Social Justice Advocacy 101: How to Become a Social Justice Advocate From A to Z

By HowExpert

People have been advocating and standing up for social justice issues throughout history. From one social movement to the next, from one influential person to another, we as an American society are constantly attempting to progress towards a better tomorrow.

If you’ve ever found yourself passionate or upset about any or all of the issues and causes going on in the United States, you’re not alone. People often feel the same way, but don’t know where to begin to even try to make a change. Some may even think there’s no use because they don’t know where to start.

That’s where this handy book comes in! In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to get started on the exciting path of social justice advocacy, including:

• A brief overview of how the United States government works
• How to build relationships with government officials
• Different kinds of social justice events
• Basic aspects of advocacy everyone should know
• Glossary of important terminology
• Resources for further learning
• ...and more!
So, choose a pencil or pen and grab a notebook, or I suppose a tablet or computer nowadays. Then find a seat, get comfortable, and welcome to Social Justice Advocacy 101!

About the Expert
Selys Rivera is a writer with a passion for social justice. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and a Master of Social Work. She has worked and volunteered at organizations focused on a variety of causes, including helping farmworkers, the Hispanic and Latinx community, and at-risk high school students. She has also been published in magazines and blogs covering different social justice topics, including urban poverty, food and land justice, immigration, and sexual violence on college campuses and in the church.

She is grateful for the opportunity HowExpert has given her to share her knowledge of the advocacy world that she has accumulated over the years. She also wants to dedicate a special shout out to her friends and family for their support in the creation of this book, whether it was from something as small as cheerleading to as large as editing. You know who you are. Thank you!

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HowExpert
• Release date: Mar 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781950864072

HowExpert

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

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Social Justice Advocacy 101

How to Become a Social Justice Advocate From A to Z

HowExpert with Selys Rivera

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Table of Contents

Recommended Resources

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Quick Government Rundown

Chapter 3: Befriending Government Officials

Chapter 4: Rallies, Protests, and Marches. Oh My!

Chapter 5: Honorable Mentions

Chapter 6: Knowing Your Limits

Chapter 7: Conclusion

Appendix A: Glossary

Appendix B: References and Resources

About the Expert

Recommended Resources

Chapter 1: Introduction

Welcome!

Hey you! I heard you want to become a social justice advocate.

Wait, what did you ask? Oh! That’s just a fancy way to say you want to stand up for what you believe in through action in our government.

Welcome to the club! Here’s your nametag, keychain, and t-shirt. Now, have a seat – no, not in the back…a little closer…There you go! Right in the front row.

I’m sure you’re feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Of course you are! The chance to make a difference and be part of something greater is thrilling. However, it can also be daunting and it’s common to be overwhelmed.

That’s okay! I totally get that. There are so many ways to advocate that you can get lost before you even begin.

When I started advocating, I felt both enthralled by the waves of change and caught in the current of it. To be honest, I didn’t know the lingo, what organizations to turn to, or even how the government worked.

I’m sure you’re like me back then. All these issues you care about and no tools to start working on them.

That’s where this guide comes in! I want to help give you the basic knowledge possible to get started in the important work of advocacy.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to meet with government officials, have difficult conversations, use social media for change, and more. Each chapter covers a basic and important tool that every social justice advocate should know. The subchapters break chapters down into actionable steps. The summary at the end of each chapter goes over what you just learned.

In addition, throughout the chapters, important words will be underlined with their definitions in the glossary. You can find the glossary in Appendix A at the back of the book for your convenience. The definitions are created by yours truly based on my own understanding and common knowledge.

Please keep in mind that this guide is focused on advocating in the United States of America. However, if you wish to advocate in another county, feel free to tweak these tips according to what does and doesn’t apply. Just remember that doing so can be risky if you’re not a native. No matter what, your safety comes first, and that applies everywhere.

Overall, my goal is to give you an easy to understand guide that you can quickly reference whenever you need ideas on how to act on issues you’re passionate about. I may not have all of the knowledge in the world and I’m still learning myself, but I hope I can share what I’ve learned so far to your advantage. Plus, while I’m ultimately not responsible for what happens when you take my advice, I surely want to give you the best guide, tips, and advice possible.

Have I got your attention yet?

Picking Your Cause

I bet you’ve already picked the issues that you want to advocate for and are just now looking on how to become vocal about them. That’s great! Even if you don’t know, though, that’s okay too. Next time you do find one that stands out to you, you’ll know where to begin.

In the meantime, begin by asking yourself what bothers you the most. Will it matter five years from now? If it does, will it be difficult to forgive yourself for not taking action? If the answer is Yes to both, then you might have just found your cause.

For example, let’s say you’re a college student worrying about affording college. You believe there should be better access to financial aid across the country for all college students.

Will it matter five years from now? Yes, it will, because if you don’t get better financial aid, you won’t be able to afford college and get the degree you need for your career. That means you won’t be in the field you want or at least at the position you want.

Will it be difficult to forgive yourself for not taking action? Yes, it will, because you might have kids, family members, or friends who also can’t afford college, but want to go. It becomes a cycle and you know you didn’t do anything to help.

What helped me was to list as many problems as I could think of that bothered me in our society. From there, I ranked them according to similar questions like in the abovementioned paragraph. I then wrote next to each one whether I wanted to, or already had, been involved. Finally, I narrowed down my top three.

This isn’t to say that I