ATXEJ Training: Power Mapping and Lobbying at City Hall

From the Sierra Club’s Austin Environmental Justice Team (ATXEJ) –

We march, we sign petitions, we testify, we rally, we call, we email. We lobby. Together these are just some of the tools in the greater toolbox for justice.

At this short workshop we’ll zero on in two key pieces of influencing decision-makers on policy issues: power mapping and in-person lobbying. We’ll also provide a brief overview of how strategic mobilizations, community partnerships, and direct action can serve to create leverage for negotiating better policy outcomes in halls of government power.

It’s time to swing into action for climate justice in Austin! Your voices are needed now to lobby city council members to make Austin a national leader in climate protection by committing to power our city with carbon-free sources of energy by 2030. This is a very winnable goal, all we have to do is make ourselves heard.

Your voices are incredibly important and powerful in this moment. When climate deniers like Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott want to increase fossil fuel investments and withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords, it is critical that we do all we can to fight at the local city government level.

Mass demonstrations are important, but we can’t expect to win without learning how to meet with and communicate effectively with decision makers. Come and learn which council members have power in particular areas, how decisions are influenced, and how to convey your perspective and needs to your elected representatives.

We’ve won many local climate and environmental justice victories over the past 3 years due to a combination of power in the streets and people power in the halls of government. Let’s do it again.