Over 350 social work students and professionals took part in lobbying in Springfield
Thank you to the over 350 social work students and social work professionals who showed up and showed OUT at our 2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day! We launched a revamped format for this year's Advocacy Day that brought the day's over 350 participants directly into the Illinois Capitol Building for direct lobbying with our state legislators. Together they helped make a difference bringing important issues in motion this session to the forefront.
Essential to helping the day a success were the NASW-Illinois Chapter Lobby Leaders who volunteered their time to learn the building blocks of lobbying—the need for advocacy, coalition building, policy development, and key bills up for discussion the week of Advocacy Day. These skills equipped them to lead groups of social work constituents to the Illinois Capitol Building for direct lobbying with their senators and representatives, explore the capitol, attend committee hearings, and learn more about taking action. Thank you to our volunteer lobby leaders who were essential to making this year's Advocacy Day success!
2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Lobby Leaders
Alan Mares-Green
Aleiya Collins
Angela Cameli
Cameron Shandrow
Casey Callahan
Emaline Cozart
Emily Heagy
Heather Tomlinson
Jonathan Krejci
Kathleen Hidalgo
Kendra Smith
Kimberly Wiley
Kimberly Dressman
Lori Light
Madison Radcliff
Makila Byrd
Mary Sator
Nicole Weaver
Rayne Stokes
Russ Myslewicz
Sedona Smith
Shauna Flanagan
Tasha Johnson
Thank you also to our presenters who helped prepare our Lobby Leaders at our pre–Advocacy Day training:
Kristin Rubbelke, MSW, Lobbyist
Latesha Newson, MSW, LCSW, NASW-Illinois Chapter President
Mike Ziri, Public Policy Director, Equality Illinois
James McIntyre, Senior Director of Government Affairs and Volunteers, CASA Cook of Cook County
Kara Wagner, Social Work Intern, NASW-Illinois Chapter
Renee Facchini Ginzburg, MSW, LSW, Events & Education Coordinator, NASW-Illinois Chapter
Together, we were able to advocate for COMPENSATION for social work student field placements, EQUITY IN ACCESS by providing accommodations for the licensing exams, and SAVING LIVES for social workers who are on the front lines of the opioid crisis. Learn more about this year's bills at the links below.
For those who were unable to take part in the day's activities, you can still show your support by submitting an advocacy alert in support of SB2222 SA1. Urge your legislator today to support paid social work field placements for students by submitting this advocacy alert!
Photos from 2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day
Check out all of the day's activities and images on our our Facebook and Instagram accounts or see our gallery below of some of the images shared with us!
