At Spring Lobby Weekend 2022, hundreds of young adult advocates from all around the United States brought a clear and compelling message to Congress: It’s time for a pathway to citizenship!
More than 400 advocates gathered in-person and online for our first-ever hybrid Spring Lobby Weekend, March 12-15, 2022. We heard from powerful speakers about the decades-long effort to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Together, we discussed the stories we bring to our advocacy, practiced how to lobby, and learned from each other and experts about our policy ask: urging Congress to enact a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million of our undocumented neighbors.
Grounded in our Quaker belief that there is that of God in everyone, on Tuesday, we flooded Capitol Hill, visiting more than 90 congressional offices in person and by phone and video! Our visits were among the first constituent meetings elected officials have hosted since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago for some Congressional offices.
Highlights:
- Building Bridges: Over four memorable days, people of different faiths, political perspectives, migration experiences, and more came together to build relationships and engage lawmakers.
- Different Perspectives, One Goal: We heard from a wide range of speakers on why a new approach on immigration is needed; from Haddy Gassama of the UndocuBlack Network, who helped us understand the racist roots of current immigration policy, to Laura Collins of the George W. Bush Institute who made the point that many conservatives support a pathway to citizenship.
- Powerful Storytelling: Participants brought their own unique experiences to their advocacy. Undocumented young adults and those from mixed-status families courageously shared their stories and, in so doing, profoundly illuminated the urgent need for lawmakers to act.
- Grounded By Our Quaker Faith: The action this week was consistently grounded by times of silent worship, workshops on Quaker advocacy, and our collective leading to uphold the inherent value and agency of every human being.
- More than One Way to Make Change: In addition to learning to lobby, participants explored other ways to be a part of the political process—including running for office, registering to vote, and pursuing careers in nonprofits or working for Congress.
- Powerful Leadership by FCNL Alumni: This event has built up an incredible alumni presence over seven years. Dozens of former FCNL Advocacy Corps members, interns, program assistants, and past Spring Lobby Weekend attendees were a driving force in planning, recruiting, and helping to lead this event!
Watch the Recordings:
Save the Date:
Join Us Next Year in Washington, D.C. - March 25-28, 2023