Advocating for Advocacy

by Sruthi Rao

July 20, 2015

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for what is conventionally known in my family as “changing the world.” My younger self was caught up in the grandeur of this notion — as a child of immigrants who worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for their children, I wanted to pay it forward and dedicate myself to making other people’s lives better.

I think one of the most difficult obstacles in social justice and advocacy is the disillusionment that accompanies campaigning for a cause. In the face of mainstream opposition, of a stagnated legislative process, of simple public apathy, it becomes tough to maintain a positive attitude. And as I have grown older and learned more about the world we live in, I have struggled with this.

But as a Summer Leader at Women Employed, I have learned that this is an organization that does not fall into the disillusionment trap — and that advocacy is worth advocating for.

As a team of interns, we have worked on a number of projects in the last few weeks. These include researching financial aid programs in the state, discussing issues pertaining to working women, and learning about community organizing and social justice. But the largest of our projects has been interviewing women working in the retail sectors about their schedules and how the scheduling practices negatively impact their lives.

These opportunities have given me the chance to directly engage with passionate, hard-working women who are committed to supporting and encouraging the work and success of others, and most importantly, convinced me that advocacy is a cause in itself. My time at Women Employed has shown me that people power is a force worth reckoning with, and that there are a number of strong, like-minded individuals who are dedicated to changing the world — my fellow interns are the first I think of!

Thus, this summer at Women Employed gives me hope for the future — not only for my own career, but also for the future of advocacy. We can change the world, as long as we remember that we are not alone.