Let your voice be heard! Reach out to your elected officials to advocate for International Education.

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

​Advocacy is actively supporting or defending a cause or an idea, whether that is at your job, within your community, or at the governmental level. This page focuses on how to advocate for international education at different levels of government.

WHERE DO I START?

A wonderful colleague shared five great ways to sustainably be a policy change advocate:

1. Find something you can commit to doing consistently (e.g., committing your lunch break once a week to writing to your congressperson about a policy or issue affecting the community)
2. Find something you can commit to doing that will challenge you (e.g., having an uncomfortable conversation with a relative you think is a xenophobe)
3. Ask a friend to join you in making these commitments 
4. Pledge to hold each other accountable for the commitments you’ve made
5. Commit to self-care practice (You’ll hear it forever [because it’s true] advocacy is a marathon not a sprint!)

Need some inspiration? Check out our intern’s experience in advocacy research for the organization: Ruby's Reflection

NATIONAL LEVEL

Illinois is represented by two senators: Directory of Senators, and 18 house representatives: Directory of Representatives 

​Don't know who your representative is? Find your representative

STATE LEVEL

The head of the Illinois Executive Branch is the Governor assisted by the Lieutenant Governor. The Illinois Legislative Branch is comprised of the Senate and House of Representatives and collectively is known as the Illinois General Assembly.

​Don't know who your elected officials are? Find your elected officials

Aren’t they super busy? Who else could I go to?
Great question! The Office of the Governor has liaisons who supervise/manage different offices. They are called Agency Legislative Liaisons. Here is a list of liaisons who might be of interest:

• Illinois State Board of Education, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs
• Illinois State Board of Education, Director of Governmental Relations
• Board of Higher Education, Director of Legislative Affairs
• Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Legislative Liaison

Additionally, the Illinois General Assembly (IGA) house members have committees that focus on a particular policy issue. Here are some committees that might be of interest:

• Appropriations - Higher Education Committee
• Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee
• Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee 
• Higher Education Committee
• International Trade & Commerce Committee​

LOCAL LEVEL

Each municipality has an elected mayor: Metropolitan Mayors Caucus - Municipalities

• Check out the initiatives on diversity and economic development: Diversity and Economic Development

Are you from Chicago?
Getting to know your local alderman and the city council is a great way to start policy advocacy! Learn about the city council and find your ward and alderman/woman/person here: City Council, Your Ward & Alderman

• Check out the current educational programs and initiatives in Chicago: ​City of Chicago - Programs - Education​

OTHER RESOURCES

Here are some resources to help with your current of future policy advocacy work:

• Executive Orders in Illinois
• ISBE Board Meetings
• Chicago Board of Education Meetings
• Illinois Board of Higher Education - Public Agenda
• AASCU Public Policy Agenda
• AASCU Federal Policy Agenda
• AASCU State Policy Agenda
• The Aspen Institute - Issues in Education
• National College Attainment Network - State Policy Priorities
• National College Attainment Network - Advocacy Resources
• National College Attainment Network - Federal Policy Priorities
• National College Attainment Network - Affordability

As with every page of our website, we encourage suggestions for other information and links to include. Use our DEIJ Suggestion form to submit your ideas. ​