How to Share Advocacy – Part 2

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“A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love.” – Stendhal

Recently Vicki and I got an email from author and advocate Sam Daley-Harris that was shocking. Sam reported good news about the budgeting process for global health. I think what was most shocking to me was that something in our government worked. I know that sounds cynical. But given the news these days, I thought it was all stand-offs and insults.

Sam noted in the email why it was successful, “They didn’t do it by protesting, though protests matter, nor by funding lawsuits, though lawsuits matter, or even through elections work, though elections matter. They did it through transformational advocacy, building relationships with elected officials who make decisions in their name and, in the process, building a little bit of backbone in Congress.“

Vicki and I talked with Sam Daley-Harris about transformational advocacy last July on the How to Share podcast. We scheduled another conversation with to follow up on this good news (see clip below). Sam gives us a great formula for overcoming cynicism and hopelessness and suggestions for how to get started.

Sam shares personal stories and insights on how individuals can reclaim their power and make a difference in their communities and the world. He also offers to be a guide to connect you to a group that matches your interest and values. Sam has spent 40 years as an advocate on things like global health, world hunger, climate change, and global poverty – filling out his sign-up sheet is like getting a free ride to exactly where you need to go.

We love talking with Sam because he shares how to be effective and counter the effects of fear, cynicism and loneliness. We know you’ll love this conversation!

Takeaways

  • Advocacy requires facing our own hopelessness to find purpose.
  • Transformational advocacy involves deeper engagement than transactional actions.
  • Building relationships with legislators can lead to meaningful change.
  • The state of democracy is influenced by citizen engagement and activism.
  • Progress and positive changes are not often featured in today’s news reporting.
  • Commitment to advocacy can lead to personal transformation.
  • Every individual has the power to make a difference.

Here’s a clip highlighting some of Sam’s good news and perspective on how we can make a difference:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this incredible episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

How to Share Advocacy with Sam Daley-Harris Part 2 – How To Share

In this conversation, Sam Daley-Harris talks with Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson and unpacks how transformational advocacy fits alongside other forms of activism like protests, litigation, and voter mobilization—and why it can succeed even when Washington seems paralyzed by shutdowns and partisan conflict. Sam shares some concrete examples from global health and environmental advocacy, offer insight into how citizens are working to reverse damage and protect the most vulnerable, and—perhaps most importantly—explain how anyone can be effective, even with just five to fifteen minutes a day. If you’ve ever wondered whether your voice can really matter, this conversation offers both clarity and hope. And Sam offers to be a guide to help you connect to the issues that matter most for you. We love talking with Sam because he shares how to be effective and counter the effects of fear, cynicism and loneliness. We know you’ll love this conversation! Links for this episode:Transcript for How to Share Advocacy Part 2Sam's Sign-up Sheet for resources on how to get startedReclaiming Our Democracy websiteReclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen's Guide to Transformational Advocacy, 2024 Edition on Amazon
  1. How to Share Advocacy with Sam Daley-Harris Part 2
  2. What Do You Know To Be True?
  3. How to Share a Return Home with Mario Cartaya
  4. How to Share a Mission with Anthony Dyer
  5. How to Share Your Superpower with Roger Kastner

Links for this episode:

Transcript for How to Share Advocacy Part 2

Sam’s Sign-up Sheet for resources on how to get started

Reclaiming Our Democracy website

Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy, 2024 Edition on Amazon

From the hosts:

Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

(featured photo from Pexels)

42 thoughts on “How to Share Advocacy – Part 2”

  1. Loved this follow-up conversation with you and Sam, dear Wynne. Transformational advocacy, as you said so perfectly, is good for us AND good for the world.
    Thanks for this opportunity to gather a sense of empowerment…much needed and appreciated, my friend.
    ❤️❤️❤️

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    1. Yes, Sam is a good advocate and guide. If you click through to his sign-up sheet, I think you’ll like the introductions and resources Sam can provide. He has a genuine heart to be helpful. Thanks for tuning in, Brad!

