"Anybody can do this. We all have something in ourselves that we can express that is important to contribute to the democratic process."
- Margaret Brodkin, Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth

• Public Hearings
  "We can't go to the Mayor and just say, 'hey, you know, you've gotta do this, you've gotta help us,' and talk to him like streetwise…[you have to] talk to people the right way."
  - Vanessa Calederon, age 18
  
  
• Meeting with Elected Officials or Department Heads
  You may think that as a parent or a young person you could never have a meeting with an elected official. You are wrong. Most elected officials know their future rests on their relationship with the voters, which is why they devote so much of their staff's time to constituent services. Having elected officials hear directly from voters is a very, very important part of democracy. Don't forget – you are future voters, and politicians know that.
  
  
• Calling & Writing
  The two simplest and most common way that parents and youth can influence public officials are phone calls and letters. They are extremely important. Phone calls on issues are tallied and reported regularly to the elected official. And since it takes time to write letters, particularly personal ones, they are much more rare than you think. I have known legislators who think two letters on an issue represent a call for action. Letters are particularly effective because they create a tangible document that can be circulated and kept in the file for a long time and (for most elected officials), they require a response.
  
  
• Utilizing the Media
  Know what inspires the media: conflict and controversy; scandal and corruption; horror stories; inspirational stories; unique approaches to solving problems.
  
  
• Child-friendly voting
  "I have to be honest with you. I didn't vote until I started working here. And now, all the women that I used to sit in clutches and we'd talk about how black people will always be down…those women vote too, because we've seen the changes that we make."
  - Josefa Perez, mother of 7