogs made for a bustling home on the quietest of days, and her door was always open to welcome friends and their kids for anything from an impromptu backyard picnic to a messy tie-dye T-shirt session. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">To Laura, anything worth doing with two friends was worth doing with ten friends! She was so comfortable in the chaos that her first instinct was always to ask, “How can we include more people? How do we make this open and accessible for everyone?” This tendency was both a challenge and an inspiration to an introvert like me, who generally wanted to keep things comfortable and cozy for myself. Yet I knew that whenever I wanted to rally the Morton Grove community, Laura was the secret ingredient for cooking up any of my schemes. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">For example, I once thought it would be good to replace the school’s annual wrapping paper fundraiser with a walkathon so our kids could do something healthy instead of generating more disposable waste. I laid my idea at Laura’s feet. Before I knew it, we had a school day set aside for a walkathon and a volunteer committee of parents scurrying to find sponsors, collect donations, and judge a T-shirt design contest. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Laura didn’t stop there. She arranged for a school for students with emotional or physical challenges to participate in our walkathon and to share in the proceeds, too. That school had significant financial needs but no parent organization to raise money. Laura took my idea and made it bigger. More inclusive. More accessible. I moved away from Illinois in 2013, but I kept in touch with Laura, and I wasn’t surprised when she became involved with a nationwide advocacy group in the aftermath of the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/07/us/connecticut-shootings-fast-facts" target="_blank">2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting</a>. Laura, who had been teaching a park district preschool class on the day of the shooting, said, “It was like Pearl Harbor Day. I distinctly remember I was working in one of those little one-room schoolhouses. No protection there. I thought about how I’ve had incidents where divorced parents tried to pick up kids without authority and I had to call the police.” In those times of conflict, it had only been Laura and two helpers caring for fifteen preschoolers. No security backup. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">The thought of what could happen if an armed person came with the intent to harm her or her class prompted her to join the Facebook group of Shannon Watts, an Indiana stay-at-home mom who felt compelled to take action after the Sandy Hook massacre. Shannon started a nationwide discussion among mothers about how Americans could and should do more to reduce gun violence. This impromptu group went viral and eventually became Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. It’s now a widespread grassroots movement of Americans who are fighting for public safety measures to reduce gun violence. Members advocate for stronger gun laws and work to close loopholes that jeopardize public safety. They also work in their own communities and with business leaders to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ9fcB4pfCwfKqjQTkh5qm6vwS3_UIuWp0F75Nml_61ZcsyVp6PyI4pkS2_8Vfy0oSEwGiaU5V87TXiPQgqh4UvfFBaPhVke8k8lgiuYdr6URFAh8-w4piR5cOe5LeIUsKX8xFCvKXCw5VGEjkSi1muG2-GNZ8-bu-C_pjWzEEPZ7jU8Y7T6o2gymfA/s1600/AdvocacyDay2020GroupPhotosmall.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ9fcB4pfCwfKqjQTkh5qm6vwS3_UIuWp0F75Nml_61ZcsyVp6PyI4pkS2_8Vfy0oSEwGiaU5V87TXiPQgqh4UvfFBaPhVke8k8lgiuYdr6URFAh8-w4piR5cOe5LeIUsKX8xFCvKXCw5VGEjkSi1muG2-GNZ8-bu-C_pjWzEEPZ7jU8Y7T6o2gymfA/w400-h266/AdvocacyDay2020GroupPhotosmall.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Missouri Moms Demand Action advocates<br />at 2020 lobby day in Jefferson City, MO<br />Photo by Becky Morgan</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Nowadays, Moms Demand Action is an advocacy juggernaut that inspires seas of supporters in read T-shirts to descend upon state legislatures to promote "gun sense" legislation. The organization has at least one chapter in every state and over eight million supporters. But Laura was there in the early days when Moms Demand Action consisted of small pockets of moms around the country who were simply trying to start conversations about gun safety. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">“We were a total ragtag little team of people who started out saying, ‘Let’s talk about it at our PTO meetings’ and turned it into ‘Let’s find out how to lobby,’” she recalled. At the time, she had no idea how big the movement would become or that she would bring the Moms Demand organization to the whole North Shore area of Chicago. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">In addition to Laura, several Moms Demand members lived in Chicago or its suburbs, and one of them learned a mother had been killed while protecting her child from a drive-by shooting. So, a couple of nearby members went to sit in solidarity with neighbors on the Englewood corner where that mother had been shot. Laura believes it’s important to know that Moms Demand volunteers went with a spirit of partnership to places where allies were already working against gun violence, rather than simply showing up after a shooting for a photo op. “It’s more like, when there was a group there already, they’d say, ‘Come and help,’ and we’d show up to support each other.” </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">In Englewood, what began as a small vigil on a corner started by Tamar Manasseh of <a href="https://www.ontheblock.org" target="_blank">MASK, Mothers and Men Against Senseless Killings</a>, soon blossomed into a regular event the community could count on for safety. The gatherings went like this: Take char- coal and food for seventy-five people to a local park. Bring along a local Lutheran pastor, Islamic leaders, and Jewish congregants. Get together and talk to people in a block-party setting. Feed everyone. The atmosphere was energizing and loving. On these block party nights, kids in the neighborhood knew this would be a safe spot where they could get something to eat, which was important because many of the kids were food insecure. Laura would set up a face-painting table, something she often did for events at her synagogue and the Morton Grove Farmers’ Market. Her face painting gave kids a chance to sit down with a safe adult for one-on-one time, helping them build positive memories of being a kid. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Moms Demand volunteers in Chicago continue to work with local groups organizing these kinds of gatherings to provide whatever is needed. They strive to make these areas feel safer and to help children escape the fear they carry with them. Members also listen to kids tell stories of the people they have lost. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Laura’s role with Moms Demand Action grew as the organization addressed more state and national initiatives, including speaking to legislators and supporting a campaign to spread safety awareness among gun owners. But she still makes time to go back to that same Englewood gathering, which never stopped trying to make that corner a safe place to be. Even though MASK runs the event on its own, Laura still goes twice a year, bringing more people with her each time. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">“It’s hot and there’s very little shade,” Laura admitted. “It’s a schlep down there, but we go back every year. Every single time I’m thinking, ‘This is affecting people in a positive way,’ so I keep going.” </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When she reflected upon how the organization has expanded from the eclectic group of volunteers who gathered in the early days, Laura said, “Moms Demand was the sorority everyone could join. Of course, it’s serious business. Many people joined because they lost a child or loved one to gun violence, so it wasn’t all fun with sisters. But everyone was welcome.” </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Baking this kind of inclusiveness into the organization’s culture has helped it grow and gain power. With a problem as widespread as gun violence, it’s important to get all kinds of allies on board to create and run safety campaigns and encourage the election of gun-sense candidates. They may have started as a bunch of moms, but those moms knew they needed to enlist the help of dads, kids, hunters, gun-toting grandmas, members of Congress, and even conservative news pundits. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Not long after my 2019 conversation with Laura, conservative CNN host S. E. Cupp—nationally known as an outspoken supporter of the National Rifle Association (NRA)—announced on air that she had dropped her NRA membership in the wake of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. In an impassioned speech, she spoke in favor of legislative measures that Moms Demand advocates had promoted for years: universal background checks, bans on the sale of large drums of ammunition, and measures to prevent domestic abusers from having access to guns. Just four years earlier, Cupp had appeared in an advertisement as a self-proclaimed “NRA mom” who urged others to join the NRA. I don’t know whether Cupp will join Moms Demand, but I think she would find that sorority accepting of her. