A Call to Action—The Essential Role of Advocacy

• Author: Anna Maria Chávez
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12650
• Published date: 01 November 2016
• Date: 01 November 2016

844 Public Administration Review • November | December 2016

Public Administration Review,

Vol. 76, Iss. 6, pp. 844–845. © 2016 by

The American Society for Public Administration.

DOI: 10.1111/puar.12650.

Editor’s Note:  e Perspectives featured in this issue of Public Administration Review were adapted from

May 2016 commencement addresses: Anna Maria Chavez, the CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA,

spoke on the 12th at Arizona State University ’ s College of Public Service and Community Solutions;

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives spoke on the 7th at

New York University ’ s Wagner School of Public Service; and Tommy  ompson, the former Governor of

Wisconsin and Secretary of Health & Human Services, spoke on the 15th at the University of Wisconsin ’ s

La Follette School of Public Af‌f airs.

 ese Perspectives reaf‌f‌i rm the highest principles of American public administration: that by and large,

government is NOT the problem, and quite often indeed holds the solution; that ef‌f ective and helpful

public policy depends on informed expert opinion and research; and that those who enter public service

should do so with a commitment to the notion that America best fulf‌i lls its promise when we seek the

well-being of all people, including the least fortunate.

We chose these messages from among a wealth of commencement speeches because while they come

from leaders with quite dif‌f erent political views, background, and experience, taken together they of‌f er a

coherent and inspiring call to public service.

Dan Feldman, Perspective and Commentary Editor

Anna Maria Chávez is CEO of the

Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Previously, she served as director of

Intergovernmental Affairs for then Governor

of Arizona Janet Napolitano, legal counsel

to the Federal Highway Administration,

and attorney adviser in the Office of Legal

Counsel to the President, among other

positions.

E-mail: chavezanna@hotmail.com

Perspective

T here is a catalyst moment that happens

in everybody ’ s life. My moment was back

in the early 2000s. I was serving the state

government here in Arizona, under the then

Governor Janet Napolitano and prior to that, with

Governor Hull. At the time, I led an amazing

organization—I called it the division with the heart,

the Department of Economic Security ’ s Division

of Aging and Community Services. It oversaw and

funded all the domestic violence shelters in Arizona,

the congregate meal sites, and aging services.

One of the things I got to do was to oversee the

homeless programs, and to make sure that individuals’

needs were taken care of. Once a year, they count the

homeless across the country. When that day came in

February, I wanted to go.

Two Phoenix police officers adopted me for the

evening. We started around 5:00 p.m., looking and

counting in the homeless shelters in a quadrant of

South Phoenix. I remember seeing this bus and a

long line of people trying to get on this bus. I asked

the police officers…Where does the bus go? They

said that is the bus that you fund which goes to the

overflow homeless shelter that you also fund every

year. Our winters are so beautiful that the homeless

population increases during this time of year.

So … I see this family waiting to get on the bus and I

thought it was odd because there were two small kids

in line. The evening goes on and about 10:00 p.m., we

finally get to the overflow shelter. It is essentially this

big warehouse in South Phoenix and there were 300

men already asleep on mats. We crossed through the

sleeping bodies to get to the back of the warehouse,

where our Department had carved out an area just for

the mothers and their children.

And there was a play area set up. I go in and there is

a little girl and her little brother. I will never forget

her. Her name was Andrea and she was 12. I sat down

cross-legged on the floor and I said, Andrea, I ’ m here

from government. How can I help you? She looks at

me, and she says, well, I ’ m scared.

Being a mother, I ’ m like, okay, bring it. Who hurt this

little girl? What happened to them? Did they hurt her?

Anna Maria Chávez

Girl Scouts of the United States of America

A Call to Action—The Essential Role of Advocacy

This Perspective is adapted from remarks

by Anna Maria Chavez at the convocation

ceremony for the graduates of Arizona State

University’s College of Public Service and

Community Solutions (May 12, 2016).