Stay Positive and Patient. Maintaining a positive mindset will allow for constructive thinking, creativity, and confidence. Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. Strive to be patient with yourself, your colleagues, and decision makers.
Advocacy Toolkit: Strategies that Work
Ask for help. Seek support from your colleagues locally and nationwide.
Identify your priorities. To be most effective, focus on the pressing issues. Here are some examples of what many interpreter advocates are tackling:
- Higher compensation
- Compensation structure (e.g., minimum hours, half-day/full day)
- Preferential case assignment for credentialed over non-credentialed interpreters
- Travel time/mileage payment
- Cancellations
- Per diem/lodging
Create an inclusive team who will work on the proposals and will advocate for all. After the priorities are identified by the group, these individuals can decide how to address:
- Communicating updates
- Contacting decision makers
- Creating social media postings
- Contacting the media
- Drafting and submitting proposals
Create multiple channels of communication to be as accessible as possible.
- WhatsApp groups
- Emails
- Texts
- Social media groups
Create public awareness.
- Talk to judges, attorneys, social workers, court staff, administrators and colleagues (within your state and nationwide).
- Use social media: personal and national sites.
- Develop relationships with LEP communities and the general public.