Mama-bear energy

The story of the young woman speaking in this video is remarkable. It’s even more remarkable when you consider the context in which she shared it. Listen to it first, and then come back to hear the rest of the story if you have time.

If you have never been to a state budget hearing, I don’t blame you. They are long, the seats are uncomfortable, and many times the speakers are paid lobbyists who drone on for longer than necessary. That is why, when the list of witnesses grew to over 40, the chair of the committee said each speaker was limited to four minutes. Not only that, but if multiple people came to testify on the same issue, they would have to share that four-minute timeslot. When I checked my email, I saw a message from the chair’s aide informing me of the change an hour before the hearing started. I knew we weren’t getting an exception.

The problem started with the fact that in Ohio, every single social program has to be defended during our biennial budget process. The hearings are a laborious aspect of cramming these policy decisions into a single bill.

When organizing, we like to cast a wide net so at least one person is available to testify in person. It is a great problem when too many people say yes, but in this case, I had to figure out how to solve it in real time, with young advocates. They had worked tirelessly to hone their remarks, then drove hours to the state capitol. My mama bear energy wanted to roar at the people in seats of power changing the rules halfway through the game. But it was time to problem solve, so I channeled that into strategy.

Fortunately, we were 20th in the list, which meant we had hours until their names were called. We stepped into the hall, stood in a circle and started to plan. We decided the current college student would be the representative and the others ceded most of their time to him. We spent the next hour trying to coach him to not speed read his academically verbose speech, but to craft pithy and punchy statements to maximize the time. We practiced with a timer until we had a presentation that lasted 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Good enough.

When their names were finally called to the podium, they rose nervously, rustling their papers scrawled with edits. The chair welcomed them, then said they would in fact give them 3 minutes each! They were able to share their original testimony. As soon as Jaleshia started to speak, the energy in the room changed. Each person had an inspiring story of the hardships they overcame as they pursued their college degree. The room exploded in applause after each one. I was brought to tears.

Afterward, the people in those seats of power expressed their support, and I truly hope they are sincere. This program would be a game changer in the lives of young people who are in foster care. May it be so, Mama.

You may have noticed a gentlemen in the background wearing a collar. He’s a friend of mine who was there to advocate for funding for food pantries. If have ever wondered if advocacy could be a reflection of God’s love, this hearing is it. If you’ve ever wondered how you can reflect it, ask Mama to show you. You will be amazed at the journey she will lead you on.

If you are ready to start today, Call Matt Huffman at (614) 466-6344 or Senator Cirino at (614) 644-7718 and tell them to include the Foster-to-College Scholarship in Ohio’s budget!