One Person’s Story of Becoming a Super-Citizen-Advocate

Bob O'Hara felt like most Americans watching the political system in 2011. Living in the Boston area, with no political experience, he was frustrated at the level of discord, but also wondering what he could do about it. When the bipartisan group NoLabels was founded to address the problems of gridlock in government, he wanted to get involved. But again, like many Americans, he didn't know much about grassroots advocacy. He came to a NoLabels conference in Washington, D.C. later that year. The conference had many expert speakers on policy, what was causing gridlock, how many in Congress were equally if not more frustrated. 

During the course of this journey, Bob has seen the power of dialogue on difficult questions on a local level, and now serves on the board of directors for Essential Partners, a nonprofit that equips leaders and communities to speak and listen to each other across our deepest divisions. Bob has also become his own one-man-show in preaching the value of in-district meetings with legislators. "I couldn't believe how easy it was to get meetings," he said. (A CMF survey of House Chiefs of Staff showed that 71 percent felt their Member had "no preference" on whether he/she met with constituents in the district or D.C.) He continues to face skepticism from his friends, but now he's got both data and experience on his side.