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Building movements and organizing volunteers is hard. It can be messy when a lot of different personalities and viewpoints clash. But changing the world takes a wide diversity of voices and personalities, and we don’t always get to pick and choose who shows up to help. Laura understands that if we work only with people who look like us, shop like us, worship like us, and play like us, then we are not going to change much of anything at all. Her solution is to welcome everybody. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">When I asked what drives her sense of inclusivity, Laura denied suggestions that it came from her religion or early role models. Instead, she said, “I was lonely as a kid. I’m never going to make someone not be included. I’ve stood in those shoes and I’m not going to make anyone else stand in them.” </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;">Most of us have felt lonely and left out at times in our lives. Let’s channel those feelings as Laura does to make others feel more comfortable as we work together. Building inclusive movements is the greatest gift we can share to take powerful actions and help more people. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><br /></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS7WQGofjpMoOCYT7lEF9P54QDnN-ekFrLZOaRMROf8nqulSUOhyaRBCg3l-AfzknweJ8pTB7UEj18qW4OhuyC5QbnkrKL5wKnhXSqB0QqeQc5CDBUlo348-hC5MCAuQ9Oe38aABSS5HP9kHzrDjhVTPZQUaw8bKBF2gvSi0bCSldHHWieeBBiSisLg/s2365/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1816" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS7WQGofjpMoOCYT7lEF9P54QDnN-ekFrLZOaRMROf8nqulSUOhyaRBCg3l-AfzknweJ8pTB7UEj18qW4OhuyC5QbnkrKL5wKnhXSqB0QqeQc5CDBUlo348-hC5MCAuQ9Oe38aABSS5HP9kHzrDjhVTPZQUaw8bKBF2gvSi0bCSldHHWieeBBiSisLg/w154-h200/3D%201%20paperback%20curve.png" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Book cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website <a href="http://www.changyit.com/books" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">www.changyit.com</a> or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!</i></span></h3>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-8916913620037969502022-06-07T00:16:00.006-05:002022-08-26T13:21:35.151-05:00Global Food Systems: Seed to Plate and Everything In-Between<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6dETgj0xzLiyAbvhXI04D_kwrMoKrCDTKThMR_j9vRmW0cwK6JvKgrnENrpzf2ObOESc7bXHTPwCf-Y3Uf8As_EzvQrtoi7hwXCCr3-EdSzxeVjhhFi48oqey3mvG9Yc-Xt1SfW6Am3yD-4rcxrGJ3P7zsOhuJjw44ilVkHdQYTIrURbzqOINt1jPA/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.45.34%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1274" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6dETgj0xzLiyAbvhXI04D_kwrMoKrCDTKThMR_j9vRmW0cwK6JvKgrnENrpzf2ObOESc7bXHTPwCf-Y3Uf8As_EzvQrtoi7hwXCCr3-EdSzxeVjhhFi48oqey3mvG9Yc-Xt1SfW6Am3yD-4rcxrGJ3P7zsOhuJjw44ilVkHdQYTIrURbzqOINt1jPA/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.45.34%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: Cynthia with a copy of her book "From Changing<br />Diapers to Changing the World" at Capitol Hill in DC</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today, I’m back on Capitol Hill with <a href="http://www.care.org" target="_blank">CARE</a> talking about...drumroll please...food security! Although I often lobby Congress about nutrition, usually I’m talking about child nutrition in the first 1000 days of life. That is definitely part of food security, but it’s just one tiny aspect of the great big issue.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCknPHlAdRUlxtp5al9EuHFFUuaKOz1ihq5YP6zwpUm74LeLUDPLqvNbmWj2w0H0Bjq6yMw2uqFY1BR3RvmAJbC9R2eF6ZOwRitSkbwkKDL_qhK8KNq0bO78-kQt73gSbgpVgBicPRG1xenH3YwYlqyr4xHBnDTTBn5ooNyghSSqtVpSOXVl_A5Un6w/s1160/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.35.33%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1160" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCknPHlAdRUlxtp5al9EuHFFUuaKOz1ihq5YP6zwpUm74LeLUDPLqvNbmWj2w0H0Bjq6yMw2uqFY1BR3RvmAJbC9R2eF6ZOwRitSkbwkKDL_qhK8KNq0bO78-kQt73gSbgpVgBicPRG1xenH3YwYlqyr4xHBnDTTBn5ooNyghSSqtVpSOXVl_A5Un6w/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.35.33%20AM.png" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: Toddler eating carrots off a plate</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What is Food Security?</span></span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Food security is all about strengthening food systems to help the world weather all kinds of crises. Food systems encompass everything from seed to plate and ALL that happens in between. </span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The main legislation that authorizes the U.S. to do its part in protecting global food systems is called the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1567/text" target="_blank">Global Food Security Act (GFSA).</a> In 2016, it put our Feed the Future program - which addressed root causes of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition - into law. That successful program lifted approximately 23.4 million people above the poverty line with its innovations! Yet it will expire soon and must be renewed by 2023. </span></p></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1274" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UsL_JDa1uMQ8mNt9Z6X0fIPdCcgRRO38oPsPiDE5fvqe9ft3CswpAy1oL9oFjXlRfG3yH7NFAs40_tL-gfAeS7VV0QkaHzR5zPe44YErvPx6S2602NBz37Z0_VpXEXLGw4uuzYEOTekBL81RD8ICTt1-QsLkFJ-iy85c-YY0Vpc39tQNA6JhBTvAgQ/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.45.53%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: Panelists at 2022 CARE conference talk about the <br />importance of the Global Food Security Act</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Global Food Security Act focuses on long term sustainability and resilience of food systems. We have seen in the last two years how disruptions in food supply from disease or war can globally affect food access for the vulnerable and food price increases for everyone. Emergency food helps people eat now. Strengthening food systems helps build long term resilience for all kinds of future emergencies. </span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Build a Better GFSA</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We are at a real crisis point with food security. More people in the world were already food insecure even before COVID-19 and war in the Ukraine started. We need to build up food systems, so we won't be so vulnerable to these kinds of shocks as well as things we can't even yet imagine. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">How does CARE want to make the next Global Food Security Act even better? As always, we know that putting women and girls at the center will improve policies. CARE believes the next GFSA should include:</span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">More support for savings groups that </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">help women and girls involved in agriculture become more independent</b></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">More support for small-scale farmers, </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">particularly women,</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> giving them better access to markets, credits, tools, fertilizer, and other assets</span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Better integration of nutrition into food systems programming, including </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">elevating women as household decision-makers</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> on nutrition. </span></span></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></blockquote><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">How Can YOU Help? </span></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2022/06/global-food-systems-seed-to-plate-and.html" target="_blank">Call your representative</a> this week and say, “<i>My name is ______ and I’m your constituent living in _____. A new Global Food Security Action will be introduced soon by Representatives Betty McCollum and Chris Smith. I am asking you to be an original co-sponsor to support food systems and help make our world more resilient to disasters like disease, climate disasters, and war.</i> <i>Thank you.