What Does it Mean to Advocate?
To advocate for something means to take action or speak up in an attempt to influence the decisions of those in power (often your elected representatives) to make a change to the political, economic, or social, conditions that affect our communities. There are many ways people can advocate including:
- Attending town halls, rallies, and community meetings
- Joining a Board or Committee on an issue
- Submitting written or verbal testimony to elected representatives
- Calling, emailing, writing letters to, and connecting over social media with your elected representatives. Find out when the Board/Committee meets that’s discussing a topic or bill of interest to you
- Creating or participating in petitions
- Engaging in conversation with friends and family about the issues you care about
- Hosting educational community conversation groups about important topics that affect your community
- Supporting companies and organizations that align with your values
- Boycotting companies and organizations whose values don’t align with yours
Who Are Your Elected Representatives in DC?
Advisory Neighborhood Commission
An ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) is a non-partisan, neighborhood body made up of locally elected representatives called Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. The Commissioners, who serve two-year terms without pay, are elected in November in even-numbered years (e.g. 2024). The ANCs’ main job is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government (and Federal agencies) on matters that affect their neighborhoods.
City Council of the District of Columbia
The Council is comprised of 13 members – a representative elected from each of the eight wards and five members, including the Chairman, elected at-large. The Council’s main job are to perform legislative research, bill drafting, budget review, program and policy analysis, and constituent services.
Find out who your Councilmembers are here >
How to Prepare to a Testimony or Letter Writing Campaign to Your Elected Representatives
Introduce yourself. your full name, your address, how long you have lived there, the name of your tenant association or organization, other relevant information.
Say what makes your community unique. Who lives there (families, seniors, long time DC residents etc.)? How long have people lived there? What successes has your Tenants Association had in organizing residents of the building? etc.
Present your issue. Are you currently in the process of purchasing your building and need city funding? Do you have a negligent landlord and poor housing conditions? Have you had a DCRA housing code inspection and not gotten results? Be specific and give examples of the problems.
Make an ASK. Say what you want. Be as concrete and specific as possible. If you are asking for the Council to pass or change a law or policy, give the name of it. If you are asking for more funding for a city program, say how much. If you are asking for improvements in a city agency, say what outcome you want and what needs to change for that to happen.
Do some research. Find out about your Councilmember or the Committee Chair’s position on the issue beforehand so you can frame your testimony in a way that will appeal to them. Meet with their staff beforehand about the issue so they will have some advance notice and your testimony won’t come as a surprise. Find allies in the Council and pressure them to take up your cause. If during the hearing a Councilmember isn’t listening to your testimony you can politely call their attention to it. The purpose of these hearings is for the Council to hear public opinion, and its your right as residents of the District to hold your elected officials accountable!
