Jonathan McGee is a seasoned program manager, public affairs professional, and external affairs expert with over 5 years of non-profit, public sector, and higher education experience. He currently serves as a consultant for The Chicago Community Trust's Civic Engagement team where he leads social capital initiatives and facilitates programming in Chicago's neighborhoods most impacted by poverty and violence.
To assure we are all coming from the same place, can you define what you mean by advocacy?
Advocacy is broadly defined as arguing in favor of a cause or idea by an individual or group that aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or organization undertakes including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or conducting exit poll or the filing of an amicus brief.
Can you tell us a little about your advocacy work and what motivates you to do what you do?
My motivation comes from two places, my background, and mother. Growing up on the southside of Chicago, I witnessed firsthand the inequities that people in my neighborhood faced--and it was not until high school that I realized how much opportunity there was--yet none of it was directed towards lower-socioeconomic areas. It was at that moment, that I committed to understanding this issue, and one day being a voice for the voiceless, and advocating on behalf of those who come from America’s most vulnerable communities. Today, I am a living, breathing example of the talent that currently exists in some of America’s most economically depressed communities, but also had the privilege of having a mother who instilled in me the value of education. To date, my mother runs the third largest school district in the nation, and constantly serves as a role model and mentor for me in my career--and thereby naturally someone I look up to.
What led you to pursue this career in cultivating diverse political leaders in advocacy?
There was no specific moment, but rather a combination of experiences that led me to work on social capital, advocacy and civic engagement initiatives in economically depressed areas. I actually was motivated to start my social enterprise because I was tired of working for organizations that were not addressing the real issues--and more focused on the what as opposed to the how. Additionally, when I moved back to Chicago, I did not have a job, and found that no role really made sense, so I started my incubator, and it took off from there. Additionally, my contract work at Get In Chicago, helped me find opportunities to help build social capital in communities of color to address the lack of economic opportunity. In short, I focused on the work, and the results came.
From your perspective, what are the most important parts of an advocacy campaign?
The most important parts of an advocacy campaign are:
Message (Simple, but substantive rhetoric that resonates with your audience)
Target Audience: (Politicians, Coalitions, Grassroots Supporters, Donors, etc.)
Strategy/Tactics: (Digital, Grassroots, electoral, regulatory, legal, executive)
Budget: (How much you need?)
Fundraising: (How are you going to get the money?)
You have spearheaded numerous paid digital/social media campaigns. Tell us a bit about your favorite or the most effective?
The most effective paid digital/social media campaign that is my favorite and is actually trending toward being the most effective is the current initiative I am running called the Chicago 200. Chicago 200 seeks to bring together diverse youth between the ages of 18-24 to reimagine what the city should be known for on its 200th birthday! I was able to recruit Vic Mensa, a recording artist, to be our spokesperson and we have gained a ton of traction social media. What is making it effective is I researched and analyzed our target audience and was able to find ambassadors who would resonate with youth in Chicago. Furthermore, I kept the messaging simple, we are seeking to convene diverse youth to redefine our city for the next 100 years on its 200th birthday.
What ways have you found to be the most effective to get your target audience engaged with the issue beyond tweeting and liking?
The most effective way to get your target audience engaged more than digitally, is to begin with understanding your audience. Specifically, what is it they like to do? What is it that they will go out and support? Then, you have to find a way to mesh both their personal interests with your advocacy goals, in a way that make sense internally and externally. For example, if you want to get people between the ages of 18-24 interested in environmental issues, your best bet is to find an influencer that is in the arts, music, sports, comedy, etc. to underwrite your campaign because it will give it credibility to your target audience. I do know that can be difficult, but that is where fundraising and budgeting come in which is impacted by messaging. Also, you have to build an audience of engaged and active people to serve as surrogates, if a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound? Therefore, you should always begin any advocacy effort with a foundation of people who are just as committed to the issue as you.
How has your experience working in the advocacy space changed the way you approach your advocacy efforts now?
My experience in the advocacy space has changed how I approach my advocacy efforts because I have seen clear examples of both good and bad advocacy. For example, one bad advocacy effort recently was the campaign around Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, whether legitimate or not, there was a breakdown in messaging, targeting, and tactics. It was clear the American people, where ambivalent about this issue, yet liberal groups continued to push the issue so much so that it prompted an “investigation.” The problem was, it gave the Republicans a win because of course the investigation was not going to implicate their supreme court pick, with a Republican President in the White House. In short, there was not a thorough assessment of the climate, and liberal advocates chose to die on a hill, in a battle that was not going to end up in their favor regardless. The point is there is something to learn from every advocacy campaign, and the key is to constantly refine your approach and not to make the same mistakes as others or twice.
What advice do you have for someone interested in going into public affairs or public policy?
The number one piece of advice that I can share with someone interested in going into public affairs and public policy is to get as much experience both inside and outside a legislative body as possible. It does not have to be Congress, it can be as small as a city council, but the point is you will learn the nuts and bolts sand mechanics of how public policy works. The most effective way you can influence public policy is by learning the how, not the what or why, and the best way to do that is by immersing yourself in real world political, advocacy, and public affairs campaigns.