Advocates Academy

April 26, 2023 

It is the job of our elected officials to hold public hearings and solicit public comment on a wide variety of issues. Whether you are advocating for an issue at your local town hall meeting or at the state legislature, learning how to prepare written and oral testimony is a foundational skill that will help you be a more effective advocate. 

At this Advocates Academy training, we review how to approach preparing written and oral testimony and the key components that will make your testimony effective.  

Resources: 

Preparing Oral and Written Testimony Slide Deck 

Recording of the training 

Preparing Testimony Worksheet 

Written Testimony Example 

Oral Testimony Example 

March 11, 2023 

They say all politics is local, but have you ever wondered where to get started? This workshop explored how local government works and how to take the first steps to make change for your community. 

Resources: 

Presentation Slide Deck 

Municipal Worksheet to get started understanding your local government 

February 23, 2023 

Have you ever wondered how laws are made in Massachusetts? Have you been interested in a bill or issue but you're not sure how to track its progress? 

If so, you're not alone. This training looked at the structure of our state legislature, what happens over the course of our 2-year legislative session, and different scenarios for how a bill becomes law. 

Hosted in collaboration with the Boston Public Library.  

Resources: 

Presentation Slide Deck

March 14, 2024 

"Lobbying" is just a fancy term for having a conversation with your legislator about an issue you care about. At this training we discussed how to schedule a lobby meeting, how to prepare for your visit, and best practices when speaking with your legislators. We also reviewed some of the ACLU's top legislative priorities (March 2024). Following the training, we're happy to work with you one-on-one and help you and others from your legislative district get set up for a lobby visit!

Resources:

Presentation slide deck

October 4, 2023 

Moderator 

Carole Copeland Thomas, Interim Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Curry College

Panelists

Pamela Hayes-Bohanan, Bridgewater State University, Senior Librarian

Jed Phillips, Bridgewater Public Library, Director

Kristine Richards, Bridgewater/Raynham School District, Coordinator of Teaching & Learning

Laura Rotolo, ACLU MA, Field Director

Resources:

Forum Video

Presentation Slide Deck

https://www.bccrcivilrights.org/

October 17,2023

Across the country, there is a coordinated attempt to restrict what students can learn, teachers can teach, and libraries can lend. But it's not just happening in other states – it's happening here at home.

In Massachusetts, there were at least 45 attempts to restrict access to books last year, with 57 titles challenged. The vast majority of calls to ban books specifically aim to remove books that are by and about LGBTQ people, communities of color, and other marginalized groups. Massachusetts students have a right to learn in an environment where they feel valued and can think for themselves.

Check out the recording from our Advocates Academy training to learn more about what's happening in Massachusetts, what your rights are, and how to organize against attempts to restrict students' right to learn. This workshop was done in partnership with GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).

Resources:

Webinar Video

Presentation Slide Deck PDF)

Right to Learn (Resource Page)