Advocate
Legislative Advocacy at IGNITE
You don't always have to think BIG when it comes advocating for the issues that matter to you.
More often than not, it's the local issues- like educational funding, or the maintenance of communal spaces- that matters to us in our-to-day lives. Our mission at IGNITE is to help you leverage your passion for change (big or small) into actionable legislative advocacy. Our programming is centered around educating the next generation of political leaders so that they can utilize their political literacy to champion the rights of those who need it most.
Our goals as an organization is to build a more equitable political space.
The issues we focus on and advocate for- menstrual equity, voting rights, civic rights for marginalized groups- are key components of a more equitable country. They address current civic injustices or inequalities, and highlight the aspects of our current legislative state that need the most attention. You can find some of the key bills we've helped write, or support, below.
Building better policy through advocacy
In 2022-2023, 600+ participants advocated for policy change on 20 bills with the help of IGNITE. Issues included voting rights, campaign finance reform, codifying reproductive rights into law, rape kit accessibility, sexual violence prevention, harassment on public transit, and menstrual equity. They spent hundreds of hours calling, writing, using social media, and meeting with legislators to make their voices heard.
Take action, and join us in fighting for a better tomorrow- vIEW OUR CURRENT CALL TO ACTIONS BELOW, AND SEE HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY.
how you can Advocate with ignite
IGNITE the Capitol Advocacy Days
There's no such thing as "too young" when it comes to advocating for yourself and your community.
Every year, IGNITE organizes trips to state capitols across the country to teach participants about the legislative process and how they can influence policy decisions. These IGNITE the Capitol Advocacy Days make legislative advocacy accessible for middle school, high school, and college-aged student and gives them a chance to experience their local government in action.
Sign up for notifications on IGNITE the Capitol Advocacy days
IGNITE & PERIOD. Organizing Academy: Activate Your Advocacy
Make a difference in your community.
Join our next Organizing Academy: Activate Your Advocacy Bootcamp! We host this 4-week, free virtual bootcamp twice a year in partnership with PERIOD. to provide you with the tools and resources you need to become a powerful changemaker and community leader.
Attendees learn the ins and outs of the legislative process, join a network of politically ambitious individuals, and get the opportunity to match with an internship with a legislator to gain the mentorship they need to launch their own political careers. Those who complete all four sessions of the bootcamp also earn a certification and can attend a graduation ceremony at a later date.
In partnership with:
Our advocacy in action
College Chapter Spotlight: UCLA Students Demand Better Access to Care
Most colleges in America do not offer rape kits on campus, and some school officials and healthcare experts have resisted demands to do so. Against that backdrop, more than 75 members of IGNITE’s college chapter at UCLA went on a successful mission to increase students’ access to Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) exams, also known as rape test kits, across the University of California campuses. They advocated for and passed a bill, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023, that requires most California universities and colleges to provide transportation for students to and from a sexual assault treatment center. The Los Angeles Times ran an in-depth story on this victory.
Members of the IGNITE UCLA chapter hope their success will support more survivors to seek exams and report their assaults. The students worked with Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), an obstetrician and gynecologist, to write Assembly Bill 1138, which requires schools to provide free and anonymous transportation to a treatment center that provides SAFE exams, or to contract with local organizations to provide the transportation. The bill is crucial to adequately shift the onus of post-assault care to universities and away from struggling students.
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Lessons from our future leaders
NO MASTERS CLASS by IGNITE
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