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdGKmPoVdx3XBt7qTApMKQon1AU0oo6fmwRyM-KNHiantmiEiLTONRHK7EajxAbR-4ljZKZ2tomb45fu2KKaGS-_G7r-DCXL6jF2aoT9YcPSdupB_NuNhZG5a_aEfI22NpByg9DESGgrgV7F6pcBXzz8BevMpp4_nAf87sDGPTOEYnh_r7FzL2Wyqgg/s2074/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.52.06%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2074" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdGKmPoVdx3XBt7qTApMKQon1AU0oo6fmwRyM-KNHiantmiEiLTONRHK7EajxAbR-4ljZKZ2tomb45fu2KKaGS-_G7r-DCXL6jF2aoT9YcPSdupB_NuNhZG5a_aEfI22NpByg9DESGgrgV7F6pcBXzz8BevMpp4_nAf87sDGPTOEYnh_r7FzL2Wyqgg/w400-h296/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-07%20at%2012.52.06%20AM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: Cynthia with Congresswoman Cori Bush</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><p></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-78750241819894395692022-05-31T08:10:00.006-05:002022-05-31T08:23:22.498-05:00Tending and Mending on #MemorialDay<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Memorial Day has meant different things to me in my life. When I was too small to understand about war and service, it was simply vacation from school and time with my parents. Cookouts or travel were an expected part of the day. As I got older, it became a day to remember and honor those who sacrificed for our country. I started taking part in parades or acts of service. </p><p>This year - partly because I personally know more people with COVID-19 than any other point in the pandemic - I didn’t feel like going to any parades or BBQ’s. After a hard bunch of weeks for activists who care about reproductive rights and gun violence, yesterday had to be a day of tending and mending for me. </p><h2>Tending</h2><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguONnM885bd2xxB7XVmUQPWv6JG91f4h2j8b35XIKgN5HL1ApmgtZoDatfOPU_TiNGJvG7-yjELeTuPOrvnwD1eMBhlhhjuTb6lwOaspBiCmt5IrOwkfrDQuEt4Zd8R57sM_Rpqr398J9I20K48mpMd0YmRLTGqWxgG1kbQXSo_GeG-cHzHYdewAsl-A/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.39.10%20AM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="948" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguONnM885bd2xxB7XVmUQPWv6JG91f4h2j8b35XIKgN5HL1ApmgtZoDatfOPU_TiNGJvG7-yjELeTuPOrvnwD1eMBhlhhjuTb6lwOaspBiCmt5IrOwkfrDQuEt4Zd8R57sM_Rpqr398J9I20K48mpMd0YmRLTGqWxgG1kbQXSo_GeG-cHzHYdewAsl-A/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.39.10%20AM.png" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A bed of chard in my garden</td></tr></tbody></table>The <a href="https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-funerals-for-children-teachers" target="_blank">school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX</a> broke my heart and made me angry all over again. It came while I was still upset about the impending roll-back of Roe vs. Wade. If there were ever a time to take a step back and tend to my own soul, that was it. I began the day by caring for our backyard vegetable garden. In tending to the garden, I tended to myself. My dear friend Pamela Dolan released a book this spring called<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Contemplative-Gardening-Pamela-Dolan/dp/1640655409" target="_blank"> Contemplative Gardening</a>. In it, she talks about the benefits of gardening as a spiritual practice. She says, <p></p><p></p><blockquote>“When we garden we practice hope, putting our faith in nature’s ability to bring forth life, to create something beautiful and nourishing from the modest ingredients of soil, seed, and time. In other words, gardens are places of health, hope, and healing.” </blockquote><blockquote>—Pamela Dolan </blockquote><p></p><p>If you are an activist, I urge you to take time and do whatever you need to do to restore your own light. This quote posted by the facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/569199523892145/" target="_blank">Zen Taoist Buddism Thich Nhat Hanh Dalai Lama</a> spoke to me:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuILa5KHFMS6G4wUYBXRo4-Jnb_EiPKAwdx_5GlAGpZoC5DIztG50XeEDkDBJ6opqORZnrg1BWKuckhziompLFUCf1uVJ2Rt4BbF7GT2buXxSt6tjWBJ-O3IbMpD5uEn6dpBx-Mfer-Dcgm0NlmZypGsrzIpv417mcvXnYinKJ727axVakdX25BHpfw/s1306/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.41.45%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuILa5KHFMS6G4wUYBXRo4-Jnb_EiPKAwdx_5GlAGpZoC5DIztG50XeEDkDBJ6opqORZnrg1BWKuckhziompLFUCf1uVJ2Rt4BbF7GT2buXxSt6tjWBJ-O3IbMpD5uEn6dpBx-Mfer-Dcgm0NlmZypGsrzIpv417mcvXnYinKJ727axVakdX25BHpfw/w366-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.41.45%20AM.png" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Illustrated boy sitting on a stone with Regina Lake quote<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><p>“This my dear is the greatest challenge to being alive: to witness the injustice of this world, and not allow it to consume our light.”</p><p>—<a href="https://www.oxherdboy.org/post/058-this-my-dear-is-the-greatest-challenge-of-being-alive" target="_blank">Regina Linke</a></p></blockquote><p>Do what you can to preserve your light. If you are an extrovert, that might mean sharing and spreading your light to have joy in making more of it. If you are an introvert, like me, it might mean staying home from those parades and parties, so you can cup your hands around a fragile candle flame to protect it from the wind blowing it out.</p><h2><strong>Mending </strong></h2><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB75Bv8InYNfEeOMEGEhba4QIuCQaDN4jbwc9VBEblgUQ0i8TR_pY9kiog4tIvUiyOWzQWiMGHeLC1hEJc25OqNBVI5DA7vO2dGue8JpfKozeZs-ttFLg3i7zG7UuwTrgS9qB27Yr1lmfZsjC-UEbMTzKdqWt-X-bzzN3ALJ8RaOVQVZy-t4wUjgB1Zg/s1094/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.38.38%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB75Bv8InYNfEeOMEGEhba4QIuCQaDN4jbwc9VBEblgUQ0i8TR_pY9kiog4tIvUiyOWzQWiMGHeLC1hEJc25OqNBVI5DA7vO2dGue8JpfKozeZs-ttFLg3i7zG7UuwTrgS9qB27Yr1lmfZsjC-UEbMTzKdqWt-X-bzzN3ALJ8RaOVQVZy-t4wUjgB1Zg/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.38.38%20AM.png" width="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Hand sewing </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table>With my family still sleeping, I took on some repair tasks I’ve been too busy to take on lately. I always get great satisfaction in using my own two hands to fix broken things and make them useful again, but I’m not always quick to do it. I went to my sewing machine where my youngest teen’s pants have been hanging for days, unwearable because of a big hole from an especially ambitious stretch. It took about 30 seconds to zip them through the machine and make them whole again. (<a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2022/05/5-things-i-do-to-keepgoing-after-school.html" target="_blank">See my earlier blog about doing the easy task first for inspiration to do a bigger task.</a>) Then, I grabbed up needle and sturdy thread to tackle the canvas on a piece of patio furniture that had unravelling seams.</div></span></div><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGVdnOG0mmzgTo0YZfu5pgSMFuGGehDVipZmgakBmfRx3556ufwQLMWhEVBO3_DNzjnYZAfAy1ziWH8iPx8kd5dvkXISkBKLWRCc03iYKyDHYWddViW0flMtZltSNEsPq-7_LTsM3tZUP4nBhhXARJvlPl7NsnY_jNC2LiBam-ayFQgNe3Y0qfflfPQ/s1268/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.38.45%20AM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="948" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGVdnOG0mmzgTo0YZfu5pgSMFuGGehDVipZmgakBmfRx3556ufwQLMWhEVBO3_DNzjnYZAfAy1ziWH8iPx8kd5dvkXISkBKLWRCc03iYKyDHYWddViW0flMtZltSNEsPq-7_LTsM3tZUP4nBhhXARJvlPl7NsnY_jNC2LiBam-ayFQgNe3Y0qfflfPQ/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-30%20at%2011.38.45%20AM.png" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A large tear in patio <br />furniture canvas</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As I worked, I thought about whether our nation is unravelling and what it will take to fix it. I had let this patio task go far too long and there were many sections two feet and longer needing repair. If I’d gotten to it sooner, it wouldn’t be so bad now. That seems like a metaphor for America today.</p><p>I heard someone on the radio say that on Memorial Day we honor those who gave their lives to preserve our freedoms and our American way of life. Hmm. What is our way of life in this moment? Being scared of shooters at school? Being forced to carry a child to term, endangering a mother’s mental or physical health? Being afraid of a police traffice stop simply because of one's race? Seems like the best way to honor those heroes is to create an America free of those fears.</p><p>Our democracy needs many hands to mend what’s broken. By writing my book<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Diapers-World-Advocates-Started/dp/1955985332/" target="_blank"> From Changing Diapers to Changing the World</a>, my intention was to train more activists to take their first advocacy actions and inspire the current advocates to keep going. Working alone at my big canvas tear, I thought about the saying, “Many hands make light work.” For America, it’s going to be heavy work no matter how many hands are working at it. But we must have more helpers. No doubt about it. </p><p>It’s clear to me we will have to have many hands working at many kinds of tasks. Of course, it will take activists working on lots of different issues. But it will also take people of strong character running for office and teams of people to get them into office. It will take citizens holding the line to prevent voter suppression through unfair redistricting and intimidation. It will take boldness from those already holding office. And, yes - whether or not we like it - it will take donors and money.</p><h2>What’s next?