1. Advocacy and Media Outreach
Melina Roche, Grassroots Advocacy Associate
Belle Woods, Associate Director, Communications
Feb 6, 2017

2. On the Agenda Congressional Update Why be an Advocate
How to Advocate/Resources
Messaging
Opinion Pieces
Where to find AILA on Social Media
Getting Camera Ready
Homework

3. Congressional Update Confirmation of Trump Cabinet Nominees
BRIDGE Act -
Reintroduced in the Senate by Sens. Graham (R-SC) and Durbin (D-IL), cosponsors include NY Sen. Schumer
Introduced in the House by Reps. Coffman (R-CO) and Gutierrez (D-IL)

4. What will AILA do?
Urge lawmakers to support reform that upholds the Constitution
Provide comments on bills and draft amendments
Offer commonsense solutions and meet with White House/agency leadership
Speak out publicly against injustices and use media to amplify our efforts
Prepare AILA members with resources to do the same

5. Resources for New Congress & Administration
Featured Issue: Immigration 2017
Advocacy and Community Resources
Analysis and Statements
Media Tools
Refresher Resources
Immigration Issues
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
NSEERS/Special Registration

6. Why be an Advocate? You have the experience and skills:
Lawmakers need your first hand knowledge and experience
They don’t know immigration law like you!
You have a unique perspective on how it impacts your state and community
It works! Case in point: House R’s pulls to gut independent ethics committee within 24hrs

7. Perks of Advocating
Demonstrates your dedication and passion for reforming our outdated immigration system
Raises your profile as a thought leader
Establishes you as a resource and go-to expert on immigration to your lawmakers and community

8. Build your network Identify who shares your concerns
AILA National and AILA Chapter Members
Others may include: community organizations, faith-based organizations, social service providers, schools, the community, etc.
Build a strong relationship
Stay in the know and share resources

9. Organize Do your homework – What’s your stance and message
AILA has talking points, analysis & voting recommendations
Identify your “target” – Is it a state or federal lawmaker, President, or other an agency head?
Define your “ask” – What do you want your legislator to do?
Build your relationship with legislative or agency offices who has the power to make change
Take Action!

10. Taking Action
AILA’s Advocacy Action Center makes it easy to Contact your legislator by:
- , Phone, and Social Media
Attend AILA’s National Day of Action

11. AILA’s Advcacy Action Center
Easy way to look up your legislator by state or address to find:
Legislator’s office and biographical info
Staff contact info
Social media profiles
Committees
Voting record on bills that AILA is tracking

13. Emailing & Calling Lawmakers
Send a pre-written or use a call script; OR
Use your own message
Be brief, direct, & courteous when addressing the issue
Make your ask!
Don’t forget to mention you’re a constituent
Contact AILA’s Advocacy via

14. Using Social Media to Advocate
Identify your platform –
Twitter is good for engaging with lawmakers, agencies and the Administration with the action you want them to take
Tag policy and law makers
Use appropriate hashtags
Facebook is good to engage with the public and community
Great for action items like petitions, grassroots campaigns, events, etc.

16. National Day of Action Thursday, April 6, 2017 Washington DC
Register: agora.aila.org/NDA
Join AILA in educating member of Congress and their staff why we need fair and just immigration policies.
Registration is free and all are welcome to attend!

17. When advocating always:
Be polite and professional
Use the right message
Be prepared with the facts
Share clients’ stories when appropriate, it helps lawmaker understand the issue & the impact it has on their constituents
Make a clear and direct ask
Always listen
Offer yourself as a resources

18. Report – Contributions of New Americans in NY
How many jobs are immigrants creating in NY? In 2014, nearly 500,000 people worked at immigrant-owned companies.
Immigrant-owned businesses generated $6.13 billion in business income in 2014.
New York’s immigrants contribute! In 2014, through taxes on their individual wages, immigrants contributed $3.7 billion to Medicare and $13.7 billion to Social Security.

19. What the public understands about immigration
The American public does not share advocates’ understanding
Advocates/Experts are inflicted by a “curse of knowledge”
The public possess multiple frames that they use to understand the issue
Bring them into a more productive frame to make your point

20. Values-Based Messaging Pragmatism
Pragmatism: We can’t deport ourselves out of this.
Metaphor Possibility: Removing 11 million people from the families and communities is impractical and expensive. What would digging 11 million trees up do to a forest and its surrounding ecosystem?

21. Values-Based Messaging Prosperity
Shared Prosperity: Immigrants are workers, tax-payers and contributors. Economies grow with more people.
Metaphor Possibility: Economies are like quilts, the more pieces you add, the larger they get and the more people they cover.

22. Values-Based Messaging Moral Argument
Moral Argument: Every human being deserves basic respect and dignity.
America has always been a nation of immigrants. We welcome the stranger and show them our humanity.

23. Don’t Say the System is Broken – Invokes Fatalism
Hold one kind of immigrant up over another, high vs. low skilled, DREAMer vs. their parent, or “felons not families.”

24. Opinion Pieces One of the best ways to educate and
inform members of your community about
aspects of immigration law of which they
might not be aware.
Letters to the Editor:
Short
About a specific article you've read
Op-Eds:
“Opposite the editorial page”
Longer piece, words, varies by outlet

25. Where Can You Find Us? Follow AILA on Twitter. Like us on Facebook.
Follow the AILA Leadership Blog.
Join the AILA group on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to AILA on YouTube.

26. On-Air Interview Tips and Tricks
Video
Look the Part
Eye Contact
Sit up Straight!
Gestures, some Do’s, mostly Don’ts
Radio and Video
Silence is not the Enemy
Tone
Video from your Office
Check your background
Framing
Look at the camera, not at yourself

27. Now What? Your Homework Pick an issue and advocate!
Plan your trip to DC for NDA
Get familiar with your local reporters
Write a opinion piece
Consider planning an event for press