Why I’ve got LFG energy

Written by katie test davis

In my early twenties, when I was a wee PR coordinator at a school district, I had a Melinda French Gates quote pinned to my cubicle.

It read: “I have a limited tolerance for admiring the problem.”

Twenty years later, it’s still a great quote.

I like a lot of things about our community here at Forthright. But one of my favorite things about you is that like me, you all are doers. I don’t need to tell you how much there is at stake right now. You get it. You got it months ago.

But what I do want to emphasize is that the actual doing of the work is more important than (maybe ever) before. You know as well as I do that a field of child and family advocates that is frozen is a field that is failing.

I’ve heard many experts compare the first few months of 2025 to the first few months of the COVID pandemic. People are feeling unsure, overwhelmed, confused and paralyzed. (That’s by design, by the way.) Yet, we learned during COVID that pausing your outreach and communications work is the wrong choice.

While we may need to shift our work – to change it to meet the moment – coming to a standstill is ultimately harmful for our communities.

We don’t have time for admiring the problem.

You still need to put out that report. It has important data the field needs. Create easily shareable content (graphics, short videos, social media posts) that enable a strong narrative with hard-to-dispute facts.
Launch your storytelling campaign. It may be the exact thing that moves the needle. People remember what they learn in stories 22 times more than plain facts.
Immediately review and update your rapid response protocols. Having clear, pre-approved communication templates and workflows empowers you to quickly address misinformation or negative narratives.
Implement an email series about the resources you provide for your community. Your practical help is essential.
Seriously, get that advocacy alert system up and running today. Get ready to put out urgent calls to action regarding pending legislation or policy changes that require immediate attention.
Work together and share resources with your colleagues. Coalition-driven collective outreach can reduce isolation and show that progress is happening.
Create a social media series about the tangible outcomes of your work. It will maintain momentum and counter feelings of stagnation. (Not to mention the new donors it can bring through the door.)