</h2><p>For me, now that I’m feeling a bit more restored, I’ll be taking actions to mend our democracy. I’ll do it to honor fallen members of the military who protected our democracy with their lives and in honor of the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/correction-texas-school-shooting-victims-list-story-85041569" target="_blank">19 children and two teachers who died at Robb Elementary</a>…<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-were-the-victims-of-the-sandy-hook-shooting-2017-12" target="_blank">and the 20 children and six adults who died at Sandy Hook Elemetary 20 years ago</a>…and the <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/15/586095587/17-people-died-in-the-parkland-shooting-here-are-their-names" target="_blank">17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High</a>…and so many others I could list. I’ll be donating to candidates I believe will do better than their opponents at mending and tending our country. </p><p>If you would like to join me in advocacy actions against gun violence, here are some suggestions below. I wish you all strength and peace to mend and tend. Don’t allow the world to consume your light.</p><p><br /></p><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">• Send a message demanding your senators take action gun safety legislation → <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://bit.ly/hold-lawmakers-accountable?fbclid=IwAR0o10OHaLoxJ3oQTllgJ8EQY19swbfevKGPNWbO7BtyigtqDX997V5UMpw" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/hold-lawmakers-accountable</a></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">• Get involved with your local Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action groups → <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://bit.ly/join-chapter?fbclid=IwAR0Lk5YMxFqjUuVc7s1BLF9q_AgJAuU9nvwzI7zkGTNs23_G06zrl_NvjF4" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/join-chapter</a></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">• Find a Wear Orange event near you → <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://bit.ly/find-wo-event?fbclid=IwAR0ogRNn7M3Pj9TB4O7e8UfVpX_q624NDR88Iu4KWZAJRt1VBjaCQVOJOR8" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/find-wo-event</a></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">• Make calls from home with GSAN → <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://bit.ly/make-calls-at-home?fbclid=IwAR2EmxdwNhr32PDD6ChfG1Zx7F62ObzY-xgp8mM_DH2CvOuSwqXUcBT0iTg" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/make-calls-at-home</a></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">• Join our Summer Series to get texted 1 action a week → <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://bit.ly/series-summer?fbclid=IwAR13h5Nr4m3Pqvudv-uxXyAmLtTTDQRaZG8GcO196Iy8WphhMxv7d9uHw_8" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/series-summer</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87iaT9w98PMCaDCo_yQ6l7mLZlxEjerNZd7G5zAXMU3BawejWLbwqVxmU2lTpoH5GgWK24azqHHsOqRMc6OFFnKcxgJHRMhL0oVcO7h-aAF8foy3GDaj3vrqV73nE5-n2IpjNnCR6Y9XssM5hGbdV5LJq8XDmtitnxJkduWygLrMJRK47uAEzS1Wcqw/s1080/Moms%20Demand%20Actions.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87iaT9w98PMCaDCo_yQ6l7mLZlxEjerNZd7G5zAXMU3BawejWLbwqVxmU2lTpoH5GgWK24azqHHsOqRMc6OFFnKcxgJHRMhL0oVcO7h-aAF8foy3GDaj3vrqV73nE5-n2IpjNnCR6Y9XssM5hGbdV5LJq8XDmtitnxJkduWygLrMJRK47uAEzS1Wcqw/w400-h400/Moms%20Demand%20Actions.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Five actions (listed above) to take to help end gun violence</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><p></p>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-845100677608659682022-05-25T15:06:00.004-05:002022-10-25T07:20:06.026-05:005 Things I Do to #KeepGoing After a School Shooting<p>Here we are again. Heartbroken. Sickened. Angered by the repetition of another school shooting in America. This time at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX. To paraphrase something I saw on facebook today, “The most disheartening word in any news about a school shooting is ‘today’s.’” Lord help us, we know this won’t be the last American school shooting. With that heavy knowledge, I’m struggling to get through the day. I see many of you are, too. So, I thought I would take a look at what I'm doing to get through it and offer practical suggestions for how to keep going in the fight against senseless gun violence the day after a school shooting. Because we must keep going.</p><p>The first two suggestions are for everyone. The others are for those that have emotional capacity to act on behalf of those who need more time before getting back into the fight. It's important to realize that some in the movement are victims and survivors who are deeply triggered by every fresh tragedy.</p><h2>1. Get Dressed</h2><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4oNRuAxa7Xlel0DUdZW1-02Pl7PYL0hIm-3BieYVNm0GhwnNrjvKl-kpUEnH1z3IjGA9yJOQ2Kcq1GQs81bRtV3kS8fLsLtkOj9dcuipNhx6s8bZbdtgTuiO7OizGGwXPYuh43qHuc8NGieMgP9vpbYBfg5YQVcQ7-owT92wqJq5R7-SqOj2z-5N9g/s1190/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.35.35%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1190" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4oNRuAxa7Xlel0DUdZW1-02Pl7PYL0hIm-3BieYVNm0GhwnNrjvKl-kpUEnH1z3IjGA9yJOQ2Kcq1GQs81bRtV3kS8fLsLtkOj9dcuipNhx6s8bZbdtgTuiO7OizGGwXPYuh43qHuc8NGieMgP9vpbYBfg5YQVcQ7-owT92wqJq5R7-SqOj2z-5N9g/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.35.35%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Moms Demand Action t-shirt</td></tr></tbody></table>I know the feeling to call in sick and stay in your PJ’s with your head under the covers is strong. I feel it, too. But get up and get dressed anyway. Wear something that usually makes you feel strong even if you're not feeling it standing at the closet. <p></p><p>If you have a red Moms Demand shirt or a Wear Orange shirt, wear it. As you move about your day, you may bring comfort or inspiration to those around you. Someone may see you and think, “I feel better knowing she’s out there fighting to change this.” Others might even think, “This is the last straw. I’m gonna finally join.”</p><p>If dangle earrings or a big necklace makes you feel better, put that on as well. For me today, it is the little silver octopus studs my youngest gave me a few years ago. Their cuteness makes me think of how much she loves me and knows what makes me smile. The love of my kids gives me strength for this work. So, yes, it is an octopus earring day.</p><h2><strong>2. Take care of yourself</strong></h2><p>This looks different for everyone, so do what works for you according to your physical abilities and mental needs. When I need extreme physical activity to burn the anger away, I head to my punching target downstairs (an addition during pandemic frustration). Today, I was more sad than angry. I went into nature to smell the loamy earth, surrounded by the sound of wind in the leaves high in the trees. I contemplated the resilience of grass and honeysuckle in the park. No matter how much you cut it back, it always grows in thick. That’s why they call our kind of work “grassroots advocacy.” The roots are deep and the grass always comes back.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BjEdW7ewVT6iMTsgTpIdhTCkyhVfyZ4JWMLieVWW7h2vMPCcAH7LDT-DGZ8sFtewtKewfPT8Ao2Jtq93KG8ff6bib8Umu_TkvOY4R9paURi1FPJfWgi9FfbaXhVgnKS5WtQZRIp1N9Y1B1xmd8Bi0REa1qyr8hOyEw0yZrennWA67OMzygR0600K7Q/s1098/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.40.35%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1098" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BjEdW7ewVT6iMTsgTpIdhTCkyhVfyZ4JWMLieVWW7h2vMPCcAH7LDT-DGZ8sFtewtKewfPT8Ao2Jtq93KG8ff6bib8Umu_TkvOY4R9paURi1FPJfWgi9FfbaXhVgnKS5WtQZRIp1N9Y1B1xmd8Bi0REa1qyr8hOyEw0yZrennWA67OMzygR0600K7Q/w400-h308/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.40.35%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A single red blade of grass </td></tr></tbody></table>I noticed one odd blade of grass that grew in as red among the green. I thought that was strange. Then, I turned the corner and saw a field full of red ones. That reminds me of how it is when I wear my red Moms Demand shirt alone and then walk into an event where a whole crowd of people are wearing them. I’m not alone. You’re not alone.<p></p><p>I also had a good cry. A sobbing, loud ugly cry thinking of the terror of all the children and the parents who were going about their day when they were suddenly told their babies were gone. I cried and cried. Then, I was done and felt I could move ahead for those parents who can’t do that today. It’s okay if you cry. It only reveals empathy. As I cover in great detail in my book, <a href="https://www.changyit.com/books" target="_blank">From Changing Diapers to Changing the World</a>, a mother’s empathy can be her advocacy superpower. The ability to understand someone else’s pain and explain it to someone else is extremely powerful. </p><h2>3. Take an easy advocacy action</h2><p>Take an action that is comfortable for you. Sharing someone else’s tweet or Insta post about it? <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2015/05/advocacy-made-easy-twitter-actions.html" target="_blank">Writing a tweet</a> or facebook post? <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2014/05/advocacy-made-easy-call-in-action.html" target="_blank">Calling</a> your U.S. senators and reps, state senators and reps, or governor? <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2014/08/advocacy-made-easy-writing-blog-post.html" target="_blank">Writing a blog</a>? That’s what I did. You’re reading it right now. You can share it if you want. </p><p>Here's an easy <a href="https://act.everytown.org/sign/senate-act05252022?rd=1&refcode=emne_senate-20220525&source=emne_senate-20220525&t=14&utm_campaign=senate-20220525&utm_medium=e&utm_source=emne_senate-20220525&referring_akid=292454.8626531.vmyecZ" target="_blank">online action to contact your senators asking them to pass bold gun safety legislation.