Public Advocacy - Blog Post #1

Our voice is powerful when it comes to change. In the textbook Communication a Critical/Cultural Introduction, we are inspired by a quote said by Gandhi “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him” (Warren, 40). We learn in this chapter that advocacy is a key concept when it comes to effective communication. This chapter explains ho to use our advocacy to teach and enlighten others on subjects that matter to us. We learn that we teach through our experiences in order to change the world.

Influencer David Dobrik is a YouTuber that presents comedic content to his 5 million subscribers. Rarely does he use his voice and advocacy to change the good of the world. That was until President Donald Trump announced that he plans on ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals “DACA” (Kopan). Dobrik is a member of DACA as he was born in Slovakia but has lived in the United States for the majority of his life. Dobrik appalled by Trumps notions decided to create a podcast title “Why I May Get Deported – DACA” where he explained DACA and how it helps thousands of people in the United States. He began by explaining that DACA is essentially a work permit for young people who weren’t born in the United States but don’t actually remember living in their “home” countries. Dobrik would be sent back to Slovakia even though he is a working member of society in the United States and pays hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes each year. He then explained how members of DACA do not receive any financial help from the government. Lastly, he encouraged his viewers to contact their local congressmen and teach their communities about the positive effects of keeping DACA.

Dobrik used his personal experiences and knowledge to teach his viewers about an issue that is deeply affecting him. He used the “get out and vote” method as described in chapter three in order to persuade his viewers to help fight to keep him in the United States. Dobrik is a role model for his young viewers that don’t have much of a political stance other that what their parents tell them is right or wrong. He is encouraging them to stand up for what is right and educating them on what is actually happening in the world. We need public advocators like David Dobrik to teach our generation about what is going on in the world and how to be directly involved. “To advocate means to engage with others in lasting, meaningful change” (Warren, 40). Although it is not face to face communication, Dobrik is using his social media platforms to inspire change among millennials. His influence is creating a lasting change.

Personally, I didn’t know what DACA was. I hadn’t even heard of it until President Donald Trump announced that he wanted to take it away. If it weren’t for DACA advocates like David Dobrik, I wouldn’t have been able to learn the importance of the people in the DACA community and how they are a major contribution in today’s society. Dobrik has opened my eyes and have taught me about the importance of fighting for what is right, even if it is just a lousy letter to the government. While this is a current ongoing battle, I and many others will use public advocacy to teach the people around us about DACA and why we should defend it.

Citations:

Kopan, T. (2017, September 11). The next DACA? Trump turns to another class of immigrants. Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/11/politics/next-daca-tps-temporary-protected-status/index.html

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://is5.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music127/v4/90/c7/f0/90c7f022-4653-e329-1271-f3e06c23a5c1/source/600x600bb.jpg

Warren, J. T., & Fassett, D. L. (2015). Communication: a critical/cultural introduction. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Why I May Get Deported -- DACA (Podcast #17) | VIEWS with David Dobrik & Jason Nash. (2017, September 07). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIHjk3FayK8