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.In fact, the products individuals use on a daily basiscontain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, and infertility.Inresponse to this problem, Jessica was one of the five founding members ofTeens for Safe Cosmetics, a teen-led coalition striving to ban toxic chemicalsfrom cosmetics and personal care products.Over the course of four years, Teens for Safe Cosmetics hosted annualteen summits and monthly advocacy events and helped pass a proposed billinto law.Drafted by a state legislator, SB484, a bill requiring cosmeticmanufacturers to disclose carcinogenic ingredients to the public, was the firstpiece of legislation regulating the cosmetic industry.Teens for Safe Cosmeticsheld press conferences and went to the state capitol four times to meet withlegislators and gain support for the passage of this bill.Although the cosmeticindustry spent millions of dollars in lobbying efforts to oppose the legislation,SB484 was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Octoberof 2005.Next, the teens returned to the state capital to lobby for the Toxic ToysBill, to ban phthalates from children s toys and baby bottle nipples.Phthalates,which are added to plastics to make them more durable and flexible, areconsidered a health risk and are being phased out of products in Europe andthe United States.When Jessica learned that Governor Schwarzeneggerintended to veto the bill, she and her friends lobbied him directly, educatinghim about the health impacts.This new bill became law in October 2007.Helping pass two state laws reinforced for Jessica the idea that any individual,regardless of age or experience, can make a difference.  Youth should know that OFFICIALS IN CONGRESS AREWAITING TO HEAR FROM US.We are the  good guys because we are somotivated to make positive social change. - JESSICA ASSAFSometimes elected officials aren t willing to meet with you on your issue,or refuse to take action after repeated meetings.When this is the case, you canlook to  bird-dogging opportunities to embarrass them or encourage them todo the right thing in front of a wider audience.Bird-doggingBird-dogging refers to attending public events where a candidate forpublic office or an elected representative will appear and calling on him or herto publicly address an issue, support your cause, or reconsider a stance he orshe has already taken.Your bold, vocal presence at public events on thecampaign trail can capture media attention and force the candidate to addressyour issues.At some events the candidates will open up a  question and answersession for the public; other times your group will have to be more forwardand simply shout out your question or your message.You may not know inadvance what to expect; in the beginning of the event, have one of your teammembers search for an event coordinator and ask whether the public will beinvited to pose questions.Prepare your team to ask focused questions about your issue that willinvite a real conversation and try to get the candidate s position stated on therecord in front of the media.Speaking up publicly at a rally or pressconference is not for the faint of heart, so practice in advance, or give this jobto the most vocal and confident members of your group.Chances are you willget only one opportunity to speak, if any, so stay on point and use yourmoment wisely.To bird-dog successfully, it can be a good idea to unite your team withvisuals, like posters, pins, or T-shirts.Even a small group of individualswearing T-shirts or holding signs with a unified message and colors can helpyou stand out in a large crowd, particularly if the public is not given anopportunity to speak.Creative tactics and visuals help.During the 2000 presidential campaignmy friends dressed up as caped crusaders  Captain Climate and  BoyAtmosphere, in colorful and hilarious spandex costumes, calling onRepublican presidential candidate John McCain to take a stance on globalwarming.They captured the attention of McCain and his staff, and McCainultimately drafted the first climate change bill brought before the Senate.Notonly did the bird-dogging end up catalyzing a series of senate hearings anddiscussions on climate change, but also the caped crusaders were immortalizedin a newspaper comic strip and multiple stories.Bird-dogging can be playfuland fun while being effective!Public HearingsDecision-making bodies such as Congress, as well as city councils,boards of county commissioners, and planning commissions, often hostopportunities to hear from constituents about particular issues.For example, alocal government may hold a public hearing to gather public input on acontroversial development plan.Your organizational allies should be informedabout upcoming hearing dates.State or federal legislative committees and subcommittees may solicitpublic testimony on a proposed piece of legislation; upcoming federal hearingsare listed at www.capitolhearings.org [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]