Advocacy is one of the eight Areas of Responsibility of Health Educators. There are multiple components of successful advocacy, one of which is the ability to develop persuasive messages and materials

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Advocacy is one of the eight Areas of Responsibility of Health Educators. There are multiple components of successful advocacy, one of which is the ability to develop persuasive messages and materials in order to help bring about policy and systemic changes. Everyone has the right to advocate. As a future public health practitioner and health educator, you are in a unique role to better understand the issues affecting health in your community. As such, you are in an important position to advocate for needed changes. Read the following article, https://www.apha.org/-/media/Files/PDF/advocacy/Power_of_Advocacy.ashx  

to learn more about why your voice can help bring about necessary changes so we are able to improve health outcomes for all, but most importantly, close health disparities and help the most vulnerable among us. 

Select a child & adolescent health issue that you want to focus on. Find your local or US legislator’s name and address. Read what committees they serve on and what past legislation relevant to your topic they have written or co-sponsored. Select one policy or piece of legislation related to your topic on the community, state, or federal level (preferably at the local or state level).

You will write a letter to your legislator expressing support or encouraging them to vote against the proposed legislation/policy. In this letter, you will include the rationale for your viewpoint. You must remain objective when presenting the facts. The following resources will help you write the letter: 

https://www.apa.org/advocacy/guide/letter-email

https://www.apa.org/advocacy/guide/sample-letters.pdf

https://www.apha.org/Policies-and-Advocacy/Advocacy-for-Public-Health/Letters-to-Congress-and-federal-agencies

Follow a similar structure. Address your legislator, identify yourself, present the facts, and state clearly what you want/what you’re advocating for. Make sure the message is clear, concise, and compelling. Frame the message to answer the question, “So what?”. And present yourself as an expert resource and provide examples from your community.

You must include at least 3 academic references to support your work. Your letter should be between 1-1.5 pages long. I’m looking for a well-written, factual, and persuasive letter.