By Sydnee Smith
Western Intersectional Lobby Day was held on Feb. 17 and 18. The Student Advocacy and Identity Resource Center, Disability Outreach Center, Ethnic Student Center and Environmental and Sustainability Program partnered on the event.
Each office created an individual agenda to focus on the needs they see within their offices. However, items such as support for sexual assault survivors and sex education in K-12 are items all four offices lobbied on.
James Pai, advocacy director for the ESC, said a main goal for WILD was to break down barriers, as students from marginalized communities and students of color find lobbying inaccessible.
“Everybody realizes and recognizes that there are members of our communities and there are fellow students that go to Western that are in a more vulnerable position, who are not necessarily able to speak up and advocate for themselves,” Pai said. “So, I believe if you have the ability to and if you are willing to do so, it’s your job to be an ally on behalf of your own community, but also members of other marginalized communities.”
Individually, SAIRC lobbied on free menstrual products on college campuses and extended rights and resources to those with mental illness. The ESC lobbied on support for undocumented students and protection for farm workers. The DOC lobbied on extended access to healthcare resources and employment equality for those with disabilities, and the ESP lobbied on carbon-free utilities, a plastic bag ban and a funding request for pre-adjudication for tribal water rights.
Katie Winkelman, the ESP director, said she tried to survey students to see what students cared about and were interested in. ESP also tried to talk with Huxley College of Environment to get their perspective.
Winkelman mentioned how important civic engagement is and how easily it can actually be. As an out of state student, she said she felt very disconnected from policy before attending a lobby day.
“This is an opportunity for students to potentially come to Legislative Affairs Council and say their piece and we’re happy to help go support them lobbying individually on agendas other than our own,” Winkelman said. “So, we try really hard to inform students and say ‘If you don’t agree with this that’s fine, we’re happy to help you write your own agenda and take you down to Olympia still.’”
Approximately 90 students attended WILD to lobby in Olympia, Wash. Students attended legislative meetings, but were able to pick and choose what they wanted to talk about with which legislators and legislative assistants. Students were assigned to meetings based on district and interest.