Advocating for Climate Change Action

Since 2015, FCNL’s Advocacy Corps has connected young, local activists with their members of Congress. This annual program helps youth to develop their skills to become effective social justice advocates.

Members of the 2017-2018 Advocacy Corps gather in D.C. for FCNL's Annual Meeting. — Members of the 2017-2018 Advocacy Corps gather in D.C. for FCNL’s Annual Meeting.

Each cohort focuses their advocacy on one particular issue that FCNL works on. The 2017-2018 Advocacy Corps focused on affecting meaningful, bipartisan action on climate change.

Over the 10 months of their work, the advocates participated in 165 lobby visits that involved getting 586 constituents into congressional offices. The group published 77 op-eds and letters to the editors in their local papers. They worked hard to engage their communities and make their voices heard in many ways.

Angela Nalubega brought a staff member from the office of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to Antioch College. The staffer talked with 37 students, faculty, and staff about protecting the environment and making climate change a national priority.

Corena Owens and a group of Girl Scouts spoke with Rep. David Price (D-NC-04). They asked him to join the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and support environmental funding.

Morgan Mack published a letter to the editor in Wayne County Indivisible Newsletter, calling out the record-breaking qualities of 2017’s hurricanes. He urged his representative, Luke Messer (R-IN-06), to address climate change.

Itzel Perez Hernandez wrote to the Atlantic Highlands Herald to highlight the connection between environmental issues and women’s rights.

Benjamin Wertz advocated for Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN-05) to co-sponsor H.R. 3681, the 2017 ARPA-E Reauthorization Act. She agreed to co-sponsor the bill due in large part to Wertz’s discussions with her office.

This summer, the 2018-2019 Advocacy Corps will begin their 10-day summer intensive training in July in Washington, DC.

The new class of advocates will be organizing their local communities to influence federal legislation that promoted the militarization of local police forces. The members of the 2018-2019 Advocacy Corps are: