- What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?
- Why is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro as well as the macro level?
- What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?
- What resources does it take to be a state leader on early childhood issues?
- What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?
- What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocating for young children and their families?
I was always an outspoken child. My father always said I would make a great lawyer, because I liked to argue my point. I was never interested in being a lawyer but I did find my passion after starting a career in childcare. I enjoyed working with children, and I was always trying to improve my classroom, and my teaching. I got into advocacy after I realized how much time I spent in my boss's office, trying to improve things around our center. After I had my son, I realized I wanted to stay home with him for at least a year, finish school and then get a job. It has been 7 months and I love being home with my son, but I am itching to get back into things. I told myself that this time I want to do better, work some at a place where I can have more say, and make the necessary changes.
If I ever run my own center, I would want to foster advocacy in my employees. I would do this by acknowledging their ideas and concerns, and addressing them. I think this is important, because even though it would be on the smaller scale, it would encourage early childcare workers to use their voice. On the macro level, I think it is important to voice our concerns to the people that matter, policy makers. Participate in lobbying during educations days, and advocacy day. I just think it is important to get involved in your own community.
To be a community leader on early childhood issues, you have to know your stuff. If you are going to be the go to person on an issue you want to know everything you can about that issue. I think it is also important to have connections in the industry, especially political figures.
To be a state level on early childhood education issues, you would need to be well aware of all the important issues going on in the state. You would also have to be very knowledgeable on all of these issues as well. I think it would be interesting to be a state advocate because you would get to hear a lot of different issues and concerns going on throughout the state. It would also be a lot of work.
The tactics and strategies that I use to mobilize others is for them to advocate on something that is important to them. If you do not feel passion about the issue, then most likely you will not do your best at advocating for it. I would also hope to get people mobilized by my own passion and excitement for an issue.
The advice I would give is to never give up, and keep fighting. Annoy policy makers, go to community meetings, be active and be heard.
