STORY TIPS:
- When writing elected officials, they need to know you are a constituent up front.
- Craft a way to make the audience the hero.
- Be positive.
- Use plain language.
- Avoid jargon and abbreviations.
- Tell you story as if you are having coffee with a friend.
- Speak from and to the heart.
- Talk about success.
- Be concise.
- Quality of life over numbers.
STALK THEM (NICELY)
Find them
- Google: Who are my elected officials.
- Or http://diabetespac.org/findofficials/
Follow Their Social Media
- Facebook: Town Hall
- Links on their home page
Get Their Newsletter
- On their site
Track’m With Google Google Alerts
Find the local reporters who cover your members of Congress with Google
- News (https://news.google.com/news).
HOW TO ACT EASILY
- JDRF – http://www.jdrf.org/get-involved/jdrf-advocacy/
- ADA – http://www.diabetes.org/advocacy/take-action/
- DPAC – http://diabetespac.org/ and The App Store!
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/padiabeteslegislation/
- Resistbot – https://resistbot.io/
Suggested by Briley: https://www.countable.us/
PREPARE FOR MEETINGS
- Who will be there? Staff is fine.
- Research both their voting record and supporting data
- Have Talking Points so you can be clear
- Make ONE Clear Ask, sign a pledge, cosponsor, vote
- Bring Materials. Prepair a hand out one page
- Share on Social Media
SAMPLE TOPICS
- Research: ADA, JDRF
- Healthcare: JDRF, ADA, DPAC
- Special Diabetes Programs: ADA JDRF
- Menu labeling: ADA
- #Coverage2Control
- https://makeinsulinaffordable.org/
- S 920: National Clinical Care Commission Act
- NJ: SB 1305 https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/S1305/2016
- ACT with ADA
- PA: SB 542
Back to Basics:
HIV/AIDS Advocacy as a Model for Catalyzing Change
Smart Advocacy
| Attention | Knowledge & Solutions | Community | Accountability | Leadership | |
| Specific | |||||
| Measurable | |||||
| Attainable | |||||
| Relevant |
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| Timebound |