How do communities compel their representatives to take courageous votes to pass worker and climate-friendly policies - even when they have corporate interests in their ear?
Last fall I had the honor to interview Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-27 - San Jose) during my advocacy webinar “All Politics is Local” How Communities can Build Political Power. Mr. Kalra represents the city of San Jose and made history in 2016 as the first Indian-American elected to the California Legislature. An unapologetic champion for working families, he is Chair of the California Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment and was elected last year as Chair of the Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Assemblymember Kalra offers actionable advice for grassroots advocates on how to engage with their legislators to build a stronger voice in what happens in the California Legislature.
We discuss:
02:33 - Building real relationships means you don’t just show up when you want something
07:38 - Local government is where the real power lies
10:03 - Groups without PACs can still hold a lot of influence
13:07 - Creating the space for lawmakers to be courageous
13:49 - How to make your lobby visits more effective
16:19 - How to hold lawmakers accountable
Read the full transcript here: https://www.kbhadvocacy.com/podcast/lobbyingtomakechange/#transcript
Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy - https://www.kbhadvocacy.com/
Find me on Twitter at @kbashamilton and let me know what you think about this episode.
https://twitter.com/kbashamilton
This episode is sponsored by:
• FastDemocracy is a streamlined and easy-to-use bill tracker that saves you time and allows you to focus on what really matters — advocating for policy. Visit http://www.fastdemocracy.com to learn more and don't forget to use the promo code BLUEPRINT.
• Subtext helps you build genuine connections with your biggest supporters over text. Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects hosts with subscribers free from the chaos of social media and the clutter of email. Go to http://www.joinsubtext.com.
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