Empowering Change: Finding My Local Advocacy Path
Exploring ways to support my community and encouraging you to join the journey! 🌍✨
What are some ways you're supporting your local community right now? How do you like to get involved in local government services? 🤔
I'd love to know.
With national, global, and state affairs feeling overwhelming lately, I find myself focusing on hyper-local advocacy. It helps me feel less desperate and more empowered! 💪💖
However, knowing where to start is challenging. I’ve never been interested in running a political campaign, I can’t physically march in the streets with all my surgeries, and while I enjoy pop-up volunteering, I want to leverage my skills for larger-scale problem-solving. 🏛️
I’m currently exploring what role I want to play locally to support my community and sharing this journey for accountability and inspiration. 🌱✨
I hope to encourage you all to feel empowered to make a significant difference in your communities too! 🙌
Here are some things I’ve done in the past that I loved:
🎶 Volunteered as a kid to visit convalescent and retirement homes, putting on shows for the residents.
🏫 As a teen, I served on the School Site Council, helping decide where discretionary funds went.
🎭 Helped start a local community theater in high school.
📞 Volunteered four hours a week in college answering questions on the National HIV/AIDS Hotline.
⚖️ Interned at the National Center for Lesbian Rights during law school, assisting on their legal hotline.
🌈 Served on the board for an LGBTQ organization supporting youth.
🐾 Worked with the Humane Society for about a year, socializing dogs that weren’t getting adopted and fostering puppies and kittens.
As you can see, most of this was pre-COVID. I’ve done some advocacy and volunteering since then, but I’m still searching for that recurring, long-term commitment to my community here in San Diego.
I’m eager for something more high-level that utilizes my law degree, extensive business background, storytelling skills, and local community ties. I would love to sit on the board of a company, non-profit, or government entity to make a meaningful impact. 🏢💼
(Thanks to Erika Tebbens for reminding me that libraries need boards of directors—I'm applying! 📚✨)
Any other ideas? What are you doing right now? Has this sparked anything in you? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 💬❤️
Life feels like a lot right now, and if it’s too much, that’s okay. Rest if you need it. But if you’re feeling inspired and need something to do with your nervous energy, volunteering locally can be a great way to turn despair into hope.
With love,
Lauren
P.S. If you’re in San Diego and want to join a local government board, here’s the information you need for it.