Harnessing the Power of Persuasive Writing to Advocate for those in Need

Jacky Bailey is a volunteer Citizen Teacher who joined Citizen Schools, after moving to the Bay Area from Australia, because she missed working with students and wanted to get to know her new community. When Bailey decided to teach an apprenticeship with Citizen Schools for the second time with her friend Elle Donnelley, she wanted to ensure her students could enact and advocate for change in the real world - and not just theoretically in the classroom. With Community Warriors, the apprenticeship she currently teaches, she has helped to encourage her students to become true problem solvers: able to identify, vet and create a solution for an issue in their community.

So how do you transform their theoretical activism into a reality? Bailey and Donnelley knew that in order to inspire change, you have to tell a convincing story. In Community Warriors, she thought to incorporate persuasive writing to allow students to practice and perfect their story telling.

This semester, in the wake of the disastrous California wildfires, her students took notice of the homeless population, who were stuck outside on the street breathing toxins in the air, while other Bay Area residents were advised to stay inside. They identified Redwood City-based LifeMoves, an organization that focuses on transitional housing and services, as the subject of their final project - a letter asking the public to donate to LifeMoves and help address this critical issue facing their community.

We hope you’ll take a moment to read their letter, and if you’ve been convinced, take a trip to LifeMoves’ support us page!