</a></p><p>The easy action is a warm-up for the next two things on the list. It builds confidence and inspires us to do the next thing. Don’t underestimate the easy action. It’s not unimportant because it’s easy. Your action combines with many others to make an impact. Also, it inspires others. I posted this image on facebook and a friend of mine replied she is joining Moms Demand. Reading that, I cried some happy tears.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzhQu-sTgjBazpVFUjhrxI6Bu3XiaFjoGeQA_su_K6pvaoVgYuMlvwdCJRlmrZHLbwU6eQjUOqCVJn9hGty_f_hvj4RTd11Ozo4PfuaEoHtCRnHLmbsx2wzA12MEzvb8nArF4jhkmFOOZ225IsaKx8hYjnPq5BI4RFul-jyg0XtYUkJ0H_3cMuPMobg/s2024/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-25%20at%206.59.48%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2024" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzhQu-sTgjBazpVFUjhrxI6Bu3XiaFjoGeQA_su_K6pvaoVgYuMlvwdCJRlmrZHLbwU6eQjUOqCVJn9hGty_f_hvj4RTd11Ozo4PfuaEoHtCRnHLmbsx2wzA12MEzvb8nArF4jhkmFOOZ225IsaKx8hYjnPq5BI4RFul-jyg0XtYUkJ0H_3cMuPMobg/w400-h296/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-25%20at%206.59.48%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Hand drawing showing the cycle of events after<br />mass shootings and how Moms Demand can break <br />the cycle with action.</td></tr></tbody></table><h2>4. Take a Harder Action</h2><p>Okay, you did the first action. What’s next? Maybe this is where you’ll call the congressional offices because the phone call is not so easy for you. Can you <a href="https://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/2020/02/advocacy-made-easy-writing-letter-to.html" target="_blank">write a letter to the editor</a>? Newspapers report about school shootings, so you can reply to the newspaper with your own feelings and thoughts about what your elected officials should do. One of the quickest and most powerful ways you can reach them at this moment is to mention their names in the paper. Thank them if they are a champion of sensible gun policies. Call them out if they have done nothing to combat gun violence and death. Remind your community that elections are coming up and we have the power to vote officials in or out. </p><p>If letters to the editor are easy for you, try writing an op-ed. The 600-700 word length of an op-ed is always harder for me, but somehow the words come easier when I’m fueled by strong feelings. Here’s an <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/columnists/what-did-we-do-over-summer-vacation-to-protect-our/article_8b012808-201f-5462-9d0a-aa844f440fdb.html" target="_blank">op-ed I wrote about school gun violence in 2018</a> and one <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/columnists/cynthia-changyit-levin-addressing-the-threat-of-gun-violence-during-at-home-isolation/article_80c4669c-89f2-5c26-aacf-2b2b58ced747.html?fbclid=IwAR3coXimyaOL5rZL6NUSuWq6Dm0Ntt9T6crcP8yQxSm86YSKDDyOPp-xTlE" target="_blank">I wrote about home gun violence in 2020</a>.</p><h2>5. Sign up for an event</h2><p>Sign up for something that will get you out of the house soon and into a community of action takers. It’s so important to know you are not alone. You are not an oddball for thinking it’s wrong that firearms are the #1 leading cause of death for American children and teens. </p><p>Moms Demand Action always has events coming up whether it is a monthly information meeting or something special. At the time I’m writing this, we’re just about a week away from <a href="https://everytownsupportfund.org/how-to-participate-in-wear-orange/#:~:text=When%20is%20Wear%20Orange%20in%202022%3F%20In%202022%2C,feature%20virtual%20and%20in-person%20events%20across%20the%20nation." target="_blank">Wear Orange day, a gun violence awareness day, on June 3, 2022</a>. It's a Friday that kicks off Wear Orange weekend. There will be events and activities all across the country. <a href="https://wearorange.org/" target="_blank">Find one here. Sign up</a>. Can't get to an in-person event? No problem. Here's a <a href="https://forms.everytown.org/a/raise-your-voice-rally-federal-action-gun-violence?emci=f8f1d9bb-57dc-ec11-b656-281878b8c32f&emdi=446d2f87-5ddc-ec11-b656-281878b8c32f&ceid=934389" target="_blank">virtual event tomorrow 3:30EST with Everytown.</a></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>I’ll end with a story from the horrendous storms St. Louis had about a week ago. The torrential rain and booming thunder was so bad it kept waking us up all night. I felt like I barely slept at all. At 5:26 AM, the biggest boom of all shook the house. I know the time because I sat straight up in bed. But something else happened just as the lightning faded. I heard one solitary, incredibly loud “CHIRP!” Some little bird responded to the storm by letting the neighborhood know it was still there and still alive. The first bird of the morning. I got up and discovered the rain had stopped. I stood outside and little by little all the other birds joined in. By 6AM, the cacophony was so loud, you couldn’t even ignore them in the house. So, that’s my metaphor. Robb Elementary was another terrible storm. But we are still alive and still here. This blog is my CHIRP - a tweet, perhaps, when I post it on Twitter - that I add to all the other voices of moms and others saying we’ve had enough of this madness. Let’s be so loud they can’t ignore us in the House or the Senate.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DQtWn28ZDHfPZ9RAZoMmigVzrIOfGEZpAeV5oIFm9heTtwelu13jX9YstdGyx5lS_2ncsDGumS141ylTOYCjrg91Zw0lHYSlN7eLsVtIPlUmP0V-MipmZemxtz85UFSPPkWWZITmFaCSrnOMRpTgoeFDJ01jypaemRweoOpmUz5VtRIZPmZj-A-DXA/s1274/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.35.23%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1274" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DQtWn28ZDHfPZ9RAZoMmigVzrIOfGEZpAeV5oIFm9heTtwelu13jX9YstdGyx5lS_2ncsDGumS141ylTOYCjrg91Zw0lHYSlN7eLsVtIPlUmP0V-MipmZemxtz85UFSPPkWWZITmFaCSrnOMRpTgoeFDJ01jypaemRweoOpmUz5VtRIZPmZj-A-DXA/w400-h300/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-25%20at%202.35.23%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Raindrops on red hibiscus flowers the morning after a storm</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-52430896822749697442022-05-05T23:41:00.021-05:002022-05-09T18:42:17.302-05:00Speaking out About #Abortion<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJRsFCZNl-3Yc3wlcY0bdaMXXXFgkX5xrfMc-AE3jUvNdLkc4qmbsGG0gwwqOV-7u8QmrILWDMzlOE5g7vvr9zhdZzTe__mK9VzXHcgNmqf7tlN-MVFWuWiOInXdfByfs2qHaZkWBbdCtmreCJIgpvK6sEWH7jKX0nij1PIInPiB3T7PckxjPbzoaOw/s1148/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.08.19%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1148" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJRsFCZNl-3Yc3wlcY0bdaMXXXFgkX5xrfMc-AE3jUvNdLkc4qmbsGG0gwwqOV-7u8QmrILWDMzlOE5g7vvr9zhdZzTe__mK9VzXHcgNmqf7tlN-MVFWuWiOInXdfByfs2qHaZkWBbdCtmreCJIgpvK6sEWH7jKX0nij1PIInPiB3T7PckxjPbzoaOw/w400-h321/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.08.19%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: A protest sign saying "Keep Abortion Legal"</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today, I'm sending out virtual hugs to everyone rocked by news of a leaked document about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning abortion rights. The possibility of the court overturning the Roe vs. Wade decision has been a key factor of every recent presidential election. It's not like we didn't expect this after Trump got three nominees confirmed to the court. Yet it's still upsetting to arrive at this day. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now, it's time to rely on the experienced leaders in reproductive rights groups who have been preparing for this event. I am not one of those leaders, but I can share what I am learning...even if I'm hesitant to step up.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a tough issue to speak out about publicly. Our thoughts on abortion are often emotional & messy, but we <strong>must</strong> normalize talking about it. If we don’t, there are plenty of people willing to take up the space we leave them and fill it with fear and misinformation. Our silence is harmful as we know abortion bans hurt low-income folks far more than others. People struggling in poverty have fewer resources to travel to have an abortion, to raise a child, or to respond to maternal health care problems from a damaging pregnancy.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you have the emotional bandwidth to do it, put yourself out there and take up your space in honor of those who cannot. At a St. Louis protest rally, <a href="https://bush.house.gov" target="_blank">Congresswoman Cori Bush</a> told us, “It doesn’t matter what our insecurities are. Bring something to the table. We need you.”</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Using my Microphone</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s true that I haven't advocated loudly for reproductive rights because it’s not in my comfort zone. But the night of the draft opinion leak, I saw this facebook post from my friend Robyn saying, “I’m gonna need everyone who couldn’t be bothered to march for anything else, but said 'OK, but if they overturned Roe I’ll get in the streets' to kick their comfort zone to the curb immediately.”