Advocacy Is a Natural Part of Our Life and Work

Abstract

Advocacy takes many forms and has many possible outcomes. Have you felt the need to support a cause or defend a person, process, or idea? Or to change a flawed policy or procedure that just isn't working as it should? Seeing that someone needs help, or that a rule is being unfairly applied, can move us to act—to march, to organize, to donate money.Advocacy takes place on the personal level, where we can see an immediate impact: taking an elderly neighbor to the Social Security Office to clear up a paperwork issue; working to change a policy in your workplace that is ineffective in caring for your patients or clients; helping an indigent family get School Lunch for their children. Whether your actions are designed to benefit your country, your community, an organization, or simply one other person, you are participating in advocacy activities.Long-Term ImpactAt the American Dietetic Association, our advocacy—based on evidence—aims to protect and promote the health of the public through food and nutrition, and to strengthen the dietetics profession and our members. We strive to empower members to do the same at local, state, regional, and national levels on a wide range of issues. When you log onto ADA's Grassroots Manager to send a letter to your Congressional Representative or Senator, know that what you are doing is just an extension of what you would already do in your everyday life for your child, a neighbor, or your community. And if it is more difficult to feel a sense of urgency about a law or regulation that seems distant or unrelated to us as individuals, we need to remember that laws and regulations are important to our immediate life because they potentially have more impact in the long term than we can imagine today.To advance our profession, advocacy needs to be a natural part of our life and work—and you can take it from me, once you become involved in advocacy you will not put it on the shelf (to paraphrase my predecessor Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, FADA). It will become something you do nearly every day.Where to Start?At the national level, ADA's advocacy efforts in the past year enabled us to have a significant impact on health care reform. Likewise, we have been advocating on behalf of children's health by supporting the child nutrition reauthorization program. The same will happen next year, when health care programs for older Americans are up for review.How can each of us make our mark? “Sometimes members are hesitant to get involved in public policy even at the local level,” says Mary Pat Raimondi, MS, RD, ADA's vice president for strategic policy and partnerships. “That actually may be the best place to start. Often, elected officials welcome hearing from constituents who have expertise. It is impossible for them to know all the factors that need to be included in food and nutrition policy. This is where our members can help.” Through e-mails, calls, or personal visits, make and maintain contact with local officials, sharing your thoughts and ideas. Volunteer for local boards or commissions. You can quickly become known as a credible resource with knowledge, expertise, and passion.Route to SuccessADA remains your top resource on how to become a more effective advocate and an influence on policy. Learn how at the Public Policy Workshop in early 2011. In addition, ADA provides resources—online, in print, and in person—to help us improve our advocacy skills. For information on your representatives' position on an issue; organizing a fundraising event; updates on nutrition education in schools, coding regulations, professional development, national support for research … in all these areas and more, ADA is here to guide us on our route to successful advocacy.Advocacy and working to influence public policy are relevant for us because, due to the nature of our profession, we all are advocates already. Make a conscious effort to extend and expand your advocacy activities. Identify ways you are already an advocate and think of ways to do more and better of the same, or expand that action into other realms. And of course, since this is November, be sure to vote! Advocacy takes many forms and has many possible outcomes. Have you felt the need to support a cause or defend a person, process, or idea? Or to change a flawed policy or procedure that just isn't working as it should? Seeing that someone needs help, or that a rule is being unfairly applied, can move us to act—to march, to organize, to donate money. Advocacy takes place on the personal level, where we can see an immediate impact: taking an elderly neighbor to the Social Security Office to clear up a paperwork issue; working to change a policy in your workplace that is ineffective in caring for your patients or clients; helping an indigent family get School Lunch for their children. Whether your actions are designed to benefit your country, your community, an organization, or simply one other person, you are participating in advocacy activities. Long-Term ImpactAt the American Dietetic Association, our advocacy—based on evidence—aims to protect and promote the health of the public through food and nutrition, and to strengthen the dietetics profession and our members. We strive to empower members to do the same at local, state, regional, and national levels on a wide range of issues. When you log onto ADA's Grassroots Manager to send a letter to your Congressional Representative or Senator, know that what you are doing is just an extension of what you would already do in your everyday life for your child, a neighbor, or your community. And if it is more difficult to feel a sense of urgency about a law or regulation that seems distant or unrelated to us as individuals, we need to remember