On May 4th, I was engaged with educators in a conference room at the National
Constitution Center in Philadelphia. I listened to a conversation about something called “Hill Day.” I tried to piece together what I heard. “CivxNow Coalition . . . lobbying Congress . . . If you are interested, speak with . . .” Oh! I was interested! But who am I to lobby Congress? Thankfully, I found the courage to “speak with . . .”

Eighteen days later, I entered another conference room in Washington D.C. As soon as I said, “Hi my name is . . .”, advocates and Coalition partners from across the country engaged me in conversation and filled me with confidence. They convinced me that my voice was worthy, not simply because I was a citizen, but because I was an educator of citizens.

As I rode to our first meeting, memories of hundreds of citizens I had educated flooded me – filled me with inspiration. I imagined them saying to me a version of what I had said to them. “Use your voice, Mr. Uplinger! It’s your unalienable right!” It was as if all those students and I locked hands and cleared security together.

At the first Representative’s office, we were greeted by a young woman who looked just like a student I had taught. But she had been a student of other teachers. . . and my goodness, they had educated her well! While people swirled around us, she listened attentively to every word and asked questions to clarify and gather more information. And her eyes only left the conversation to record notes.

That pattern repeated in every office we entered. Every young woman or man we
spoke to looked like a student of mine. But still other teachers had inspired them to do the essential work of Democracy: to sincerely consider a constituent’s concern; to faithfully relay those concerns to elected representatives; to follow-up and continue the civil discourse with gratitude. I pray those other teachers know how well they have done their essential work.

As I waited for my train back to New Jersey, I reflected on the spiritual nature of civic advocacy in a journal:

I lobbied today with dedicated educators. Most directly, we asked for federal
funding for civic education. We offered metrics and numbers that measure the
benefit of that. But in a larger sense, I learned that every positive moment I
experienced today started with civic education. It is the seed that, when
nurtured and fed, can produce infinite growth in a democracy. There is no
earthly metric or number large enough to measure the true worth of civic
education – or measure the harm if it is lost. ‘Who am I to lobby Congress?’ I
am a citizen who educates citizens. . . and no advocate is more important and
essential to a democracy.