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  4. Yes, I think we all need to do our part, and certainly, Mr. Daley-Harris does that. It sounds like he has reduced some of the damage proposed by some of those who represent us in Congress. I would also suggest that the mainstream media he refers to should be only a limited source of information. for us. They have demonstrated why we miss a great many important stories if it is our only source of information.

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  7. This is a wonderfully informative interview Wynne, inspiring us to take action on the things we want to see happen in our government! Great news that ordinary citizens got things done. I’ve watched how USAID was ‘fed into the woodchipper’ and the suffering that occurred after that.
    This Takeaway: “Progress and positive changes are not often featured in today’s news reporting.” How do we change this? How do we find the news and stories that show and encourage positive change? Even as I search online specifically for good news, for positive progress, I’m often thwarted and sent things that are repetitive or even silly. Somehow, we have to change this metric, this algorithm, this form of newscasting, so we can see the things we really want to engage with.

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    1. Such a great comment, Rose. I’m guessing Sam’s response is that we need to align ourselves with people and groups that share our values and then can share the good news on the work. One thing that I appreciate about Sam is that he is passionate about making a difference in a non-partisan way.

      So appreciate you tuning in, Rose!! Thank you!

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    2. Rose’s mention of our capture by the algorithms is essential. The owners of our news reporting get us to watch the very things we complain about watching. Ultimately, we cannot wait and expect them to change and reduce their income. Nor will we make changes in the world by hiding from the dark side of events. We have to change ourselves and look for news that is informative and honest.

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  8. One more point. According to multiple news sources, the current war is costing us one billion dollars per day. Advocacy in the name of good works is essential, but it the government spends money without leaving enough to fund those good works, they will make such endeavors impossible. The solution is obvious.

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  12. “We stand by as children starve by the millions because we lack the will to eliminate hunger. Yet we have found the will to develop missiles capable of flying over the polar cap and landing within a few hundred feet of their target. This is not innovation. It is a profound distortion of humanity’s purpose on Earth.”

    How do we justify and rationalize this? Talk about screwed-up priorities.

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  14. An inspiring conversation, Wynne, Vicki. It’s comforting to know there are people like Sam out there who will leading, mobilizing and doing their part to bring people together to make this world a better place and to speak up and against actions that are deterrent to community wellbeing.

    I love his advice around each of us doing our part and focusing our energies on one cause and doing that well. You can anticipate what my cause is.

    The fatigue that comes with advocacy is indeed tiring but it’s important to come together and pause to celebrate the wins along the way. 💕🙏

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    1. Love hearing your perspective on this, Ab. You’ve done so much advocacy and awareness for FASD and so you know the struggle. I’m so glad to be able to witness all the good you do in this world!

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      1. It was a great podcast, and I subscribed to get updates. I agree with him, engagement is important. That’s how we got the passenger train station going in our area after years of trying. I jumped on that issue as soon as I arrived here. It was ridiculous that we didn’t have a train station connecting our metro area to Chicago. It’s funded now, and we are hoping that the economy will benefit from it.

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      2. What a great example! If things got done when we just complained about them, there’d be a lot done in the world. But I guess we have to get out there and work for it! Thanks for listening and this great comment, my friend!

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  16. So timely, Wynne! March is National Nutrition Month, and yesterday we held our annual advocacy training and Capitol Day at our state Capitol. This year, we brought along 15 dietetic interns. Advocacy at the local and state levels is so important.
    Looking forward to watching this episode!

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  17. I think transformational advocacy is a skill that works in all aspects of life. I used it when trying to get funding for the Girl Scouts, when we needed a new playground and bathrooms for the elementary school, and when I needed to change negative behaviors in myself and my children. Connect, support, love, forgive, empathize, how we change the world starts in the heart, our homes, and then the world. This is so good Wynne, “Instead of finding the good news, cause the good news.” Wow, C

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