Political activism :
WHAT YOU DON ’ T SAY WILL HURT YOU
The true value of being involved in the political process is the strength of your relationships with decision-makers , those who influence decisions or policymakers . ‘ Decisions can be made with or without your input .’
30 Leadership
Power . Leverage . Influence .
These are words that should not be feared but utilized . All are key aspects to a successful advocacy strategy or plan .
Attaining power is useless if it is not leveraged effectively through political activism . Making use of your expertise , your relationships and your resources to achieve goals is a necessity . Using your influence to change minds or garner support is a key strategy for success .
Mastering power and influence , and leveraging those attributes , will ensure that any advocacy plan leads to fruition and dominance , and in the arena of education policy , the voices of students will be heard .
Political activism or advocacy takes on various forms . It could mean marching for civil rights or the right to vote . It could mean protesting against a war . And in some cases it could be striking in order to receive higher pay and better benefits .
Most people think of advocacy as storming the Capitol and trying to convince members of their state legislature or Congress to pass legislation that will help or support their point of view . In an age where more and more decisions are being pushed to local levels , advocacy means working with your local community to support initiatives , supporting students in reaching their potential , and engaging parents on local politics . Lastly , many organizations have used legal recourse by filing lawsuits as a form of advocacy .
Associations currently and throughout history have used varied advocacy methods to change , shape and craft policies to benefit their members or society . Organizations such as the National Education Association fought to change the working conditions of teachers and to improve opportunities for the children of emancipated slaves . The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People fought for equality and used the legal system to fight segregation laws in our educational system . Each of these organizations used their power and influence to leverage the changes they deemed important .
By Adonai Mack