JMO and I traveled to Washington D.C. October 21-23 to attend the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities\u2019 (CBPP\u2019s) 2019 TANF Advocate Conference. It was an educational and inspiring two days. Traveling alongside JMO, who has advocated for the TANF program since the early 1990s (before the 1996 welfare reform bill and even before TANF was created – it was Aid to Families with Dependent Children prior to 1996), was a special and educational experience for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have been learning about and advocating on safety net programs since I started at Empower Missouri 13 years ago, but have never really learned the history and inner workings of the TANF program. The two days in DC provided me with a lot of information about the history and the changes this program has gone through since its beginnings. Additionally, it was inspiring to talk with advocates from all across the country who are passionate about the importance of safety net programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This conference gave both of us the opportunity to learn many things from these fierce advocates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Language Matters:<\/strong> Much of the conference was spent talking about how important language is to our lives and our work\u2014this includes how individuals see themselves, how we speak about others, and even how we talk about the programs for which we are advocating. A lot of time was focused on \u201cpeople first language\u201d, a practice that we at Empower Missouri have been working to institutionalize for some time. For example, instead of saying \u201cdisabled person\u201d, we say \u201cperson with a disability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Missouri is unique, but the same:<\/strong> Hearing from advocates from all across the country highlighted for me just how unique a place Missouri is, but also how many advocates have found success in ways that I think could be replicated in our state. For example, Minnesota \u00a0was able to build a large and diverse coalition to win an increase in their monthly allotment of TANF cash assistance. Missouri could do the same! <\/p>\n\n\n\n