How to Share Your Experience

Sharing your life experiences with leaders, members of the media, and others who may not have had the same experiences can open minds and change votes.²¹ Remember, fewer than 20 percent of people in Congress and in media leadership are women, and fewer still are moms, so when you bring your story forward you are truly often sharing information that the person may not know.

Sharing your story is easier than you think and has a bigger impact than it often seems possible at first. You are more powerful than you likely know. Your real-life experiences with health care (or lack thereof), as well as any of the other topics in this book, matter. You hold important information. Decision makers and the media need to hear stories from those who are impacted by health care legislation and other policies so they fully understand the impact of bills they’re considering. The media also needs to hear these stories because they help shape the public dialogue and build momentum for change. And it’s important, too, that other people hear your story, so they know they’re not alone.

When we unite our voices, it becomes clear that that we have a structural problem on our hands that we can all solve together through policy advocacy and positive change.

Your words and your experiences are power encapsulated. At MomsRising, we work to open avenues for busy people to be heard by leaders. As part of that, we strive to bring forth the voices and real world experiences of women and the people who love them to leaders at the very top, so that people who are not pinstripe-suited lobbyists can have an impact on the issues that matter to themselves, their families, and their communities.

We collect stories and experiences from our volunteers in all the areas outlined in this book, including health care, and so much more through our website, via email, and on social media. We also often bring forward people to testify or to share their story with reporters when a particular issue is being debated. Interested? Think you might have a story but aren’t sure yet?

Here are a few things to ponder when you are figuring out how to share your story:

How is your life affected by this issue?

Think about how a policy impacts you. Maybe your family is directly affected by an issue that’s being debated in Congress or by a recent executive order. Perhaps you or a family member is afraid of losing health care coverage because of a preexisting condition, or has faced a huge emergency room bill.

Perhaps you aren’t directly affected, but you are concerned about how a policy impacts others. For example, perhaps your concern is that women in other states don’t have coverage for birth control or routine reproductive care.

What do you want to say?

Take pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and write out your story. First, write down what your goal is for sharing your story (maybe your goal is telling an elected leader that cutting all health care is a ridiculous idea, for example). Then jot down some bullet points about your story that relate to your goal. Then write it up. The mission is to get your story down to just a couple of paragraphs (about 2 minutes of talking).

Where do you want to share your story?

You can share your story with an advocacy organization like MomsRising, elected leaders, and the media. You can write your story into a letter to the editor to your local paper. You can share your story on a Facebook or blog post. You have many options. Decide which is best for you.

Don’t be intimidated.

Sharing your story can feel intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. It’s your story. You know it best. You are the absolute and final expert. You don’t need to write a lot. Just a few sentences about how a particular issue impacts your life can be very meaningful. It helps lawmakers connect the people they are supposed to represent, and puts faces and names on the statistics being studied. And it helps media understand what they are reporting. Last but far from least, it lets people who are having similar experiences know they aren’t alone.

Protect your privacy.

You should decide if you are comfortable using your last name or whether you want to keep your name confidential. You will need to decide the level of confidentiality you want to use for every place you share your story. For example, organizations like MomsRising provide the support, training/coaching, and help you might need with maintaining privacy. MomsRising members have spoken at the White House and in press conferences, and have been featured on TV, in print stories, and more.

Pass it on!

Even if you aren’t directly impacted by health care or another issue that you care about, you may know someone else who is. You can help by encouraging them to share their stories. For example, teachers and school nurses tell some of the most powerful stories about why parents need health care for their children. Encouraging others to share their perspectives and viewpoints is also a great way to build community and understanding on an issue. Plus, many people don’t realize they have a story—and that their voice is powerful—until it’s asked for.