The City
Experiencing a Lobby Day
Attending a lobby day can be intimidating, daunting, nerve-wracking, but also, as I learned two years ago, one of the most empowering and rewarding things you can do.
Lobby day begins in the morning and you put on your most professional attire, because you are headed to the Capitol! You are going to sit down in the offices of your Senators and Representatives and tell them what you want from them. This is real. They are going to listen. Staffers are going to write down everything you say. The office has made time to meet with you because they are going to consider everything. In 2010, Women of Vision told Congress that they wanted the Child Protection Compact Act supported and passed. In one day of lobbying, that bill gained bi-partisan support, that it did not have before. Then, as Lobby Day passed, we would hear about another Senator or representative co-sponsoring the bill. I remember the day I received an email saying that Senator Maria Cantwell now supported the bill, largely due to our visit. The feeling was overwhelming. Something I did had the power to affect policy that would help children around the world.
For the 2012 National Conference you will spend a day in the Capitol. I didn’t realize how exciting this would be until I was there, amidst the buildings, monuments and the people who work there everyday. In 2010, our group from Washington State had the opportunity to tour the Capitol building. This year Lobby Day will include a night tour of the monuments, an evening speaker at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and for those who do not have a voting representative, or just feel that attending meetings is not for them, a justice prayer walk during the day.
Two years ago, I had never lobbied, called my Senator or felt that I had the power to make a big impact. Attending the Women of Vision National conference, and Lobby day, completely changed this point of view. You never know the power you have, or the difference you can make, until you step out and try.
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AMEN! I had a very similar experience (I enjoyed hanging out with you there, BTW:-). Thereafter, going to Olympia to advocate was not intimidating.
That conference was one of the best experiences of my life! I was surrounded by wonderful friends in an incredible city and was able to speak out as an advocate for impoverished and marginalized women and children! It was fabulous!
Sounds like a wonderful experience. I can’t wait for my first Lobby day!
Teresa, can’t wait to meet you at the National Conference!!
Thanks for sharing, Christina! Gives me goosebumps! See you there!
p.s. Did we find out if some of our women who can drive down for the day can accompany us to Lobby Day, just for the actual lobbying at the Capitol?
Hi Beth! I am sending you an email now!
Women of Vision
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Women of Vision is a volunteer ministry of World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization. We seek to educate and inspire women to action in an effort to alleviate the injustice and inequities that exist for women and their families worldwide.
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