HU Student & WWF Scholarship Recipient Reflects on 2025 Lobby Day

By: HoneyRose Smith

What Is WWF Lobby Day and Why Is It Essential in Representing the Voice of the Citizen? 

Capitol Hill is intimidating. From congresspersons to middle school tour groups, its hustle and bustle encapsulates the varied lived experiences of America. Everyone there has a purpose, whether it be to learn or to advocate. Among the most impactful yet often overlooked groups present are the advocates. These individuals carry the passion and voices of citizens to Capitol Hill and they are essential in ensuring the voices of everyday people are heard in our government. 

Each spring, World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US) brings advocates and ambassadors from across the nation to Washington, D.C., to participate in their Lobby Day. This event allows supporters to make their voices heard and help advance WWF’s mission to protect nature and wildlife. 

The first part of Lobby Day is held at WWF’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, where staff prepare advocates to deliver their “ask” on Capitol Hill. The “ask” refers to the specific policy request that advocates want members of Congress to support. This year, WWF representatives called for continued support of international conservation efforts. 

On the second part of Lobby Day, participants hit the ground running, visiting congressional offices throughout Capitol Hill. They meet with congressional staffers—and sometimes members of Congress themselves—to make their case. The goal is to build bipartisan support for environmental policies that have both domestic and international implications. 

My Personal Experience and a Reflection on the Future of Conservation 

As the recipient of the inaugural Environmental Journalism Scholarship, I was honored to attend WWF’s 2025 Lobby Day. This event gave me an opportunity to advocate for conservation, but I didn’t expect that it would also allow me to connect on a deep level with the other participants. 

Many people see environmental issues as separate from the human experience. But I’ve learned that the two are deeply intertwined. Beneath the signs of a changing climate are human lives and communities directly impacted by the degradation of our natural world. 

Throughout my Lobby Day experience, I came to understand the profound power of interconnectedness. Representing California—my home state—I spoke about the environmental crises we face: wildfires, drought, and ecosystem decline. These issues not only affect us locally but also have global repercussions. 

Congressional staffers and members were moved by the personal narratives shared by me and my fellow constituents. In our stories, they heard their own voices and reflections of their own concerns.

Most people wouldn’t think to connect wildfires in California with the Amazon rainforest’s role as a carbon sink. But there’s a domino effect that means each environmental issue and global conservation challenge is interrelated. That’s why storytelling plays such a crucial role in advancing both international and domestic conservation. 

At WWF’s 2025 Lobby Day, I joined passionate citizens from across the country in advocating for the Earth and for one another. The most memorable lesson I gained from this experience is that all of us, regardless of our background or beliefs, can take action to defend our shared future.