From First Steps to Strong Voices: A Day at the Capitol

From footsteps on marble, conversations around policy, and the innate sense that decisions made here go far beyond its walls, the Capitol carries a different kind of weight. On March 3, a group from Joplin stepped into that space for the first time - arriving as visitors and leaving as something else entirely.

At the start of the day, there was a visible pause before introductions, and a careful glance toward staff for reassurance. Meeting with legislators can feel like stepping onto unfamiliar ground. But something shifted.

Rebecca noticed the small, round gold pins worn by legislators. A detail, easy to miss. But once she saw it, she began to move differently. And another pin. She stepped forward.

“Hi, my name is Rebecca,” she said, offering her story. A flyer followed, then a conversation. Then another. By midday, she was no longer waiting for opportunities, but creating them.

Jordan’s moment came just as unexpectedly. When he learned he wouldn’t be meeting the Governor, he redirected. The Lieutenant Governor’s office was open, so he stepped inside, sat down, and waited. And then, as if the day had been arranging itself the whole time, Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger walked in.

Jordan introduced himself, shared why he had come, speaking not just for himself, but for others. Later - and still carrying the energy of the moment -  he said, “It was the coolest thing ever!”

Throughout the day, conversations took place with Representatives Lane Roberts, Bob Bromley, Dave Hinman, and Cathy Jo Loy. Senator Jill Carter’s office opened its door through a staff member who took time to listen.

Stories and lived realities were shared:

• The importance of services that make independence possible.
• The role of community-based supports in building connection, stability, belonging.
• The urgent need for systems that do not leave people waiting.

By the end of the day, those stories came with clarity and confidence. Growth appears from a step forward without prompting, a voice that steadies mid-sentence, or a realization of “I can do this.” Once that realization takes hold, it doesn’t easily let go.

Advocacy is often described in policy terms, like funding, legislation, and systems. But at its core, it is something far more human. It is a person, standing in a hallway, choosing to speak. And on this day, in a building filled with history, three individuals from Joplin did exactly that - time and time again - until the space felt like theirs to move through.