Explore Tips and Tools to Strengthen Your Advocacy Skills
New officials are serving in the state legislature, county boards, and city governments. Knowing who to contact is the first step toward getting involved. Use these links to identify your elected officials:
Real connection starts with listening. It’s how we learn from one another, find common ground, and begin to move forward together. Exploring perspectives that differ from your own can help you better understand the issue and refine how you communicate your position, especially to those who are undecided. This applies to genuine, good-faith disagreements rooted in facts—not efforts intended to mislead or divide.
You won’t always have the answer—and that’s okay. It’s far better to be honest than to guess or make something up. Saying “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and get back to you” builds credibility and shows integrity.
Pro tip: If you say you’ll follow up, make sure you do. Following through shows reliability and respect.
Working on policy issues like basic needs and justice can feel heavy. It’s easy to forget that rest matters too. But if you don’t take care of yourself, you can burn out.
These practices can help you stay grounded:
Most policymaking bodies, from neighborhood groups to Congress, have rules that can be confusing. There is usually no simple guide, and missing one step can delay progress for weeks. Try to learn the process or connect with someone who understands it, like your elected official. If you already know how it works, share what you know with others.
You don’t need to know everything to make a difference—no one does! Your lived experience, knowledge, and passion are valuable and lawmakers need to hear them. The Capitol can feel overwhelming, especially if you haven’t seen yourself or your community represented there. But everyone brings a different perspective, and that’s exactly what makes policy stronger. Your voice matters. Trust what you know, speak up, and encourage others to do the same.
Voting is one way we shape our communities. Use these resources to learn about upcoming elections, registration deadlines, and how to make your vote count.
Visit Ramsey County Elections for everything you need to vote—how to register, where to vote, what’s on your ballot, and key election dates.
Head to the Minnesota Secretary of State site to check registration status, learn about voting rules, find absentee ballot information, and access statewide election resources.
Explore Nonprofit Vote for nonpartisan resources to help communities register, vote, and stay engaged in elections—especially through the power of nonprofits.
Your lived experience and voice can help shape policies that matter.
Enter your email to stay up-to-date on Wilder news, research, events, and more.
© 2025 Wilder Foundation
items marked with an * are required
