The Metropolitan State University of Denver Champions Program directors wrapped up Virtual Advocacy Day last month by encouraging faculty members, staff members and students to follow their passions and become advocates for students and the University.

Kaycee Gerhart

“It’s important for MSU Denver to ensure that our students, faculty and staff have opportunities to advocate for policy priorities they feel passionate about,” said Kaycee Gerhart, director of Government Affairs. “The goal of Virtual Advocacy Day is to provide tools and create a forum where anyone can learn how to be a great advocate.”

Advocacy looks different for everyone. It can mean getting involved within a larger community, but engaging at a local level can be more influential.

How to become an advocate:

  • Find a passion and do strategic research. Jumping straight to conclusions about an issue you’re passionate about can result in biased and uneducated advocacy. 
  • Create a tactical strategy based on analysis and intuition. Creating a thoughtful plan can increase chances of successfully advocating on a particular issue. 
  • Find a teammate or an advocacy network, such as MSU Denver Champions, to collaborate with. This helps advocates stay up to date on local legislation and cut down on research time. Working with others who have the same values can make the movement more powerful than it would be as a solo mission. 
  • Build and leverage skills. Use already established skills to ensure that everyone is bringing their biggest advantage to the table. 

Join MSU Denver Champions: 

MSU Denver Champions is a great program with which to learn and engage with the University’s advocacy network. MSU Denver is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and many Champions support the University’s immigration-reform efforts. Other ways to support advocacy work include: 

Getting involved in advocacy is vital and welcomed by Colorado’s state senators and representatives,” Gerhart said. “When engaging with lawmakers, don’t be afraid to share your personal stories. Our experiences and perspective are the most powerful messages we have, and lawmakers genuinely want to hear how bills will affect or are already affecting real people. It is through advocacy that our voices become part of the policymaking process.” 

Currently, the Democratic Party controls the state House and Senate and the Governor’s Office, but regardless of party affiliation, bipartisan efforts are needed to pass up to 800 legislative pieces per year. Colorado’s legislative session began Jan. 12 and ends May 11. 

Tips for advocating with lawmakers:

  • Reach out during the legislative offseason to connect with lawmakers who represent areas of interest. Attempting to connect days before a bill is expected to be voted on can limit available time.  
  • When reaching out, assume the lawmaker’s knowledge base is at zero. Lawmakers see hundreds of bills representing different issues and will likely need some background information 
  • Find what works for you when communicating with lawmakers. Phone calls are the best way on legislators’ end, but using social media and email and attending town halls are great ways to connect. 
  • Be clear and concise about issues and positions. You may get only one chance with a lawmaker to advocate support or express concern — it’s important to make it count. 
  • Focus less on specific bills and more on building long-term relationships. With hundreds of bills per year, it can be more effective to focus on an overall issue or goal and less on each piece of legislation. 
  • Follow up to be respectful and keep a door open for communication. 

For a recap of Virtual Advocacy Day videos, visit here.