Advocacy

• Is there a social justice issue you really care about?
• Do you want to learn how to make change in your community?
• Are you ready to move from talking about these issues to gaining skills that will help you take action and be an agent of change?

The Center for Civic Engagement offers a variety of programs to help you explore social justice issues, develop advocacy skills, and take action. Our advocacy work focuses on providing leadership and support for social issues affecting our campus and communities. We collaborate with campus and community organizations to help raise awareness of and address the pressing social issues of our time. From meeting with students one-on-one to hosting a community-wide annual Advocacy Conference, the CCE has opportunities for all students interested in advocacy and making change.

Annual Advocacy Conference: For People Who Want to Take Action

Salem State’s annual Advocacy Conference includes guest speakers and workshops for students who are interested in learning about social justice issues and gaining activist skills. Social justice issues addressed in previous years have included: immigration, voting rights, women’s rights, economic and housing justice, racial justice, and LGBTQ rights, among others.

Learn about the 6th Annual Advocacy Conference and 2022 Advocacy Month at Salem State.

These annual conferences are open to the public. Please contact the Center for Civic Engagement if you, your organization, or your school are interested in attending. Learn more about past Advocacy Conferences.

Advocacy Education

The Center for Civic Engagement provides curricular and co-curricular programming around advocacy and social justice through classroom workshops, talks and panels, consultations to create advocacy plans, educational teach-ins and more. Learn more about advocacy education opportunities:

Advocacy in the Classroom Workshops

• Students identify social justice issues they are passionate about
• Students recognize personal strengths and how to apply them to advocate for change
• Students discover how to become engaged in the community
• Students identify their elected officials and learn how to effectively utilize them in the advocacy process

Talks and Panels

• Featuring local representatives and other advocacy experts to educate students on advocacy issues

• Learn more about recent advocacy talks and panels

Advocacy Plan Consulting

• Students or student organizations can meet one-on-one with a member of the Center to develop a plan to advocate for a change in their community. Contact the Center to schedule a consultation.

Educational Teach-Ins

• The Center supports and participates in educational teach-ins that address social justice issues.
• A recent example includes the Salem State University Teach-In for the Cherish Act and public higher education funding.

Just-in-time Advocacy 

Just-in-time Advocacy responds to issues that arise on campus, in the community or the world through advocacy education and outreach, like postcard parties, petitioning, or guest speakers. Past initiatives included advocacy for DACA, TRiO, and Mental Health. Please contact the center to share ideas for current issues we can respond to with just-in-time advocacy.

Contact your Elected Officials

One way to be an effective advocate is by contacting your elected officials to express your views and concerns for issues you care about. These officials are elected to represent you when making decisions about laws, services, and budgets. In order to accurately represent you, they need to hear from you to understand your values and issues that are important to you. You can do this by writing a letter, making a phone call, sending an email, or even scheduling a time to meet with them in person! Find your federal, state, and local elected officials and their contact information.