Advocacy in Action: Audubon California Relaunches Advocacy Day

From the Salton Sea and deserts to California’s coast and concrete communities, defending birds means defending the habitats, ecosystems, and communities that maintain us all. Bringing these voices and views collectively offers us the chance not solely to advocate for these locations, however to study from the individuals working to guard them.

On a scorching, sunny day in Sacramento, our California community returned to the halls of the State Capitol in type for Audubon California’s Advocacy Day on August eleventh. Our fabulously numerous group confirmed up from throughout California, representing workers, chapter members, Audubon on Campus chapters, Coastal Management Program alumni, and Salton Sea Management Program alumni, for a full day of conferences with workers from State Senate and Meeting workplaces. Collectively, we introduced a broad vary of experiences, views, and tales, united by a standard objective: defending the locations birds and other people want at this time and tomorrow.

All through the day, our teams met with legislative workers to advocate for birds, our communities, and the locations all of us love. For some individuals, this was acquainted territory; they’d years of expertise talking up for his or her communities and the problems they care about. For others, it was their first time entering into a gathering and sharing their story with policymakers.

That blend of expertise was probably the most significant elements of the day. Contributors discovered from each other, requested questions, shared recommendation, and inspired one another alongside the way in which. Because the day progressed, it was unbelievable to observe individuals develop into extra comfy talking up and sharing the private connections that introduced them to the Capitol within the first place. Whether or not somebody was a seasoned advocate or getting their ft moist for the primary time, each voice added one thing significant to the dialog.

Advocacy Day demonstrated the unbelievable breadth of Audubon’s group throughout California. Our individuals got here from totally different packages, chapters, campuses, and communities, however the conversations in Sacramento confirmed simply how linked our work is.

The day was action-packed, with teams shifting from assembly to assembly and placing their advocacy abilities into apply. By the top of the day, individuals had gained firsthand expertise in how group voices can assist form coverage, and, extra importantly, how their very own tales might be highly effective instruments for creating change.

We closed out the day with a contented hour reception, giving everybody an opportunity to decelerate, have a good time a full day of advocacy, and make new connections. Conversations continued lengthy after the conferences ended, with individuals sharing tales from the day and attending to know fellow Audubon champions from throughout California.

After seven years, returning to the State Capitol for Advocacy Day felt particularly significant. The day reminded us that advocacy shouldn’t be solely about what occurs in conferences with policymakers, but additionally about constructing relationships, studying from each other, discovering confidence in our collective voice, and making a group of individuals keen to talk up for the locations we love.

We’re grateful to everybody who confirmed up, shared their tales, and helped make our relaunch of Advocacy Day so particular. We will not wait to see everybody, and hopefully much more of you, again in Sacramento subsequent yr!

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