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A New American Story Promoting Opportunity in a Changing America Alan Jenkins The Opportunity Agenda. GCYF Annual Conference October, 2012. Attitudes at a Crossroads. Attitudes at a Crossroads. A Majority of Americans: Support the Dream Act (54%) Support a Roadmap to Citizenship (72%)
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A New American StoryPromoting Opportunity in a Changing AmericaAlan JenkinsThe Opportunity Agenda GCYF Annual Conference October, 2012
Attitudes at a Crossroads A Majority of Americans: • Support the Dream Act (54%) • Support a Roadmap to Citizenship (72%) • Support Arizona’s SB 1070 (61%) • Support the principle of citizenship for all American-born children as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution (57%) • Are split on whether immigrants strengthen American society (49 percent) • Oppose mass deportation (56%)
Millennials are More Welcoming Eighteen to Twenty-Nine Year Olds: • More likely (65%) to believe immigrants strengthen America (compared to 49% total). • More strongly oppose mass deportation of undocumented immigrants than their elders (67% to 56%). • Show greater support for birthright citizenship (73% to 57%). • Support in-state college tuition for qualified children of undocumented immigrants (57% to 44%). • More supportive of a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented immigrants (81% to 72%), and the DREAM Act (66% to 54%). • But just as likely (35%) to say immigrants “threaten their jobs.”
The Anti-Immigrant Narrative Law and Order Overwhelming of Scarce Resources
Creating a New Narrative Commonsense Solutions Upholding our National Values Moving Forward together
Communicating the New Narrative • Understand your Audience • Lead with Values • Appeal to Common Sense • Frame Thematically • Highlight Solutions • Use a Contribution Model • Don’t “Mythbust”
Leading with Values Values Equality Community Opportunity Civil Rights Issues Affordable Housing K-12 Education Tax Policy Immigration Earned Income Tax Credit Policies Section 8 Vouchers Secure Communities Affirmative Action Policies
Fairness Common Sense Family Hard Work Community Human Rights Ingenuity Opportunity
Tell a Thematic Story Enlightened Insiders Affected Change Agents Group Stories
Narrative Discipline Different Roles for Different Spokespeople
Questions? Comments?
Reaching Strategic Audiences Base • To be mobilized Persuadables • To be persuaded Opposition • To be ignored or marginalized Decisionmakers • Policymakers • Swing Voters • Boards of Directors Influencers • Constituents • Faith Leaders • Editorial Boards • Stockholders
Understanding Audiences 1 2 3 4 5 With Us Persuadable Opposed • Strategy: • Mobilize/Energize 1-2’s. • Choose messages, spokespeople to move 3’s and 4’s. • Ignore or demobilize 5’s.
Who are your target audiences? Influencers • Base voters • Swing voters • Faith leaders • Business leaders • Editorial boards • Police chiefs • Donors Decisionmakers • President, Congress • State Legislature, Governor • Immigrants • Business owners • Swing voters • Law enforcement • Donors
Crafting a Values Message Value Problem Solution Action Our future depends on seeing that all kids have the opportunity to grow up healthy and well educated. But that can’t happen when some kids are singled out, harassed, or excluded because of where their parents came from. We need to invest in all kids so they can thrive and contribute fully to our community. Tell the City Council to protect our future by including all children in education and health services.
Crafting a Values Message Value Problem Solution Action When it comes to immigration, we need commonsense approaches that uphold our values and move us forward together. Trying to deport 11 million families, workers, and children who are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends would be impossible, and would tear our communities apart. We need a roadmap to citizenship for immigrants who are part of our economic engine and our social fabric, starting with students who are Americans in all but the paperwork. We call on Congress to pass the DREAM Act, and to adopt commonsense reform of our immigration laws.
Questions? Comments?