San Diego Jewish Advocacy Fellows Part II

On Wednesday, San Diego's Jewish Advocacy Fellows met for their second session at Jewish Family Service. Kristen McDade Byrne, Vice President of MJE Marketing Services and a lobbyist for Hillel, discussed the key elements of advocacy: what it is, why it is important, how to formulate a compelling message, the political landscape and who’s doing advocacy.

Allison Don, Field Representative to State Senator Block, helped the cohort gain a deeper understanding of the fellow-selected focus of the San Diego senior population as it relates to proposed legislation.

The group also set goals for the program and voted to make a meaningful contribution to the process by researching related policy and developing fact sheets.

The Jewish Advocacy Fellows Program is a five session long advocacy training, created and facilitated by the Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Family Service, Leichtag Foundation and NextGen. The program will culminate in a trip to Sacramento to lobby in partnership with the Jewish Caucus chaired by Senator Block. The program espouses the idea that civic engagement and advocacy are rooted in the Jewish value of tzedek (justice), which requires us to address issues of disparity and equity.

Stay tuned for an update on our next session to be held later this month, “Philanthropy 101/Investing in Advocacy” hosted by the Jewish Community Foundation.