Nebraska Synod ELCA

If you are feeling called to stand up for what you believe in, but don’t know how to get started or don’t believe you have the skill set, this workshop is for you! This workshop will help you find your voice.

In this “on ramp to advocacy” workshop, we will learn simple advocacy practices and skills.

We will start by figuring out what you want to say and learning how to craft  an effective message. Then we will talk about who you need to share that message with and how to share the message, whether that is a call to a legislator, a letter to the editor in your local paper, starting a petition or another method. We’ll spend some time exploring the “dos and don’ts” of advocacy and learning some helpful tips from people who have been there and done that.

You will have a chance to practice your advocacy messages with one another so that you can begin your advocacy and share them with fellow delegates during assembly. Lastly, we’ll talk about what to do when the going gets tough. What do you do when you are ready to give up or it feels as if your message isn’t heard? We’ll provide ideas for how and why to keep pushing forward.

You’ll leave this workshop with a list of resources and networks to help you on your advocacy journey and the confidence to use your voice.

Presenter:

Gretchen Ahrens (she/her) is the Director for Youth and Justice Ministries for the Nebraska Synod. She grew up in a family of advocates and remembers going around the neighborhood on her bicycle helping her mom pass out pamphlets during elections. She also remembers watching her parents advocate for social justice issues at her church’s annual meetings (which her parents forced her to attend once she was confirmed). Something stuck and Gretchen is still passionate about advocacy, but she had to make her own journey down the on ramp to advocacy and figure out how to use her voice as well. In this workshop, she will share her own experiences as well as the expertise she gained from others on the journey.