Your Advocacy Can Help Move Things Forward, Here Are Few Things You Can Do

Whether is the school district, PMUA, the city or just your own block, your advocacy and involvement is the very thing that will help move things forward here in Plainfield.  Ineffective leadership counts on you not getting involved, why not challenge this preconception?

Here are some few ways you can help:

Narrow the issue, as big as it might seem, to a 5-10 minute presentation.  Share the issue's presentation with your family, friends, neighbors and ask them to pass it along to 3-5 more people who in turn will do the same.  Effective advocacy, unfortunately, is based on numbers.

Ask the people you speak to to please write a letter, make a phone call, send a fax.  E-mails are often overlooked as we all tend to have an overflow of e-mails.  Make sure you provide names, phone and fax numbers and mail addresses.  The issue, any issue, can be narrowed down to one or two paragraphs, be ready to provide a sample letter if needed be.

Write a letter to your local and state officials.  Explain how the issue you are advocating for affects you and your family.  If possible provide data and definitively skip the drama, the rumors and that data you can't provide if you were asked to provide it.  If you receive a response, take the time to write a "Thank You" note, this even if you don't like the response!

Write letters and opinions to the local newspaper, or local blog, let your voice be heard and seen by a wider audience. 

Organize a small get-together and invite a small group of those who are concerned, invite one or two of your local officials and share with them how the issue is affecting you.  Use this time to brainstorm solutions.  And make sure you keep a friendly tone at all times, rudeness and drama will only accomplish that you and your issue get shun away.

I hope this helps to encourage you to get more involved with city matters.