How to Be an Effective Advocate
How do I advocate effectively when not a part of the group I am advocating for?
Research.
You become the best advocate when you have the facts. I think this has been one of the most effective ways of becoming not only a source of information for others on the subject at hand, but being a good resource for education.
There are so many good articles out there, and just doing Google searches can lead to an incredible wealth of knowledge
Interviews.
The closer to the source that you are, the better your information will be. Seek out those who have lived the life, who have witnessed the events, who have survived. Ask them for their stories, what they would like the world to know about what they’ve endured or come through. Ask their advice for your research. Ask them for direction.
Learn to ask good questions
Learn, learn, learn.
Your posture with the subject at hand means the difference between simple knowledge about something, and the outpouring of action that can effectuate change. When we are in the attitude of learning, we are not inhibiting ourselves or others from getting to the truth or from learning the truth, and that can lead to amazing things happening for culture change.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Imagination is a gift, not only to yourself, but to others in a real, practical sense. Taking the information you’ve gathered and then walking a mile in someone else’s journey can help you to understand what the person you are advocating for has lived. It can even help you anticipate what that person’s needs might be in the future, or for others in a similar situation
Spend time together.
I like to say that if I come home smelling like the person I was with (for better or for worse), then I know that I have been up close and personal and can better understand their situation.
Don’t be afraid to look like an idiot. They know you don’t know what their life has been like or how they have been living. They don’t really care how much you know. The real world-changers walk into dark places and hold hands with the unlovely and then go and speak on others’ behalf. They don’t expect you to live in their world, but the fact that you feel they are worth knowing and working for makes you valuable as an asset for change.
Be a bridge. The reason for advocacy in the first place is that you can do things that others can’t. You can be the one to sit and eat with the homeless and then sit with the mayor and sip champagne. You can connect two worlds, and change both for the better.
How does understanding myself play a role in advocacy?
advocacy can be extremely personally taxing. Some of the topics discussed or witnessed are incredibly difficult, traumatic and soul-sucking. Knowing how much you can handle before you go in can help you know when you need to get out. Or get professional help. Or both (self care is so important!)
knowing your own personal weaknesses is an asset in advocacy, as you know what things to limit or avoid, but also when you need a partner who will be your accountability, as well as carrying burdens that you cannot
the more real you are about yourself, the more effective you are as an advocate. It helps with empathy, reality checks, and intentional connections with the people you are advocating for
people aren’t stupid. In general…they can smell you from a mile away. It’s best to be real and honest and know yourself before you get involved in complicated situations and conversations that often have no immediate solution. Advocacy can mean a long, drawn out process, and if you are there only for the box that it checks on the resume, you won’t last. You need to have a firm handle on who you are and what has brought you to this point of advocacy in order to stand firm for those who can’t advocate for themselves.
Is there a time someone was an ally or advocated for me? How did it feel and what can I learn from the experience?
There have been so many times when people have stood up for me, and the reason I am in Spain doing the job I am is because people saw potential in me, and went the distance with me. They fought the long fight, took the time to know me and to listen, and then to bridge the gap in times when I was unable to.