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnNR45zJF8AQ68uz-15O4q1Ly8DXnOLa4oCFxBY6GxXuldG2RlQ42c1sIi9HE_ncbwmxEXhC7irOp9fA4U3Q38uwHfUPVpin59CY3UPrGvEKWfxqP2vQO2Nke7vmHEVEkxGWAldvq642fkA8MfJelaPBMHZ6lJof_oEMOSpC6UonGRK9o7lJSys83PQ/s1010/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%208.59.56%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="1010" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnNR45zJF8AQ68uz-15O4q1Ly8DXnOLa4oCFxBY6GxXuldG2RlQ42c1sIi9HE_ncbwmxEXhC7irOp9fA4U3Q38uwHfUPVpin59CY3UPrGvEKWfxqP2vQO2Nke7vmHEVEkxGWAldvq642fkA8MfJelaPBMHZ6lJof_oEMOSpC6UonGRK9o7lJSys83PQ/w400-h133/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%208.59.56%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Robyn's facebook post</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had marched for other issues, but still I felt seen. I spent some time that night trying to collect my thoughts and shore up my empathy by reading <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complicated-Choice-Healing-Pro-Choice-Movement/dp/1506473490" target="_blank">A Complicated Choice</a></em>, a book about real life abortion stories by Katey Zeh. I thought about the recording I had scheduled for the morning with Kathy Nelson of the <a href="https://ordinarily-extraordinary.com" target="_blank">Ordinarily Extraordinary </a>podcast to talk about advocacy and STEM. Should I talk about abortion? What should I say?</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The next day, I asked Kathy, “Are we gonna talk about last night or not? Because there are a lot of people without platforms to speak out and we’re two women looking at each other on zoom with literal huge microphones in front of us.” So, we did. We didn’t go into huge detail, but I like to think we did our part as two STEM educated women talking about abortion. We said the word out loud and came another step closer to normalizing the topic in conversation.</span><span style="font-size: 19px;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhl5gI_mPknAXkTgL-82ap5X0jTe-RoydWOyTPkNRxyFSLNOGS3ItfhuRS_VZLyQzQLXRhr7K-UwRt6TzhmujKT2Oy0-zkapjNLs39rqylCtoUZhg4WwNxZ4JFsXFm9qEuNCV5w53A465vIiwZG7Vzt9oxd4FNzrGQx0e5hmyDsyApI6SRcscGwUBlTw/s2540/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%207.22.59%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="2540" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhl5gI_mPknAXkTgL-82ap5X0jTe-RoydWOyTPkNRxyFSLNOGS3ItfhuRS_VZLyQzQLXRhr7K-UwRt6TzhmujKT2Oy0-zkapjNLs39rqylCtoUZhg4WwNxZ4JFsXFm9qEuNCV5w53A465vIiwZG7Vzt9oxd4FNzrGQx0e5hmyDsyApI6SRcscGwUBlTw/w400-h195/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%207.22.59%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy and Kathy recording a podcast</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 style="text-align: left;"><strong style="font-size: inherit;">Getting Out in the Streets</strong></h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Later that day, I heard about a Pro Roe vs. Wade rally downtown. I couldn’t find any of my friends to go with me.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Everyone seemed to have pretty valid excuses except me. I had plans, but I thought about Robyn’s post. I felt I had to show up for the organizers who work hard on the issue all the time. Maybe I could take the place of my friend in therapy who was too emotionally upset to attend. All the drive down, I kept second-guessing myself and thinking, "But what good would I do there at this late date?"</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #2f3333; float: left; font-size: 19px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_8StsDJOEWolOW4YZCroE7k3f6qCSeF5YnfnV6WUYMlUyLFPMHK27yzVHNMjmKaqUilY6oQW0JIbmZ1Zi9ELVGNkHlZn7ZODpY1Fg7BDn2Uq5qRV6HH488AFelkTVR7th9MgToRmvFtFYQZOqHz8i0xEela39hR2StwIYWyP_D-1ndi9fBQMSlY75A/s1468/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.08.05%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1468" data-original-width="1134" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_8StsDJOEWolOW4YZCroE7k3f6qCSeF5YnfnV6WUYMlUyLFPMHK27yzVHNMjmKaqUilY6oQW0JIbmZ1Zi9ELVGNkHlZn7ZODpY1Fg7BDn2Uq5qRV6HH488AFelkTVR7th9MgToRmvFtFYQZOqHz8i0xEela39hR2StwIYWyP_D-1ndi9fBQMSlY75A/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.08.05%20PM.png" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: Mom holding a child with <br />a sign saying <br />"Abortion is Health Care"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I arrived, a storytelling session was underway. I drifted around listening to speakers who had abortions for different reasons. At the end, when protesters gathered for a picture, I noticed a woman sitting on the steps alone. I recognized her as a speaker who said she was sharing the story of her rape for the first time. I thanked her for sharing her story. She told me she was really nervous to do it and still recovering. I awkwardly said, “Would it help if I...can I sit with you?” And I did. </span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We were just quiet for a long time, not even looking at each other. When she was ready, she told me she had come down from her apartment when she saw the rally on the news. She spontaneously shared her story when they offered the microphone to anyone with a story. Unfortunately, it made her relive her trauma and triggered her anxiety. We talked for a while and eventually laughed a while. When she felt able to go home, she did. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I realized the reason I was there was to hold space for her. THAT was the good I could do at that late date. I was not too late to be there for her.</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">What Are Protests For?</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The experience made me think about the purpose of a protest. That protest, for me, was where I found connection and purpose. It helped me see I was not alone.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A protest is a place to find inspiration, community, and local organizers with concrete actions for you. I discovered <a href="https://app.prowritingaid.com/this%20is%20the%20link%20to%20visit%20to%20sign%20up%20for%20future%20actions%20in%20Missouri" target="_blank">this is the link to visit to sign up for future actions in Missouri</a>. You may also find members of Congress there like Congresswoman Cori Bush, who has openly testified before Congress about her own abortion story. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmyIgHXPviKU8F3C6Ac1ce8IHdSJaUg4BzjttwXTL-71adUrfSrYrQ78Ts2qd_00zUqqsObpW3_dSgMv5jLda1IQjf8DvIlbIbbGQtsK12wxCmNRFDu4QIS4sRv9Bc-Uy2nFFvlvca2U-8azEv6TsL4Q4T3bwaDbtD87JChfFu_hi-YsErN4uzrObVg/s1288/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%2010.45.34%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1288" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmyIgHXPviKU8F3C6Ac1ce8IHdSJaUg4BzjttwXTL-71adUrfSrYrQ78Ts2qd_00zUqqsObpW3_dSgMv5jLda1IQjf8DvIlbIbbGQtsK12wxCmNRFDu4QIS4sRv9Bc-Uy2nFFvlvca2U-8azEv6TsL4Q4T3bwaDbtD87JChfFu_hi-YsErN4uzrObVg/w400-h299/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-04%20at%2010.45.34%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Cindy and Congresswoman Bush smiling after a protest rally</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 style="text-align: left;">What do we do now?</h1><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Start by repeating to yourself what Congresswoman Bush had us say together: <i>“I have a place! I have work to do!”</i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-size: 19px; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16mbiIBT5IfwAexmxRz5xFp85iBVbuRXm2gJh6V9XmQ38DSytobmP0QhDm_F0brpzkQ5lvVTUTpevGYrvRkQStE1XWJt4JOGWp6s-Wl3xVIRb6zR0Kq7NovRBxTRQ4dOJhRpkbrowauqBHgoond53OqWIgex8hVMkhQbrG-PGX_0KgiLWi4E0JtlqjA/s1234/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.07.46%20PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="1150" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16mbiIBT5IfwAexmxRz5xFp85iBVbuRXm2gJh6V9XmQ38DSytobmP0QhDm_F0brpzkQ5lvVTUTpevGYrvRkQStE1XWJt4JOGWp6s-Wl3xVIRb6zR0Kq7NovRBxTRQ4dOJhRpkbrowauqBHgoond53OqWIgex8hVMkhQbrG-PGX_0KgiLWi4E0JtlqjA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-05%20at%2011.07.46%20PM.png" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image: a volunteer with a QR code <br />for a pro-choice petition</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There will be pro-choice activities going on all around the country in the next weeks. In St. Louis, there will be one on May 15 (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/672770473784003" target="_blank">details here</a>). Make the time to go, especially if you haven’t been to one before. Try to bring friends, but remember it can still be a powerful experience going alone. If you don’t know how you feel about abortion, you should definitely go. Stand where you can hear the speakers’ stories and learn. It will expand your understanding and maybe clarify your position. </span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even if you can't get to a protest, there are other ways to engage:</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Call your members of Congress.