Amy Roark is a member of the Poverty Reduction Work Group Steering Committee, the Campaign for Cash, and many other groups working to advocate for low-income Washingtonians. In this blog post, she shares her story of becoming an advocate.

Amy Roark celebrates this year’s victory for dental care access.

“As a person who has given testimony over 15 times, I still get nervous to stand up in front of lawmakers or even speak to them remotely. I am not a public speaker; I am just a citizen trying to use her voice to make an impact.

“It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to tell our state’s decision-makers about what is important to you. Hearing your experience, perspective, and values can open a lawmakers’ mind and convince them to advocate for good policies. It can also change how they interact with community members and create better working relationships with people who are in poverty or are part of a marginalized community. Legislators look to you to be the expert in your life, which you are!

“We also often think that one voice doesn’t matter – but it does. Speaking out on an issue can not only make a difference for you, but for others in a similar situation. I often advocate for parents and caregivers as well as children, and many parents do not have the time to attend the things that I attend and advocate for themselves.”

Read the full post on the Poverty Action Blog.