1. ORGANIZE YOUR POLICY CAMPAIGN Jack Nicholl STORE TRAINING Sacramento, CA April 30, 2002

2. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Power and policy VIDEO: YOU It’s About YOU –Understanding your power –Using your power –Feeling powerful –Winning

3. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Where your power comes from Public Opinion Money –Prop 99 statewide infrastructure –Campaign and lobbying funds History of Success –Ballot measure –Statewide laws/local ordinances

4. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section History of Success Prop 99, AB 13 & Prop 10 Defeat of Prop 188 & Prop 28 Local Ordinances Recent MSA Initiatives Polling

5. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Recognizing Our Power When you feel powerful, you act with courage and commitment needed to win. When we’re out of touch with the power of our movement, we’re timid, cautious and scared. Understanding our history as a movement helps us feel our power.

6. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Easy wins are over Harder Tasks Ahead –Enforcement –Tobacco sales and marketing –Outdoor air Entryways Parks Outdoor dining Apartment units/common areas

7. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Are we prepared? Current Record –Losing more than winning –Seen as narrow special interest –Not part of power equation Impact –Discouragement –Less risk taking –Slower changes

8. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Our Grade = Needs Improvement How Can We Improve? Examine Values and Commitments Learn How to Build Power in Issue Campaigns

9. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Values and Commitments Health Educators Avoid Conflict Don’t Like to Lobby/not political Comfort Zone/no trouble WE CAN’T WIN WITHOUT Campaigners, who can lobby, involved in local politics

10. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section The Power in Issue Campaigns Community organizing applies the power of organized people on individual decision makers who control the passage of tobacco control legislation.

11. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Community Organizing Power The Eight Steps of a Community Organizing Campaign: 1.Create a Core Group 2.Document the Problem 3.Select Your Issue 4.Develop the Strategy

12. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Community Organizing Power The Eight Steps of a Community Organizing Campaign: 5.Broaden the Campaign 6.Open Dialog with Decision-Makers 7.Confront Targets and Execute 8.Win and Implement New Policy

13. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 1: Create a Core Group Leadership Lobbying Organizations Stakeholders Resources

14. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 2: Document the Problem The Public Health Problem: Target Audiences Local Data Surveys

15. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 2: Document the Problem The Political Problem: Opinion Leader Perceptions Governmental Record Background on Decision-Makers

16. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section

17. Step 3: Select Your Issue Checklist: Improves People’s Lives Empowers People Alters the relations of power Worthwhile Winnable Be widely felt

18. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 3: Select Your Issue Checklist: Be deeply felt Easily Understood Clear Target A WorkableTime Frame Be non-divisive Builds Leadership

19. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 3: Select Your Issue Building Block for next campaign Hits the Pocketbook Raises Money Values Consistent

20. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 4: Develop the Strategy Strategy: The Design for Building Power A completed Strategy Chart is your strategy. It’s prepared by leadership and requires several intensive sessions.

21. Goals Getting Organized Constituents, Allies and Opponents Targets Tactics 1.List the long-term objectives of your campaign. 2. Establish the intermediate goals for this issue campaign. What constitutes victory? 3.How will the campaign:  Win concrete improvement in people's lives?  Give people a sense of their own power?  Alter the relations of power? 4. What short-term or partial victories can you win as steps toward your long- term goal? 1. List the resources that you bring to the campaign. Include money, number of staff, facilities, reputation, canvass, etc. 2. What is the budget, including in-kind contributions, for this campaign? 3. List the specific ways in which you want your organization to be strengthened by this campaign. Fill in numbers for each:  Expand leadership group  Increase experience of existing leadership  Build membership base  Expand into new constituencies  Raise more money 4. List internal problems that have to be considered if the campaign is to succeed. 1. Who cares about this issue enough to join or help the organization?  Whose problem is it?  What do they gain if they win?  What risks are they taking?  What power do they have over the target?  Into what groups are they organized? 2. Who are your opponents?  What will your victory cost them?  What will they do/spend to oppose you?  How strong are they? A target is always a person. It is never an institution or elected body. 1. Primary Targets  Who has the power to give you what you want?  What power do you have over them? 2. Secondary Targets  Who has power over the people with the power to give you what you want?  What power do you have over them? For each target, list the tactics that each constituent group can best use to make its power felt. Tactics must be:  In context  Flexible and creative  Targeted  Agreed to by the membership  Backed by a specific form of power Tactics include:  Media events  Actions and demands  Public hearings  Strikes  Voter registration and education  Lawsuits  Accountability sessions  Elections  Negotiations

22. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 5: Broaden the Campaign You Can’t Do It Alone. You Need Help. Why Join Your Campaign? –A common issue –Self-interest Which Organizations to Recruit? –What do you need

23. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 6: Open Dialog with Decision-Makers First Meeting is Crucial: –Information and inquiry –Demonstrate breadth of community support –Communicate local impact (in decision maker’s own district) of the problem –Make specific request and get an answer –Leave behind information on public health problem and the campaign

24. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 7: Confront Targets and Execute Tactics Direct Action –Petitions; letters; phone calls, emails –Actions: rallies, hearings, press events

25. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 7: Confront Targets and Execute Tactics Checklist: Feasible or Realistic Target Focus Put Power Behind Demand Meet Goals Outside Target’s Experience Within Experience of Coalition Fun for participants Positive with media

26. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section Step 8: Win and Implement New Policy Negotiations and Compromise Closing the deal Education about new policy –Enforcement agencies –The community

27. Sponsored by the California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section We have the power to win Understand your campaign role Understand and execute the strategy chart and campaign steps Use your power for policy change