When I started my role as a Community Engagement Intern at Royal Credit Union in April 2023, I knew very little about credit unions. As I began to learn about the positive impact created by local credit unions, such as supporting local nonprofit organizations and providing financial education for all ages, my interest in the credit union movement grew. A few months later, my supervisor and I got on the topic of advocacy because I had been regularly attending municipal meetings in my local community. Government and politics have always been an interest of mine, and we soon began to discuss credit union advocacy at Royal and how I could get involved.
What is Credit Union Advocacy?
Simply put, credit unions across the country regularly meet with their state and federal lawmakers on behalf of their Members to educate them about the important role credit unions play in their communities. They discuss issues that could impact their ability to serve their Members and foster relationships with elected officials to ensure ongoing support.
Credit union advocacy can occur anywhere. At Royal, not only do we visit lawmakers at the Capitol, but also welcome them to our offices, School Sites, community events, and celebrations. We have even had lawmakers volunteer at financial education events like Test Drive Reality Fair and observe special community partnerships like our correctional facility financial education programs.
My Experience with Credit Union Advocacy
Throughout my internship, I completed several significant behind-the-scenes projects related to Royal’s advocacy efforts. This includes following along with the 2024 updates to Wisconsin’s legislative maps, tracking elections in Wisconsin and Minnesota, updating contact information for our lawmakers and their offices, helping draft congratulatory letters following elections and creating lawmaker profiles for our advocates to reference before meetings or events.
In early 2024, I also had the opportunity to attend my very first advocacy event: the Chippewa Valley Rally. This is an annual event hosted by the Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire and Menomonie Chambers of Commerce in which representatives from various local businesses travel to the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison to advocate for issues such as economic development, housing, childcare and transportation.
While this event was not specific to credit unions, I did have a great experience getting to communicate Royal’s positive impact to lawmakers, specifically focusing on Royal’s excellent internship program, through which I have been able to do high-impact work that provides me with real-life experience.
Attending a Credit Union Advocacy Event
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending the Wisconsin Credit Union League State Government Affairs Conference This annual event brings hundreds of credit union advocates together in Madison for a day of lawmaker meetings, networking and educational sessions.
We spent most of our time at the Capitol building and Monona Terrace, which was our central gathering point during breaks. The League scheduled meetings with lawmakers based on our home addresses, and from there a meeting lead was assigned to each group. Meeting leads are more experienced credit union activists who have attended several advocacy events and feel comfortable discussing the talking points outlined by the League. Each group had representatives from several different credit unions which demonstrated our cooperative business model and unified voice.
With the redistricting that happened in Wisconsin over the summer of 2024, we ended up with many new members of the Senate and Assembly. Because of this, the League encouraged us to educate newly elected lawmakers about the credit union difference and thank reelected lawmakers for their support on recent initiatives, such as requiring high schoolers to take a financial education course to graduate. When it was time for me to speak in lawmaker meetings, I highlighted Royal’s financial education program and the impact I have had the privilege to witness at community events for nearly two years. Each meeting ended with giving the lawmaker the League’s scorecard, which is a packet that outlines the difference made by Wisconsin credit unions over the course of a year, including stories and testimonials from credit union Members and team members.
During a break in the day, I had the opportunity to visit the Credit Union House, which serves as the League’s headquarters and a central gathering place for credit union activists traveling to Madison. While at the Credit Union House, I got to take in historic photos from the credit union movement and network with team members from other Wisconsin credit unions.
In total, team member activists from Royal met with thirteen lawmakers from the St. Croix Valley and Chippewa Valley regions during this year’s event. Many of us were first-time attendees with limited advocacy experience, but a firm belief in Royal’s positive impact on the communities we serve.
As I close out my internship with Royal over the next few months and prepare for graduation and my first full-time job, I will look back at this experience with gratitude. Becoming involved with credit union advocacy has given me a wealth of knowledge in the credit union difference, provided lifelong connections, and has made me more confident in my ability to communicate in high-pressure situations and effectively share a message. Having started college wanting to teach government to high schoolers before pivoting my career path to an entirely different direction, I am grateful for this opportunity to stay involved in one of my passions while gaining valuable work experience at the same time.
