By Lorna Fowler
During our trip to Washington, D.C. with the College Ministry at Ardmore Baptist Church, we explored the deep-rooted histories of injustice in the United States and participated in advocacy training through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. This experience opened my eyes to the connection between faith, justice and civic engagement, and how ordinary people have the ability to ignite change.
Jennifer Hawks, Director of Advocacy for CBF, led our training and helped us get connected with a staffer from one of our congressional representatives. I had never done advocacy work before and it always seemed like something too far beyond me, reserved for experts and professionals. But Jennifer showed us that advocacy is simply an intentional conversation, guided by personal stories and beliefs. She didn’t just teach us a “how to” course on advocacy, but reminded us why it matters. It’s about realizing your voice matters and confronting the systems of injustice by bringing real people and stories into the spaces where decisions are made.
After the training, we met with a staffer from Representative Pat Harrigan’s office. I had never been in a congressional office before and that alone terrified me. I was anxious to stand up for what I believed in and to share personal stories but the staffer listened attentively as we shared our thoughts and frustrations. The conversation made me realize how important it is to use my voice for something bigger than myself.
Earlier in the trip, we visited the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. These visits were crucial to understanding the deep-rooted histories of injustice in our country that are still present today. The patterns we saw in those exhibits haven’t disappeared, they have just taken on new forms. These museums helped me to see that while it is important to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, it is equally important to support those who can. A quote by Maya Angelou especially resonated with me and with the purpose of this trip: “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”
This trip deeply impacted me, not only in my personal beliefs, but also in my spiritual life. I now see advocacy not as an optional action, but as a calling. We are not meant to be passive, but to act so that history is not re-lived. Advocacy is not just for experts, it is for anyone who believes in hope and refuses to be silent in the face of injustice. You don’t have to be in D.C. to make a difference. Advocacy is everywhere and it begins with the courage to speak up.