</b> Tell them that now is the time to codify Roe vs. Wade into law</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Reach out to your friends who have had abortions.</b> Hold space for them as they might feel upset and attacked right now.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Hop on a webinar. </b>The National Council of Jewish Women are holding one on Wed, May 25 at 6:30PM CST with a panel discussion "Abortion All Over? The Personal Is Political" Register here: </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="var(--blue-link)" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation;"><a href=" https://www.jbuzzstl.com/ncjwstl0525" target="_blank">https://www.jbuzzstl.com/ncjwstl0525</a></span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Write a letter to the editor. </b>Name your members of Congress in it to get their attention and encourage others to call them.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Donate to an abortion fund.</b> Local abortion funds provide financial help to those who can't afford the full cost of abortion care. In Missouri, consider <a href="https://click.convertkit-mail2.com/p9ume3xe6gb9h3kge7qiq/z2hqkv65unho64zge7fp/aHR0cHM6Ly9tb2Z1bmQub3JnLw==" target="_blank">Missouri Abortion Fund</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Use your own microphone!</b> Do you have a blog, a podcast, social media accounts, a book group, or just a group of friends? Talk about abortion. Say the word out loud. </span></li></ul><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: OpenSans, sans-serif, serif; line-height: 1.7; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: break-spaces;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I know this can be uncomfortable and maybe even scary. Remember, you are not alone! You'll make mistakes in your wording just like I do, but you will learn just as I'm learning. Let this post be your call to action like Robyn's post was for me. And then let your words be a call for someone else!</span></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVfUWwf9L3PmBieov6jw4PGSJP0GgcKC4mOZq5dyi9Zu84QUQnT4YBQEhXcsbL3SOgdP_cpbM1_h6Ejf5j1RM4RPXVGO35KYYBlPaGOMCrNhqXUzrk1RWjlUreDWT5Ez-IZYVeJfhJY2dejPlXFCW7YxO3qr6mZZnL9RIlelZObwAl9oFZPRS72Gq9A/s1908/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-06%20at%209.12.01%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1908" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVfUWwf9L3PmBieov6jw4PGSJP0GgcKC4mOZq5dyi9Zu84QUQnT4YBQEhXcsbL3SOgdP_cpbM1_h6Ejf5j1RM4RPXVGO35KYYBlPaGOMCrNhqXUzrk1RWjlUreDWT5Ez-IZYVeJfhJY2dejPlXFCW7YxO3qr6mZZnL9RIlelZObwAl9oFZPRS72Gq9A/w640-h245/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-06%20at%209.12.01%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Pro-Choice rally crowd in St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table><br />CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497896879385906557.post-20841962190025214312022-03-21T15:19:00.002-05:002022-03-22T18:08:37.217-05:00Activist Profile: Columba Sainz of Moms Clean Air Force<p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div style="font-family: times;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOIe7iT_hab6rIO1DHsSQ9FRUPBcMqedvB2D5TUO9pmLTZgoIm3OZnNY0ZG_kQ8aB66ydzzjcgId0eC2OrYN7gXjaX4AyqYPpevK-RO8499hcBWEFTzuzL5CI5ffX4wo2rMb8ewzaapcOEj6GiKGnPx9FAZKiBDq-7gf2Ht7zoSfhawyRcns39ppz0JQ=s6016" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6016" data-original-width="4016" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOIe7iT_hab6rIO1DHsSQ9FRUPBcMqedvB2D5TUO9pmLTZgoIm3OZnNY0ZG_kQ8aB66ydzzjcgId0eC2OrYN7gXjaX4AyqYPpevK-RO8499hcBWEFTzuzL5CI5ffX4wo2rMb8ewzaapcOEj6GiKGnPx9FAZKiBDq-7gf2Ht7zoSfhawyRcns39ppz0JQ=w268-h400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Columba Sainz<br />by Karina Cordova</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></div><div style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The following is an excerpt from my book, <a href="http://amzn.to/3KvwJZH" target="_blank">"From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started."</a> In addition to lots of stories and quotes from mom-advocates, my book features six mothers in particular whose stories highlight different aspects of advocacy. Columba Sainz, a volunteer for <a href="https://www.momscleanairforce.org/" target="_blank">Moms Clean Air Force</a>, is one of these powerful women. In this section, I invite everyone to consider how different policy issues can intersect and affect families greatly. </span></div><div style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: times;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">PROFILE: COLUMBA SAINZ</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">INTERLOCKING ISSUES</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">SOCIAL ISSUES TEND TO be presented like competing problems<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">we’re supposed to work on separately. In reality, most people</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">experience layers of interrelated problems. Columba Sainz’s story</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">of environmental activism demonstrates how pollution, poverty,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">race, immigration, health issues, and even transportation problems</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">combine to make life difficult for families.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">While raising two young girls and a baby boy in Phoenix,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba has struggled to improve her family’s health. Only two</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">months after moving from Tucson in 2018, Columba’s two-year-old</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">daughter, who had no known medical issues, started wheezing</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">at night and feeling very ill. Doctors prescribed asthma medicine</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">without hesitation, but Columba was uneasy about the side effects</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">of constant medication and wondered if something in the environment</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">was causing such a sudden onset of symptoms.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">She soon began worrying about the health of the rest of her</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">family. Her four-year-old daughter developed respiratory problems</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">as well. Columba became horribly sick during her entire</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">pregnancy with her son. Researching her family’s personal health</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">mystery, she learned that other families like hers were also suffering.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“That’s when I discovered that a disproportionate number of Latino children</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">[in Phoenix] have asthma in comparison to white people. I started</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">to connect all the dots. If I live here, who else lives here? Who can</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">afford to live here? What’s happening in my surroundings?”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba discovered her family was living in an air pollution</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“hot spot” in downtown Phoenix, where emissions from specific</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">sources expose the population to high risks of adverse health</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">effects. Busy freeways surrounded her home in one of the fastest-</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">growing counties in the country. Two huge nearby parking lots</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">housed city and school buses each night, creating concentrated</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">sources of diesel fumes as the buses left and returned each day.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And she was only five minutes away from the busy Phoenix Sky</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Harbor </span><span style="font-family: times;">International Airport, ranked thirteenth for traffic in the U.S.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“On top of that, the topography of this area is like a big bowl</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">combining it all with high heat,” she explained. Each July, Phoenix</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">averages a daily maximum temperature between 104 and 107 degrees</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Fahrenheit. “In the summer, we have constant high polluted days. So,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">me taking my daughter to the park right in front of my house for two</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">or three hours was the worst thing I could do as a mother.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Data from the American Lung Association’s 2020 State of</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the Air report aligned with Columba’s experience.