Legislative Process and Effective State Legislative Advocacy Workshop

A workshop for members of Minnesota’s cultural communities on the legislative process and effective legislative advocacy is being organized by the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans (CAPM). There is no cost for this participation in this workshop, which will be hosted at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law campus, but those that participate are asked to commit to both days of the training. Everyone will be on their own for lunch but the campus is within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants along Grand Ave.

For more information or to sign up, contact Sia Her sia.her@state.mn.us.

Day 1: November 20, (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) – The Legislative Process and My Role

• Overview of Minnesota Legislative Process – How an Idea Becomes a Law
• A Citizen’s role and Responsibility in the Legislative Process
• Balancing Individual Rights and the Common Good
• Developing and Maintaining Relationships (with coalition partners, legislators, legislative staff)
• Developing Advocacy Strategies – short and long term
• Developing Templates for Specific Modes of Communication (written, oral, storytelling)

Day 2: December 15, (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) – Understanding the Negotiation Process, My Personal

Negotiation Style, and the Relationship to Legislative Advocacy

• Complete a conflict assessment to better understand one’s individual approach to conflict
  
• Understand how to balance assertiveness with empathy (cooperativeness) to achieve goals
  
• Understand how cognitive biases impact communication (and negotiation)
  
• Understand the power of emotions
  
• Understand the difference between interests and positions
  
• Understand how to work with differences to create value
  
• Determine when/how to cooperate (and create value) and when/how to compete (to claim value)
  
• Work with your Council to develop an advocacy plan