“Then I realized, I have a voice:” New RESULTS advocate Sal Vereen taps into her power through media 

A new volunteer connecting instantly with RESULTS issues 

Just a few short weeks ago, Sal Vereen was looking for a volunteer opportunity. At first, she didn’t have anything too specific in mind. “I came across RESULTS,” she said, “and just signed up easily for the orientation.” She reports that with RESULTS, something just clicked for her: “I found out what advocating is really all about […] I just knew I had found my people here, I’m where I belong.” 

Both the global and U.S. issues spoke directly to Sal. “I was born in the Philippines but was mostly raised in the U.S. when we came here for my dad’s job. I remember tuberculosis being a part of the culture as a child in the Philippines. It was an eye-opener for me to hear how many lives TB still takes when I started volunteering with RESULTS. It’s such a simple fix, why is no one fixing it?”  

She also felt a deep personal connection to the issue of the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Like many, the pandemic plunged Sal’s family into financial uncertainty. “My husband was furloughed from his job, he was the main source of our livelihood. Our family became one of the millions of families that only met its basic needs thanks to the Child Tax Credit.” When the pandemic-era CTC expansion lapsed in 2022, Sal says her family felt it. “When it stopped, I felt that impact as well. It’s unfortunate that something as small as one tax credit can make such a difference, and it’s not happening. Our delegates [in Congress] refuse to act.” 

Sal took action on the Child Tax Credit through media 

That’s when Sal took action. After only a few weeks as a RESULTS advocate, she decided to write a Letter to the Editor about the CTC. In the letter, she directly calls on Congress to focus on their constituents and the children in their care. She cites the compelling data showing the profound impact of the CTC on child poverty. And, more importantly, shares her experience with the expanded CTC during the pandemic. The Las Vegas Sun promptly published this powerful message. 

“It was surreal to write it. I felt like [the CTC] was only a big deal to me, but then I realized I have a voice. Someone would hear what I have to say. And when it got published, it was like oh, someone is really listening,” Sal said. For her, publishing media felt like it “got the ball rolling.”  

Sal’s advice for publishing media: Have fun and stick to your message 

Sal’s experience shows us the power of raising your voice, no matter your amount of experience with advocacy. When asked if she has any tips for her fellow advocates seeking to publish during the Build the Buy-in Campaign, she said, “Stick with your core message. I try to remember I’m doing something bigger than me. Have fun with it and go with the flow of change. It’s almost like electricity in the atmosphere. Those who are paying attention will recognize it as change.”