Mark had the voice you couldn’t ignore, one that made sure every word that left his lips made an impact in the lives of those around him. This made him choose the life of advocacy, a life where he used his voice and skills to promote and propagate his chosen cause in life which is targeted at defending these man rights of helpless women and children.
This became his principle in life, with his gift Mark choose to be an advocate, for women and children. His cause was to support and defend helpless women and children while lobbying for better opportunities for them from significant figures that could make life better for them.
The journey to being a self-advocate was not one paved with gold nor was it smooth sailing but as a man of vision, Mark bore through the pains and kept pushing for what he believed in.
Self-advocacy is a cumbersome lifestyle, one where courage and boldness are a must-have.
Mark understood that by being the spokesman for the overlooked, he was making himself an open target for those who would fight against his beliefs and reasoning but that didn’t deter him, rather he was not afraid to disagree with others without resulting to assault or underhanded means.
for Mark, the victory was in the smiles he put on the faces of those he fights for, and the lease to a new life it provided for them.
from Mark, we learn that self-advocacy means putting others before you. The following traits must be in place to be a good advocate:
- Respect for peoples opinion
- Ability to support and advice
- Ability to create a safe space where people can disagree without fear of objection.
- Active participation in community building.
- Ability to educate on matters associated with the cause.
- Ability to collaborate with brands and help bodies that will promote the cause.
Self-advocacy can be a lonely journey but it is always for the greater good.
You too can be an advocate for the greater good, start from where you are.