Our Stories Matter: Reflections on Hill Week
At a time of heightened tension and political divides, EdLoC members traveled from across the country to unite in our Nation's capital to advocate for our shared values. Twenty-one members gathered alongside our allies to speak truth to power during Hill Week on behalf of their students, families, and communities.
With the new Congress focusing on short-term political wins rather than opportunities for the next generation of students, we knew the stakes would be higher. But after a policy advocacy training designed to educate members on our policy priorities and how to engage policymakers in conversations in this moment, members were ready to address today's urgent issues with their representatives.
On the Hill, we pushed for full funding of Title I and IDEA for fiscal year 2025, and demanded that federal dollars stay in public schools where they belong. We called for investments to recruit and retain educators of color and expanded school-based mental health support. And we made the case for full funding of Medicare and SNAP, because we know that students learn better when they’re healthy and well-fed.
Hill Week brought members face-to-face with decisionmakers in D.C., creating a unique opportunity to demonstrate the EdLoC Network's power and share stories that show why this work matters so deeply. When EdLoC member Stephanie Parra told a high-ranking Senate leader’s staffer that “communities turn to schools to support with all the social challenges families face, but schools are not equipped to take on all the challenges,” the staffer said this framing helped them better understand what schools and school leaders need. That's the power of putting leaders like our members in front of decisionmakers.
And we weren’t alone. This gathering was part of a nationwide advocacy effort with other organizations demanding that our public schools receive the investments they need to thrive. EdLoC hosted a policy panel, Rights at Risk – What’s Next Public Education and a Multi-racial Democracy? for members and guests to explore today’s rapidly shifting legal landscape with Michael Pillera, Director of the Educational Opportunities Project for Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Lynn Eisenberg, Of Counsel at Jacobson Lawyers Group, and moderator and EdLoC member Saba Bireda, a Partner at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. They encouraged us to keep sharing our stories of impact and what threats to programs, like diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, mean for educators, leaders, and young people on the ground.
EdLoC members Keri Rodrigues and Ma'at Lands also embodied the spirit of our work at the Rally to Protect Public Education. They spoke about how public education isn’t just under attack in terms of policy or budget lines—but in the lived experiences of students, educators, and their communities. School leaders need to continue organizing and using their voices and lawmakers need to actively protect public schools that shape the future. Their words carried the fire of conviction and the hope that keeps EdLoC’s priorities alive.
Standing alongside like-minded changemakers reminded me that across the country people are with us protecting the programs that give low-income students of color a successful future. To my surprise, a senior Senator’s office—whose positions don’t always align with EdLoC’s—thanked us for our advocacy, despite our differences.
As I reflect on our two days of action and advocacy, I won’t just remember the faces and passion of the members and allies who participated—I’ll remember the members of Congress and staffers who really listened to our stories and were moved to action. Because we showed up, young people across the country have a stronger voice in the rooms where decisions about their futures are made.
Angelica Solis
Chief Policy Officer, EdLoC