From the Salton Sea to California’s coast, from deserts to city communities, defending birds means defending the habitats, ecosystems, and communities that maintain us all. Bringing these voices and views collectively offers us the chance not solely to advocate for these locations, however to be taught from the folks working to guard them.
On a scorching, sunny day in Sacramento, our California community returned to the halls of the State Capitol in fashion for Audubon California’s Advocacy Day on August eleventh. Our fabulously various group confirmed up from throughout California, representing employees, chapter members, Audubon on Campus chapters, Coastal Management Program alumni, and Salton Sea Management Program alumni, for a full day of conferences with employees from State Senate and Meeting places of work. Collectively, we introduced a broad vary of experiences, views, and tales, united by a typical purpose: defending the locations birds and other people want at present and tomorrow.
All through the day, our teams met with legislative employees to advocate for birds, our communities, and the locations all of us love. For some individuals, this was acquainted territory; that they had years of expertise talking up for his or her communities and the problems they care about. For others, it was their first time entering into a gathering and sharing their story with policymakers.
That blend of expertise was some of the significant elements of the day. Contributors discovered from each other, requested questions, shared recommendation, and inspired one another alongside the best way. Because the day progressed, it was unbelievable to look at folks turn into extra snug talking up and sharing the private connections that introduced them to the Capitol within the first place. Whether or not somebody was a seasoned advocate or getting their ft moist for the primary time, each voice added one thing significant to the dialog.
Advocacy Day demonstrated the unbelievable breadth of Audubon’s neighborhood throughout California. Our individuals got here from totally different applications, chapters, campuses, and communities, however the conversations in Sacramento confirmed simply how linked our work is.
The day was action-packed, with teams transferring from assembly to assembly and placing their advocacy abilities into apply. By the top of the day, individuals had gained firsthand expertise in how neighborhood voices may also help form coverage, and, extra importantly, how their very own tales could be highly effective instruments for creating change.
We closed out the day with a cheerful hour reception, giving everybody an opportunity to decelerate, rejoice a full day of advocacy, and make new connections. Conversations continued lengthy after the conferences ended, with individuals sharing tales from the day and attending to know fellow Audubon champions from throughout California.
After seven years, returning to the State Capitol for Advocacy Day felt particularly significant. The day reminded us that advocacy isn’t solely about what occurs in conferences with policymakers, but additionally about constructing relationships, studying from each other, discovering confidence in our collective voice, and making a neighborhood of individuals prepared to talk up for the locations we love.
We’re grateful to everybody who confirmed up, shared their tales, and helped make our relaunch of Advocacy Day so particular. We will not wait to see everybody, and hopefully much more of you, again in Sacramento subsequent yr!
