| Pathwaves Fellows had the opportunity to play key roles in planning Advocacy Days with their placement sites. These events serve as an opportunity for community advocates to come to Olympia and learn about the legislative process, share their stories, meet with legislators, and ultimately advocate for policies that support children and families across the state. Three Pathwaves Fellows – Sandy Diaz, Fernanda Martinez Novoa, and Maya Ewings – share their experiences supporting their placement sites’ Advocacy Day activities this legislative session. Sandy Diaz, Pathwaves Fellow at WSA, supported “Have a Heart for Kids Day”, which included over 300 participants from every corner of the state. She shares,“two words really stick out to me when I reflect on Advocacy Day 2024: empowerment and community. Throughout the event, I heard from several Parent Ambassadors that they were able to connect with legislators and share their stories to support the issues they’re advocating for this session. It inspires me to witness their tenacity. Additionally, Advocacy Day allows for connections to be built between various organizations working on the same issue area, who may not always align on policy development or solutions. Advocacy Day provides opportunities to hear each others’ ideas and experiences that inform their positions on various issues. It allows for participants to expand their understanding of the needs and challenges facing our children and families in Washington state. I look forward to seeing how I can contribute to Advocacy Day next year as I continue to grow as a leader.” Maya Ewings, Pathwaves Fellow at Washington Communities for Children, helped develop the organization’s first legislative agenda. She shares, “In years passed, we have made budget requests, but this year we supported bills in the areas of coordinating health care and early learning systems, increased quality of life for workers compensation, and supporting early learning in childcare deserts. We were also in alignment with the Early Learning Coordination Plan (ELCP) Outcome Areas. On January 30th, we hosted a networking dinner to bring together advocates from across the state. For many of us, it was the first time we were able to meet in person after months of working together virtually. The next day, we hosted our Advocacy Day at the capitol, which included over 50 meetings with legislators. Fernanda Martinez Novoa, Pathwaves Fellow at Akin (formerly Children’s Home Society of Washington & Childhaven), explains that Advocacy Day was an important opportunity to spread a culture of advocacy within their new organization. She shares, “As a new organization, Advocacy Day allowed us to develop a stronger sense of our purpose together. For people whose primary role is not advocacy, it was a great opportunity to participate in the legislative session. Folks with lots of different backgrounds, interests, and skills were able to show up and take action. It was also an opportunity for capacity building. For example, one of our parent advocates impressed us so much at Advocacy Day that we invited her to be a part of our advocacy team moving forward. Pathwaves is proud of our Fellows’ engagement and continued leadership during this legislative session, taking on key roles to advocate for policies that impact the lives of children and families in Washington State. Interested in learning more about the Pathwaves Fellowship? Connect with us using this Interest Form. |
