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Telling Your Story to Policymakers
"Numbers numb, jargon jars and no one ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart. Tell stories." Andy Goodman (Good Ideas for a Good Cause)
Five Reasons to Feel Easy About Approaching Legislators:
- (1) You are not alone. As a member of an advocacy group, you can join with others to meet with legislators and/or their staff, or to help preparing for visits. Group visits should have anywhere from 2-10 people.
- (2) Advocacy organizations and/or professional lobbyists can provide you with briefings on key bills and budget issues before the legislature, complete with tips for how to make your visits effective, answers to your questions, and decisions about who goes where/does what.
- (3) If you are asked a question you can't answer - no problem. Just say: I don't know the answer to that, but I'll find out and get back to you.
- (4 ) Still nervous? Are you thinking: "I'll never know enough about this; I'm just a parent... a volunteer, somebody who needs food. " In short, I'm no expert." If you think that's a disadvantage, think again.
If you can tell your story, in a brief and compelling way, that may prove critical. Someone who speaks from the heart, with a real story to tell, is often far more compelling than even the most polished "expert." Experts can be hired. Real people, with real stories, cannot.
- (5) We can help you tell your story in a "Legislator-friendly" way.
Two kinds of stories are needed:
- personal stories to get the listeners "hooked" so they want to hear more
- stories to illustrate the impact the issue/bill has in the State or the District.
Each should be told in about 60-90 seconds (90 seconds is roughly the length of most t.v. news items). That's simply because of "meeting math:" with 7 people in a group visit, even if everyone takes only 2 minutes, that's already 14 minutes.
The basic outline of your personal story should go as follows:
- Who you are: Your name and where you live (general area, not street address)
- Who you are connected to: If you are part of a group, mention it and the numbers involved (e.g., "I'm part of a 100-family congregation concerned about childhood hunger," or, "I'm part of a group of 30 full-time workers with low-wage jobs; we try but it is hard to meet all our family needs on such low incomes")
- For a district impact story, name connections to groups affecting the broader community; if you can, mention it and the numbers involved (e.g., I'm active with the Coalition to End Childhood Hunger and we have an email list of about ___,000; or,
…I am personally concerned, and I know that many people in my congregation/PTA/ community council ... agree; the issue of child hunger comes up at our meetings a lot.)
- Why you came: "I'm here because" or, "I came all this way because" (Then, in two-three sentences, paint a brief "word picture" that conveys the personal experience that caused you to make this appointment; if possible, relate it to a bill or budget item)
- What you want the Senator/Representative to do: e.g., "That's why we want you to increase funding to provide breakfast in all the schools that don't have it."
Someone should hand over a list of everyone in the meeting, that includes contact information. If you are part of a formal group, include that address.