On January 20, 2026, I joined Hoosier Action for Hoosier Healthcare Day of Action at the Statehouse. It was my first Day of Action and my first time ever stepping foot into the Statehouse. I had a lot of nerves the night before and during my hour-long drive up to Indianapolis. My mind kept racing, what if I was asked to speak on something I didn’t know enough about? What if I said the wrong thing? I went in with a clear plan: be a fly on the wall. Say nothing. Observe everything. Just get a feel for how these things work. That plan went out the window almost immediately when I met my group leader. She said something that completely reframed the day for me: “You are not here to be an expert on policy, you are here to be an expert on you!” That statement was everything. Instantly, I felt more confident, capable and grounded. I realized I didn’t need to have all the answers; I just needed to share my lived experience. With that shift, my first Day of Action became an absolute success. If you are on the fence about joining a Day of Action or going to the Statehouse for advocacy, here are a few takeaways to ease your mind.

As soon as I arrived at the Statehouse my assigned group leader found me and gathered our team - and what a team it was! Nearly everyone in my group was attending their first Day of Action too, which immediately put me at ease. Many of them were moms, just like me, and there was an instant sense of connection and support. To my surprise, someone I went to grade school with was in my group. Reconnecting over shared experiences and catching up was such a fun surprise, not on my Day of Action bingo card but a reminder that you truly never know who you’ll run into at the Statehouse, a.k.a. “The People’s House.”

The conversations with legislators were far less intimidating than I imagined. And I want to emphasize the word conversations. These weren’t one-sided pleas or awkward speeches. They were genuine back-and-forth exchanges, questions, answers, listening, and understanding. It felt comfortable. It felt engaging. It was even…fun. We were given a script to reference, but we never needed it. Still, knowing it was there “just in case” provided an extra layer of reassurance.

And the Statehouse itself? Majestic. Magnetic. Empowering.  Being there made me feel like anything was possible, like my voice and story mattered. I felt important to be there. Think Disney World for advocacy- inviting, inspiring, and far less intimidating than I ever imagined.