Advocating means to support a cause or a person’s right by speaking out, organizing a group to bring about change, and/or making sure that voices are heard in decision making. In our world today it is increasingly important for our students to use their responsible, respectful voices to advocate for positive change. There are three types of advocacy. We can speak up for our own needs, support the needs of others, or work to change laws or practices for larger groups of people.
The read-aloud The Garden on Green Street takes us into a neighborhood just like yours or mine where neighbors are working together to plant a beautiful garden where an empty trash-filled lot used to be. After the garden has been built, a company comes in and threatens to destroy the garden and turn it into a parking lot. In keeping with the belief of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that solutions are often found by having a community unite, using their collective voices to advocate for change, community members gathered in a peaceful protest, advocating to save their garden.
As we listen to The Garden on Green Street, think about how something might happen in your community that you and your neighbors oppose. Maybe there is a plan to close the local grocery store. Or maybe a mall is being considered where the neighborhood playground currently stands. What would you do? With a lot to think about, let’s listen to the story and share our ideas.
To Think About:
1. Cleaning up a vacant lot filled with trash and then planting a garden takes a lot of people to help. How would you get members of your community to help you? As a leader in your community, be as creative as you can.
2. What steps do you think you should take before you present your idea to a leader in your community?
3. In order to get permission to implement your idea for change, you would have to reach out to your local government. Local government is the most accessible level of government. In our city, you would reach out to a person or committee member on our City Council. Our City Council members form committees of people who have similar interests and/or knowledge. There are committees for budget, education, economic development, neighborhood development, parks and recreation, health and human services, safety, and more. To which department do you think the community should go to ask for permission to peacefully march against the company that wants to destroy their garden?
4. Many people in the neighborhood showed up for the march against the Buildwell Company. The march brought attention to the neighborhood. Think about what the community wanted. Then think about what Buildwell Company wanted. When the story ended, there was a solution. Do you think both sides got what they wanted? Would you call this a WIN/WIN solution where both sides get what they want; or a WIN/LOSE solution where only one side gets what they want; or a LOSE/LOSE solution where neither side gets what they want?