Political advocacy training workshop scheduled
SALT LAKE CITY — Feeling passionate about social justice issues and communicating a message that will be heard can be a difficult thing for many in today’s world. While contacting a legislator is easy with email, phone and text, how can you ensure your message even gets through?
That subject will be addressed in an upcoming workshop, “Meddle in Politics Part II,” sponsored by the Diocese of Salt Lake City. The event is an outgrowth of the first workshop on Jan. 13.
“We had a very good crowd at the first workshop, and there was a lot of interest in getting involved in advocacy,” said Jean Hill, the diocese’s government liaison and director of the Peace and Justice Ministry.
In the second workshop, Hill will walk participants through the process of creating an impactful message and preparing to talk one on one with elected representatives.
The workshop will not focus on specific issues, Hill said; instead, “participants will be given the tools to craft a message so that folks can take the issues that matter most to them and craft a message that will be heard.”
At the workshop, participants will be given a list of do’s and don’ts regarding how to communicate their message. In addition, a panel of elected officials and lobbyists who often receive such messages will share their experiences and give participants advice on reaching their legislators.
Tony and Diana Hanebrink brought a group of eight from St. Joseph Parish in Ogden to the first workshop.
“I was very excited to participate because we do have an obligation as citizens to try and change the systems that keep people in situations that do not match the Gospels,” Tony Hanebrink said. “Jesus said, ‘I am come that I might have life and have it to the fullest.’”
The workshop gave him and his wife the confidence to travel to the Utah Capitol and express their support of a bill to abolish the death penalty to their representative and senator during this year’s legislative session, he said.
“They were surprised to see someone who wasn’t a lobbyist,” he said.
Hanebrink’s political advocacy was born during a 2010 trip he and his wife took to Oberammergau, Germany to see the Passion Play, he said. When their flight home was unexpectedly delayed, the group the Hanebrinks were with decided to visit Dachau, the WWII German concentration camp.
“As we were walking to the camp, I kept thinking, ‘Why didn’t these people, the German people who saw them being herded out there, do something about it?’” he said. “With the Dreamers of today, if we do not speak up, we are like the people of Dachau.”
Hanebrink will be unable to attend the May 3 event, but people from his parish will be bringing him back their notes, he said.
He encouraged Church members to get involved in politics and to attend the event.
“Even if you didn’t make it to the first workshop, you will get enough out of the second to make it worthwhile,” he said.
Both workshops take their titles from remarks by Pope Francis where he urged Catholics to get involved with social issues.
“A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself, so that those who govern can govern,” the Holy Father said during his daily homily on Sept. 16, 2013 at Santa Marta.
WHAT: Meddle in Politics Part II
WHEN: Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m. – noon
WHERE: Diocese of Salt Lake City Pastoral Center, 27 C St., SLC
Free, but registration required; visit https://www.dioslc.org/about-us/diocese-calendar/special-events/50-messaging-for-justice.
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