Everyone can play a part in preservation advocacy, but some people are better suited for public speaking than others. When you are putting together your message delivery team, identify individuals who can effectively deliver your group's message. Your speakers should be able to deliver a message that:

• Is clear
• Has a broad scope
• Has widespread appeal

It is best if your speakers are well-known and well respected local citizens with deep roots in the community. They can help convey that your preservation message is shared by many people in your community.

As you assemble your roster of speakers, consider seeking out supporters from the three groups below to present your message at public meetings.

Neighborhood Association Members

Perhaps more than any other group, neighborhood association members have the ability to present preservation arguments in the spirit of a place.Often, these members can speak equally about quality of life, public safety, and commercial concerns. Neighborhood associations may include:

• Homeowners' groups
• Business improvement districts
• Main Street groups

Experts

Experts with credentials can be extremely helpful for making a solid preservation argument in a public forum. Your experts could have credentials in key areas such as planning, engineering, architecture, history, and business development. An expert opinion often seems closer to fact than the subjective opinion of someone with a personal stake in a particular matter. Your advocacy team can work with experts to deliver facts that are grounded in personal perspectives. 

Your Community Partners

While it is essential that your preservation group speak out at any public forum on a historic preservation matter, it is also important that your community partners share their supportive views in a public forum as well. When representatives from multiple groups speak publicly to support a preservation effort, it demonstrates the importance and breadth of your issue beyond the official historic preservation point of view.

When you are assembling your team of partners, think about other community groups that might share your point of view on an issue. For instance, the American Institute of Architects has a historic resources committee. A representative from your local chapter might also provide free expert testimony for your group's effort.

Learn More

Historic Preservation Advocacy Guide

Find more how-to articles about historic preservation advocacy.