Arkansas: Bringing Together Community Advocates
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family is in full electoral advocacy mode this spring. The message of cutting poverty in half by 2020 is receiving resounding affirmation throughout the state, individuals are signing the Half in Ten pledge, and there is a plan on the horizon to tell the story to a widespread audience.
AACF’s federal policy and outreach teams had the opportunity while in Washington D.C. this past month to meet with congressional staffers from the offices of Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), and Rep. John Boozman (R-AR). Their staff spoke with the Arkansas congressional delegation about the Half in Ten goals and discussed concrete policy solutions that could cut poverty in half by 2020. Their federal team is planning ways to educate community leaders in Arkansas and enlist them in building out the campaign statewide.
AACF’s outreach team has also been traveling around the state hosting Policy Cafés. We are asking local experts and AACF staff members to facilitate small group discussions around different issue areas. Jokingly referred to as “speed dating for advocates,” participants discuss topics for 30 minutes, then once a bell rings they move to a new “date,” or issue area. Cutting poverty in half has been a popular date so far and individuals are asked to sign a pledge form and then share one with a friend. We have held two Policy Cafés and plan to host at least five more.
Next month, The Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family Steering Committee will meet to review goals and set forth an aggressive plan to educate lawmakers and candidates on the fundamental principles of the Half in Ten campaign. AACF will also release its Child Poverty Report early this spring and submit an op-ed in several local newspapers on the topic. And staff are excited to be invited by the Arkansas Legislative Poverty Task Force to come and discuss the Half in Ten campaign and how we can work together on antipoverty efforts.
Tags: Arkansas
