Notes from the Field | Advocating on the Hill; Now that's What I Call Empowerment

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Advocating on the Hill; Now that's What I Call Empowerment

Posted by: CARE on June 27, 2008 at 11:59AM EST

As a group leader at CARE's annual national conference held last week in Washington, D.C., Deesha Dyer led a delegation of six Pennsylvanians and two CARE staff through a whirlwind day of meetings in the offices of Pennsylvania Senators Robert Casey and Arlen Specter, and Pennsylvania Representatives Allyson Y. Schwartz, Robert Brady and Joe Sestak.

In true Deesha Dyer-style, Deesha succinctly and adeptly explained to the members of Congress why fighting global poverty is in the United States' best interests, and what they specifically can do as Pennsylvania's elected leaders, to take concrete steps in achieving this goal.

Below Deesha recollects the busy day they spent advocating on the Hill.

CARE's 2008 National Conference brought out over 400 attendees to Washington, DC for 2 days. On the second day, we held 241 Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill with our specified politicians, expressing to each the importance of addressing climate change and how it affects the poor, gender based violence and the hunger crisis.

Overall, my Pennsylvania delegation and I had a total of 5 meetings. The last one was with House member Allyson Scwhartz, who represents the 13th District in Pennsylvania. In this video, she is surprised to learn that her district has over 2,000 CARE supporters, which makes it the 3rd largest represented CARE district in the state. She was receptive and kind, and assured us we had a friend in that office.

When walking the halls of the Hill buildings, you run into various groups lobbying for various issues. It can be a little overwhelming, especially as a group leader. But, when you go into the office and sit with a member or their staff - nerves disappear and passion strength, and confidence take over. That is a little something I like to call EMPOWERMENT.

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(3) Comments

Posted by: Deesha Dyer on July 14, 2008 3:00PM EST

Thank you Denise.