From Isolation to Empowerment: My Journey at Advocacy Days 2024

By Mary Lu Schmid, Policy Coordinator

As I navigated my first-ever work trip to Washington, DC, I found myself in a conference room, surrounded by over 200 advocates – true superheroes in every sense. We were there to absorb, exchange, and elevate each other’s stories.

Half a year ago, I was a case manager working with teenagers who’d immigrated to the US without their grown-ups. My job was to help them start their healing journeys, often before they recognized themselves as survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). There, we celebrated each other’s strengths, resilience, and talents, yet I frequently felt isolated and powerless.

But at Advocacy Days, over 200 like-minded people gathered to transform that sense of isolation into a powerful collective force. I am proud to call two of these incredible change-makers my colleagues – Manager of Public Policy Yasmin Campos-Mendez, and Policy and Advocacy Intern Roselyn Ovalle, whom I met in person for the first time at this event.

We convened to share knowledge about our communities’ needs and channel that collective wisdom into meaningful action. This convergence of voices, orchestrated by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV), culminated in conversations with legislators and a moment of camaraderie at the evening reception.

I learned much from discussions with GBV advocates from a myriad of organizations and coalitions. Connecting with leaders like Executive Director of the Iowa State Coalition Against Domestic Violence Dr. Maria Corona,  and Executive Director of Violence Free Minnesota Guadalupe Lopez, enlightened me. As Policy Coordinator at Esperanza United, I am well-versed in policy priorities like passing the WISE Act and lifting caps on U visas and Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status. However, this event illuminated the diverse challenges faced by different state coalitions and the variety of legislation required to address the needs of all survivors.

Director of the Office on Violence Against Women and former Senior Director of Public Policy at Esperanza United Rosie Hidalgo brought home the significance of this knowledge-sharing. She recounted her advocacy for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 2013. Critics questioned why advocates pushed for “controversial” inclusions, such as protections for the LGBTQIA+ community and additional safeguards for immigrants and tribal communities. Her response was a powerful reminder that our advocacy is for every survivor, transcending individual and community boundaries. We may not be experts on every issue, but we must know each other well enough to refer to those who are.

Building on this spirit of inclusive advocacy, the Congressional reception we attended was particularly poignant. We listened to the powerful testimony of Congresswoman Cori Bush from Missouri, a survivor who courageously shared her experience. Her words resonated deeply with me: “You all are bringing the resources. You’re bringing all of the challenges straight to the front to the people who need it: the legislators.” This affirmation of our work underscored the importance of our collective advocacy.

NNEDV and NAESV did an outstanding job of encouraging us to amplify our local stories and demonstrate the impact of federal policies. They provided one-pagers and statistics to support our narratives with solid, quantitative evidence. Heartfelt thanks go to Francesca Caal Skonos for organizing this transformative event and to NNEDV and NAESV for inviting culturally specific organizations like Esperanza United. Our presence allowed us to share the unique experiences and needs of immigrant and Latin@ survivors and educate other advocates to convey these needs to members of Congress.

At Advocacy Days, I went from feeling powerless to standing among empowered advocates. Together, we advocate not just for policies, but for every survivor’s right to safety, dignity, and justice. This collective effort is our greatest strength, and it is through this united front that we will continue to drive change.