ENHANCING ADVOCACY SKILLS

Giving Testimony on Clear Creek and other Issues

CA STATE PARK OHMVR COMMMISSION MTG

 

ENHANCING ADVOCACY SKILLS

 By Don Amador

President, Quiet Warrior Racing

Oct. 30, 2023

 

One key takeaway from the recent CA State Park OHMVR Commission meeting and field trip was the clear message given by the State Park Director, Armando Quintero, to a large group of youthful participants from several local conservation corps and others in the audience that volunteering to serve on government or non-profit boards and commissions is not only a noble endeavor but an effective way to learn public speaking, running meetings, and understanding/navigating/managing a bureaucracy.

New OHMVR Commissioner, Kat Anderson (L) - OHMVRD Dep. Dir., Sarah Miggins (C)

and  State Park Director, Armando Quintero (R) at Commission Field Trip to Carnegie SVRA

Over the years, I have had several members from the OHV community ask me how they could become an advocate for motorized recreation.  I first tell them there are no short-cuts in the field of advocacy and they need to develop their skill-craft in the field of politics and the public process.

 

As Quintero pointed out, there are many opportunities to develop your advocacy and people skills

by serving as a member on a school board, a park or planning commission, or agency resource advisory council.

 

CAL-SPAN VIDEO OF OCT. 26 OHMVR COMMISSION *Good information!

https://cal-span.org/meeting/ohmvr_20231026/

 

Since “All OHV decisions are political decisions” an aspiring advocate should volunteer on political campaigns to support a candidate or issue to better understand how government sausage is made.

CA OHMVR Commission

 

Volunteering on numerous state and federal political campaigns in the early 1990s is how I learned to hone my advocacy skills so I could champion environmentally sound OHV recreation and natural resource management in an effective manner.

 

At the same time, I served on a local school board and was appointed to the CA OHMVR Commission by Governor Pete Wilson. 

 

You also have to show up at meetings and forums to practice your presentations and observe how effective (and non-effective) advocates give testimony and otherwise engage in the public process.  And, engage with stakeholders you interface with so they know you are committed to building a strong professional and/or personal relationship with them.  They want to know their effort in this two-way process will not be a waste of time and resources.

Demo of 4WD Challenge Course at Prairie City SVRA

 

Nothing in OHV is ever easy, but building your advocacy career on a sound foundation will help you achieve your goal and that is a very good thing!  Future generations of outdoor recreationists will be in your debt.

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