Annual Report - Lutheran Services in America

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The National
Listen to the Sound of
Digital Voices
While engaging its
members on broad issues
of social change, LSA and
LSA Disability Network
focus on practice-based
public policy advocacy. LSA-DN’s public
policy priorities engage members to educate
policy makers and shape public opinion
on issues related to supporting people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities
in the community through Medicaid. Meg
Cooch is the Director of Public Policy and
Advocacy for LSA Disability Network. Also
in DC is Robert Francis, Director of Advocacy
and Policy for LSA.
A compelling story can engage people,
encourage understanding and empathy
and forward legislative action. The unique
voices of real people can highlight positive
outcomes and lift up needed policy changes.
LSA organizations harness the storytelling
power of video, written word and social
media to educate policy makers and the
public, articulate public policy problems and
identify legislative solutions – especially in an
election year.
Members of Lutheran Services in
America Disability Network (LSA-DN) are
telling our stories in new and different ways.
At October’s One God One Call Spiritual Life
Conference, a videographer captured 16
stories from people who have disabilities and
their families, members of congregations and
service providers. They talked about what
living in the community meant to them, how
Medicaid impacts their lives, and what they
would like to tell legislators. The results are on
the “Lutheran Disability Network” channel at
www.youtube.com. LSA-DN is working on a
short advocacy video that draws from clips of
all participants as well.
Lutheran social ministry
organizations are healthy and
vital, engaged in effective
service and advocacy.
LSA members also frequently use video
technology to spread a message. Bethesda
Lutheran Communities has given inexpensive
handheld flip video cameras to direct support
professionals to capture stories and advocacy
messages from participants. These have
then been posted on YouTube under the
“Bethesda Voices” channel and shared with
legislators in their districts. Lutheran Social
Service of Minnesota helped put together
a documentary for public television which
included participants telling their stories
about employment and community living.
LSS sent DVDs of this documentary to local
congregations with a guide on how to use it
to discuss disability and faith. There are many
more stories. To learn more, check out www.
lutheranservices.org/policy_resources.
Meg Cooch
Election Megaphones
Election
season is a
great time to
harness the
power of stories
to educate candidates and raise
awareness about key issues.
Be creative in shouting out the
stories that highlight policy
successes, opportunities and
challenges facing participants
and social ministry organizations:
• Purchase flip video cameras for
staff and participants to capture
the issues they care about most in
the election and share the stories
with candidates;
• Create questions for
candidates on the issues and
share them with staff, board
members, consumers, families
and volunteers so they can ask
candidates for responses;
• Invite candidates to visit your
sites and experience a “day in the
life of” one of your participants;
• Use social media to spread
stories and encourage candidates
to answer questions on issues
that impact your participants;
• Attend town hall meetings
and fairs where candidates will
be present and tell stories of
participants;
• Consider planning a
candidates’ forum to raise issues
and allow people to tell their
stories directly to candidates.
LSA-DN has created a guide
to questions for candidates on
Medicaid and disability issues.
You can download it at www.
lsa-dn.org. Check out LSA policy
and advocacy pages in the www.
lutheranservices.org or www.
lsadnadvocacy.org for more
information about storytelling
and election year activities.
14 Together | www.lutheranservices.org