Yesterday, I got a chance to do some pretty heady stuff! As part of my Partners in Policymaking class we have to do “projects”. My project yesterday was going to the state capitol and working with an intern advocate who lobbies for disabilities issues there. So I got a one-on-one personal lesson about how to talk directly to congressmen during legislative sessions.

He had my morning mapped out for me, and instructed me how to stand in the line of people wishing to pull representatives off the House floor and speak with them on issues. He had the fact sheet information I needed to give to the representatives and gave me a quick lesson in the facts of the issue. Our issue was what is known as “Unlock the Waiting List” campaign here in Georgia. It is basically funding more “slots” in the existing waiver programs that allow people who have mental retardation, physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury to have funds for independent living and personal care (so they don’t have to live in institutions).

Georgia has these programs in place, but they are never funded at such a level that the numbers on the waiting list go down. For example, this year the Governor’s proposed budget includes 500 slots, and about 1100 new applicants are added to the list annually. So, we’re losing ground. And many of these people wait years and years before they receive the waivers, even though they’ve been eligible all that time.

So, my job yesterday was to stand in the line, hand my request for a meeting to the clerk, who called over a page, who went into the House chamber to receive the representative. Sometimes the representative declined coming out. Sometimes they weren’t there. Sometimes they did come speak with us. There were several votes on the House floor yesterday. During the votes, a loud bell would ring, calling all the representatives back into the chamber. The line of lobbyists would stop moving and the pages would sit down.

It was a crowded and busy place, with people from all walks of life. There were professional lobbyists in business suits with special badges. There was a whole contingent from AARP. There were FFA boys, pharmacy students from UGA, county government officials, and right-to-life proponents. It was fascinating.

My teacher, who is about to finish his masters in social work and continue his work with the disability community, said I had “beginner’s luck” as three of the six representatives I got the chance to request came to speak with me. He considers it a successful morning if he gets to speak to 1-2 people. He also makes office visits and attends committee meetings in the afternoon.

Frankly, I was reluctant to go. It required me to search out a sitter for LuLu, drive clear downtown (dressed up), park a million miles from the capitol (there was a huge crowd yesterday) and stand in a security line full of school children! But it was worth it, because it taught me that I do have power and influence. These legislators are just people. And they are in the position of having to make some important decisions. They need information. If you have information and insight into an issue, they need to hear from you.

In the Partners program they stress how few people it takes to make a difference on an issue. While businesses and large concerns have active paid lobbyists, legislators weigh the opinions of constituents, and especially people affected by legislation much more heavily.

“Hi, I’m the mother of a child with a disability,” carries incredible weight.

Advocacy is time-consuming, tedious and hard. There is rejection, but mostly it just takes lots of time and effort. Parents of children with disabilities usually don’t have the luxury of that time. But when we take it, it makes a difference. Each representative I spoke to thanked me for coming to talk with them as much as I thanked them for listening to me. I’m realizing that while some of them may not support our position, they all recognize that it is a sacrifice when ordinary citizens come to talk with them.

You all should give it a try! There are countless disability and foster/adoptive issues that need to be addressed in each of our states. It truly is easier, and more rewarding, than you think!

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