Chapters Host State Advocacy Days
While a State Advocacy Day technically lasts only one day, it will create opportunities for sustained engagement with policymakers. Advocacy is a marathon effort.
Matthew Gallagher
2023-04-18
ASLA State Government Affairs highly encourages all Chapters to plan and host State Advocacy Days. These events serve three main purposes: 1) advancing legislation that will support landscape architects, 2) educating lawmakers about the health, safety, and welfare aspects of the profession, and 3) developing lasting relationships with state representatives. These effects will help to prevent misconceptions about the work of landscape architects and therefore help preempt threats to licensure.
To date, the following 11 Chapters have successfully completed this effort in 2023 – New Mexico, Kentucky, Texas, Alaska, St. Louis, Georgia, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, and Vermont. Additional Chapters are anticipated to host similar events later this year, including Pennsylvania-Delaware, New York and NY Upstate, and North Carolina.
While a State Advocacy Day technically lasts only one day, it will create opportunities for sustained engagement with policymakers. Advocacy is a marathon effort. So, when thanking or following up with representatives for taking the initial meeting, Chapters are encouraged to extend invitations to tour a site in the district. For many policymakers, seeing is believing. Advocacy is strongest when a site itself is shown demonstrating its health, safety, and welfare benefits.
ASLA State Government Affairs is available to assist Chapters in the logistics of hosting a State Advocacy Day, including helping to identify promising legislation to advocate on. Questions may be directed to governmentaffairs@asla.org.