Have you met that person that pours all their energy into helping the group/cause they feel deserves it? I mean 100% all the time, every time? This is not about them.

We have to challenge anemic advocacy. Those that need advocates are weak. They cannot defend themselves and often, they are trying their best to fight the good fight. Some of us have the power, privilege and opportunity to help. So we join in.

Are you a senior employee? a manager? Perhaps in academia, you are a graduate student, faculty member or administrator. Perhaps even a Tenured Professor (I always picture Dumbledore). You have more power than any undergrad and in the case of a tenured professor, much more power than graduate students and new faculty.

So look and listen. Your employees/students are suffering. Something is wrong, on every campus, in every business.

if you have not helped to shine a light on one challenge this year, you are not advocating for those who need you. If your reasoning includes:
“This place will never change”, “I do not have the power”, “that is not my responsibility”… you are wrong.

Don’t be an anemic advocate. Strengthen your advocacy by feeding it with knowledge of the groups around you and their challenges, knowledge of the pathways to change, and knowledge of historic successes and failures.

Share with me what group/cause you need advocacy for and I will share through this page (when appropriate). Make sure to tell me what you have or are willing to do for your group and share any tangible efforts you have completed already.

Leno