Become a Park Advocate this Park Advocacy Day | Cal Parks

What are the benefits of attending Park Advocacy Day? 

Park Advocacy Day is a full day of advocacy meetings between park advocates and members of the California Legislature and their staff. California State Parks Foundation will schedule advocacy meetings for all participants and provide talking points and advocacy tips — all you have to do is travel to Sacramento and spend the day at the Capitol. 

Advocates are placed into teams of 4-5 with a Team Leader for each team. Your team will typically be advocates that live in your area, so each of you will be able to meet with your specific legislators and more. The team leader will have additional training before the event to help answer questions and facilitate your legislative meetings. 

You will learn advocacy tips that you can take home and share with your team or community. Throughout the day, you will spend time with colleagues and park experts who understand the system and can help harness our collective voice to make the biggest difference. 

 

What is expected of Advocates? 

Park Advocacy Day is designed for people that want to be champions for their California state parks. Usually, an individual or organization is knowledgeable in some way about a specific park, activities in parks, an area of California, a challenge or success in parks — but Park Advocacy Day is also a time to learn, so you don’t need to be an expert!  

We expect participants to use knowledge to help advocate for the collective agenda. For the messages to be received on Park Advocacy Day we must all have one voice to make change happen. This means sticking to the talking points, being respectful, and having a positive attitude to make the day great. Making your voice heard alongside others who share your interests and have the same goals makes advocacy much easier and more effective. 

Key Trainings and Dates  

Ready to join us as a Park Advocate? Register here! 

Want to take the next step? Learn more about becoming a Team Leader for Park Advocacy Day. 
 

FAQs 

What is Park Advocacy Day? 

Park Advocacy Day is a valuable opportunity for Californians to connect with legislators and share priorities for state parks. Led by California State Parks Foundation, this annual event will bring partners, volunteers, funders, donors, and the public together to engage in the legislative process. 
 

When will it be this year? 

This year’s event will be held on Tuesday, May 16 with approximately 100-150 advocates.  
 

What will the day be like? 

The event will kick off with a morning session of learning, reviewing key budget and legislative items, advocacy training, and hearing from legislators. After a provided lunch, advocates will visit with strategically chosen legislators to share our ideas and perspectives at the highest level. The event will close with a reception to celebrate our efforts. 
 

Do you need prior advocacy experience? 

No! Park Advocacy Day is for anyone who is interested in advocating for their state parks and investing time into learning the skills to advocate beyond the day.