<span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">(</span><a href="https://www.stateoftheair.org/" target="_blank">American Lung Association, “Most Polluted Cities"</a>)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It ranked the Phoenix area as having some of the worst air in the country. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Specifically, </span><span style="font-family: times;">Maricopa County—where Columba’s family continues to</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">live—received an F grade with far more alert days for high levels</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">of harmful ground-level ozone than anywhere else in Arizona.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Although Columba was not sure how to use this information</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">to help protect her family, she was well aware of the power of</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Congress to address problems like pollution. Working with <a href="https://www.mifamiliavota.org/" target="_blank">Mi</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.mifamiliavota.org/" target="_blank">Familia Vota</a>, a civic engagement organization, she understood</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">how to unite communities to elect candidates for change. But the</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">idea of working on legislation with lawmakers was new to her</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">until she learned about <a href="https://www.momscleanairforce.org/" target="_blank">Moms Clean Air Force</a>, an organization of</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">over 1.4 million parent activists with a mission to protect children</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">from air pollution and climate change.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba shared their vision for a safe, stable, and equitable</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">future where all children breathe clean air. With them, she learned</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">to speak from her heart to advocate with lawmakers for just and</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">healthy solutions to air pollution. Those in-person conversations</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">with parents were critical to convincing legislators to take action.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“We go to meetings not as experts or scientists, but as moms,”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba explained. “As moms, we know the impacts on our</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">children.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba shows elected officials how seemingly separate</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">issues overlap. She wasn’t aware of the hot spot phenomenon</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">when she was looking for a home, but low housing prices suggest</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the real estate industry had a good idea something undesirable</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">was happening there. The polluted area is home primarily to people</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">of color, which means the neighborhood’s pollution problems</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">feed racial injustice. And because those living in the hot spot are</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">low-income residents, they are less likely to have good health</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">insurance or adequate resources to cope with the health challenges</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">caused by the pollution.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For example, filtered air conditioning in a hot Arizona summer</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">provides indoor relief, but it’s a financial burden many can’t afford.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba affirmed, “A bill of electricity [with air-conditioning]</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">is really expensive. Sometimes it’s the same amount you would pay</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">for a one-bedroom apartment. Imagine having no work during</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the pandemic summer of 2020, having no health insurance, and</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">having asthma without air conditioning in your house.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Even worse than the lack of funds for air conditioning is the</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">lack of healthcare. Columba advocates alongside families who</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">don’t have money to cover an emergency visit without insurance.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In addition, the immigrant population worries about confrontations</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">over citizenship. Columba encountered a little girl whose</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">single father was undocumented. She tried to keep her asthma in</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">check just by sheer will alone to protect him.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“I don’t know how this kid did it!” Columba marveled. “When</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">she had an asthma attack, she would do her best to control herself.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Sometimes our children are afraid to go to an E.R. because</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">we are afraid that they will ask, ‘Where are your papers? Where</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">is your social security?’ I think that’s horrible, you know? When</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">you need to go to the emergency room, you need to go. When</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">you don’t have the papers, they won’t take care of you because they</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">know they can’t charge anyone for the medical assistance. And it’s</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">expensive. It’s really, really expensive.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Today, Columba and her family live ten minutes outside of</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the downtown Phoenix area where they suffered so many health</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">problems. Even such a small distance makes a significant improvement</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">in air quality. Yet she continues to work with mothers in</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">places where she used to live and keeps their stories close to her</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">heart. Once she met a desperate mom who was running away from</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">one area to help her child with severe respiratory issues. But she</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">stopped to rest in a park in the hot spot, which was worse. It was</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">as if that mother was running from an invisible monster with no</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">idea which way to turn.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“She had everything in her car,” Columba remembered. “She</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">said, ‘I drove all the way here because I thought I was going to</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">find clean air. And now I don’t know where to go. Can you tell me</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">where to go? Do you know where the air is clean?’ Her story was</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">even worse than mine . . . like life or death. That’s the desperation</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">of a mother who has been exposed to air pollution.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“What gives me the fuel to do this with all my heart,”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Columba insisted, “is that, as a mother, I want my children to grow</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">connecting with nature. I keep doing it because I want my children</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">to be able to breathe clean air. We have data that agrees that</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">if we don’t take action in thirty-five years, we’re going to be living</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">with a lot of things we don’t want. We’re living with them even</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">now! I want to leave a better planet for my children’s children."</span></p></div>CCYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00863723919107019344noreply@blogger.com0