Advice from a Fellow Advocate

July 2021

There’s a thrill in challenging people; it’s this irreplaceable excitement that swells and burns deep within. I got this feeling for the first time when I was in elementary school at a mere eight years old. Although I forget the details–who said what on the playground– I don’t forget the feeling of speaking my mind, of standing up for a young girl who fell off the swings. That was a few years before I had a word to describe my actions or this sensation.

This moment came and went, and when I was younger, I never gave it a second thought. I changed schools and was overwhelmed: lockers, new teachers, changing classes, making friends. Maybe it was destiny, or luck, or just probability, but it was that year that I became friends with someone who changed my life forever. In the sixth grade, they joined a group called Dover Youth to Youth.

Dover Youth to Youth is a youth empowerment program that focuses on drug and alcohol prevention. With vigor and might, they face the nicotine and alcohol industries, combating their manipulative practices. I went to a meeting with my friend. I felt fueled. Each thing that I learned was like adding a log onto a fire. I consumed any material that I could. After just one meeting I knew this was the perfect fit for me.

I was insatiable for this thrill, and I continued to find it with this organization for over eight years. I testified to the state legislature, I traveled presenting at national conferences, aided in the coordination of rallies, and even created numerous video and radio public service announcements (PSAs). Today, I am studying Public Health and continuing to fall in love with advocacy work. However, becoming an advocate can be daunting at first. There are so many paths and winding roads, it’s easy to fall into a rut. The journey of advocacy is unique for each traveler, but if you’re stepping onto this path yourself here are three things you should do in your practice:

1. Rely on the friends you make along the way. Being an advocate is not a solo job, there are so many supportive people who will be working next to you. Take the time to get to know them. They will become your teammates during presentations, your confidantes when you’re struggling, and the best pizza buddies you’ll ever have. My best friends and second family throughout middle and high school were people in Youth to Youth. While I am hundreds of miles away from some of them, they are still the ones I call when I need a laugh or virtual hug.
2. Laugh it off. This one took me way too long to learn (and honestly, I’m still learning it). When you make a mistake, don’t be down on yourself. I guarantee you, nobody noticed, or cared, and they are not talking about it now. Instead, take a second to recognize that things happen, take a deep breath, and laugh it out. The times that I was willing to laugh were the times I was best able to recover and continue presenting at my best.
3. Take criticism as a positive. Whether it’s your advisor, fellow advocate, or opponent, you will get comments or suggestions on how you can improve– this isn’t a bad thing. This is an opportunity for you to grow and get better. At first, it may feel weird to try the same line 23 different ways, but I promise it will improve it.

This may be your most challenging and most rewarding journey. Whether you’re like me and you’ve been feeling a passion for helping others, for speaking out against wrongdoing, or this is completely foreign to you, these three things will help build and fuel your passion for advocacy.