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LINGK: What type of response do you get from college students as you share ONE's mission with them, are there any ONE chapters or clubs on any college campus yet? ELAINE: College students are very inspired by ONE and are eager to volunteer. I really feel like if you can get someone to be an advocate in college, then they will probably be committed for life. We have BFW chapters on three local college campuses:Samford (Baptist), Birmingham Southern (Methodist), and Miles (CME). Since BFW is a founding partner in ONE, these campuses also work on ONE issues. Last year, BFW’s focus was called “ONE Spirit. ONE Will. Zero Poverty.” so the two were intertwined. LINGK: What is public policy advocacy, and what's changed in the last ten years? ELAINE: Public Policy advocacy is contacting your congressmen and letting them know how you stand on certain issues/policies. At BFW and ONE, we write, call, email, and visit our Members of Congress and ask for their support on specific pieces of legislation and funding programs that affect poor and hungry people.Probably what has changed the most is the advent of the internet and email. Action alerts can be activated in a matter of minutes. In the old days, you had to rely on calling trees and that took time. Now, you can reach hundreds of thousands of people almost instantaneously.
		LINGK: In all of your years in advocacy, have you witnessed any substantial progress in any of the issues that you've fought for? ELAINE: The area where I have seen the most progress is the issue of debt relief. In 1999, I traveled to DC with other folks from my church, to meet with Rep. Bachus and talk to him about the concept of forgiving the debts of the world’s poorest countries as a way of honoring the biblical concept of the year of the Jubilee. Rep. Bachus became an original co-sponsor of the Jubilee Act. By canceling odious debt of some of the world’s poorest countries, money that was going to service decades old debt (long after the principle was repaid) was redirected to health care and education. Real progress has been made.
	LINGK: How do you manage being a wife, mother and activist? ELAINE: I am blessed with the gift of organization. Some might call it a curse, but being well organized really helps me to juggle my different roles. LINGK: What role does your up bringing, family-life, and faith play in your dedication to advocacy? ELAINE: My faith is central to my passion for advocacy. It is what guides me and informs me. My parents were both educators so they modeled a life of service for me. I hope to provide a similar model of service for my children. LINGK: You must be a tremendous inspiration to your daughters. Are they encouraged to get involved, continue on or find causes of their own? ELAINE: They are involved peripherally with my “causes” and, as they get older, they are each finding their own calling. I don’t push them to follow me so much as I encourage them to get involved in things that they are personally passionate about. LINGK: Who are your role models? ELAINE: Absolutely my parents! They were models of service to others, in both their careers as educators and as active church members and church leaders. I am also very inspired by Bono. If your readers haven’t read the sermon he delivered at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006, I recommend that they get a copy of On the Move right away. All proceeds go to the ONE Campaign. Bono’s powerful message is an inspiration, especially to people of faith! Make comments on Lingk's blog. I digg this \| del.icio.us \| add to redit \|