Depending on the urgency of a social problem and policy timeline, you may not have the opportunity to attend a meeting with local, state, or federal representatives to vocalize your advocacy goals as they relate to the specific policies and agendas.
As an advocacy professional, you have other means of communication that can influence decision makers and legislators. Some social workers communicate by writing letters and emails to their legislators on a regular basis—others might write to broader audiences by submitting a letter to the editor of a periodical or news site. Through direct and personalized correspondence, the social worker can develop a professional relationship with the legislator. The more letters a legislator receives, the more likely they are to become an ally and to be influenced to support and vote for your social change projects.
For this Assignment, you will craft a message to the political leader(s) responsible for the policy or policy alternative you identified earlier in the course. As part of your Assignment, you will also send your message—either via physical mail or email—to your representative(s) and reflect on the experience.
Locate the information for your local or state (TEXAS) representative(s) responsible for the policy and/or policy alternative you selected earlier in the course. Use the USA.Gov link in the Learning Resources to find your representative.
Review the advocacy resources from the Council on Social Work Education, as well as the letter writing tips from other organizations, in the Learning Resources.
Determine whether you will write a letter or an email to your representative(s). (Consider the tips from your resources this week to make your decision.)
Craft your message and send it to your local or state representative(s).
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