“The best public policy is made when you are listening to people who are going to be impacted.” — Elizabeth Dole
When I served as a legislator in the Utah House of Representatives, I saw clearly what Chimamanda Adichie called “the danger of a single story.” Sometimes, laws were passed that only took one view point into account, or that benefitted one special interest group.
My love of people and lifelong curiosity about the stories and experiences of other people helps me ask what I think are the right kind of questions: Who’s voice is missing in this discussion? Who will this harm? Who will it benefit? How do we learn to listen and respect people with different experiences from our own? Who is on the margins and how will this policy impact them?
Almost every aspect of our lives is impacted by public policy. Good public policy can enhance the lives of the people it effects. Bad public policy can cause harm.
Building Relationships
Relationships of trust matter and being able to work with people from many different backgrounds and experiences leads to better input, which leads to better public policy. I believe there is always at least one point of common ground with any other person and usually, many more than a single one. I’ve worked on building relationships of mutual respect for decades. People are awesome and I want to know more about them!
Nonprofit Work and International Relations
If I had to pick one area of public policy that I am particularly passionate about, it would broadly be policies that impact women and children. Niched down, I really care about women and children who are refugees. I love nonprofit work and focused on it in my PhD program. I’ve learned from Eva Witesman at BYU that “loving the one” is a much better approach than loving the solution, an easy trap to fall into in the nonprofit world.
I also have academic training in International Relations as well as practical experience, with, as you might have guessed, nonprofits and non-governmental organizations. I have led teams of volunteers, including teams of college students, to locations around the world, including Cox/s Bazar, Bangladesh, and Turkey. I’ve also been to Kazakhstan twice, as well as a number of other countries. I love the intersection of women and peacebuilding. Did you know that when women are involved in the peacebuilding/conflict resolution process, there is improved security intelligence, better community relations, peace agreements last longer, and are much more likely to include provisions for women and children?
Treating Others With Dignity
Like many others, I am deeply concerned at the level of contempt that has arisen in the sphere of politics and public policy. Dehumanizing others is never ok. I was, therefore, delighted to be asked to serve on the Advisory Board for the Dignity Index, an eight-point scale for measuring how we talk to each other when we disagree. Level one is contempt. “They’re not even human. It’s our moral duty to destroy them before they destroy us.” Level 8 is dignity, even in disagreement. “Each one of us is born with inherent worth, so we treat everyone with dignity–no matter what.”
I’m not perfect, of course, but treating others with dignity and grace at all times is my goal.