that laws and regulations are important to our immediate life because they potentially have more impact in the long term than we can imagine today.To advance our profession, advocacy needs to be a natural part of our life and work—and you can take it from me, once you become involved in advocacy you will not put it on the shelf (to paraphrase my predecessor Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, FADA). It will become something you do nearly every day. At the American Dietetic Association, our advocacy—based on evidence—aims to protect and promote the health of the public through food and nutrition, and to strengthen the dietetics profession and our members. We strive to empower members to do the same at local, state, regional, and national levels on a wide range of issues. When you log onto ADA's Grassroots Manager to send a letter to your Congressional Representative or Senator, know that what you are doing is just an extension of what you would already do in your everyday life for your child, a neighbor, or your community. And if it is more difficult to feel a sense of urgency about a law or regulation that seems distant or unrelated to us as individuals, we need to remember that laws and regulations are important to our immediate life because they potentially have more impact in the long term than we can imagine today. To advance our profession, advocacy needs to be a natural part of our life and work—and you can take it from me, once you become involved in advocacy you will not put it on the shelf (to paraphrase my predecessor Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, FADA). It will become something you do nearly every day. Where to Start?At the national level, ADA's advocacy efforts in the past year enabled us to have a significant impact on health care reform. Likewise, we have been advocating on behalf of children's health by supporting the child nutrition reauthorization program. The same will happen next year, when health care programs for older Americans are up for review.How can each of us make our mark? “Sometimes members are hesitant to get involved in public policy even at the local level,” says Mary Pat Raimondi, MS, RD, ADA's vice president for strategic policy and partnerships. “That actually may be the best place to start. Often, elected officials welcome hearing from constituents who have expertise. It is impossible for them to know all the factors that need to be included in food and nutrition policy. This is where our members can help.” Through e-mails, calls, or personal visits, make and maintain contact with local officials, sharing your thoughts and ideas. Volunteer for local boards or commissions. You can quickly become known as a credible resource with knowledge, expertise, and passion. At the national level, ADA's advocacy efforts in the past year enabled us to have a significant impact on health care reform. Likewise, we have been advocating on behalf of children's health by supporting the child nutrition reauthorization program. The same will happen next year, when health care programs for older Americans are up for review. How can each of us make our mark? “Sometimes members are hesitant to get involved in public policy even at the local level,” says Mary Pat Raimondi, MS, RD, ADA's vice president for strategic policy and partnerships. “That actually may be the best place to start. Often, elected officials welcome hearing from constituents who have expertise. It is impossible for them to know all the factors that need to be included in food and nutrition policy. This is where our members can help.” Through e-mails, calls, or personal visits, make and maintain contact with local officials, sharing your thoughts and ideas. Volunteer for local boards or commissions. You can quickly become known as a credible resource with knowledge, expertise, and passion. Route to SuccessADA remains your top resource on how to become a more effective advocate and an influence on policy. Learn how at the Public Policy Workshop in early 2011. In addition, ADA provides resources—online, in print, and in person—to help us improve our advocacy skills. For information on your representatives' position on an issue; organizing a fundraising event; updates on nutrition education in schools, coding regulations, professional development, national support for research … in all these areas and more, ADA is here to guide us on our route to successful advocacy.Advocacy and working to influence public policy are relevant for us because, due to the nature of our profession, we all are advocates already. Make a conscious effort to extend and expand your advocacy activities. Identify ways you are already an advocate and think of ways to do more and better of the same, or expand that action into other realms. And of course, since this is November, be sure to vote! ADA remains your top resource on how to become a more effective advocate and an influence on policy. Learn how at the Public Policy Workshop in early 2011. In addition, ADA provides resources—online, in print, and in person—to help us improve our advocacy skills. For information on your representatives' position on an issue; organizing a fundraising event; updates on nutrition education in schools, coding regulations, professional development, national support for research … in all these areas and more, ADA is here to guide us on our route to successful advocacy. Advocacy and working to influence public policy are relevant for us because, due to the nature of our profession, we all are advocates already. Make a conscious effort to extend and expand your advocacy activities. Identify ways you are already an advocate and think of ways to do more and better of the same, or expand that action into other realms. And of course, since this is November, be sure to vote!