Power to Change: A Messaging Guide for Health Justice Advocates to Engage Moderate and Conservative Voters translates in-depth audience research into practical, usable guidance for advocates, communicators, and organizers working across health justice issues — from maternal health and Medicaid to medical debt and immigrant health. 

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Developed through Community Catalyst’s Health Justice Narrative: Community of Practice and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), this guide helps advocates reach audiences who believe the health care system is broken, feel overwhelmed by its complexity, and are unsure whether change is possible — but are persuadable. 

Relatable, believable examples of everyday people creating change can increase people’s sense of agency and belief that progress is possible.

What This Resource Is

What This Resource Is

This guide is a practice forward messaging tool, grounded in original qualitative and quantitative research with moderate and conservative voters across 12 states. It focuses on how people feel about health care — not just what they think — and offers Heartwired messaging recommendations that can be applied across campaigns, materials, organizing, and storytelling. 

Rather than prescribing slogans, the guide helps advocates:  

  • Understand the emotional and psychological drivers shaping public opinion 
  • Avoid common messaging traps that trigger backlash or hopelessness 
  • Build messages that increase people’s sense of agency and openness to change 

This is for moderate and conservative voters. 

Practical Takeaways

Practical Takeaways: How to Use This Guide 

1. Lead With Lived Experience, Not Policy 

Audiences are more receptive when messengers name their own experiences with the health care system — bills, insurance confusion, caregiving, chronic illness — as expertise. Personal stories reduce overwhelm and help people feel qualified to engage. 

Use this when: writing op-eds, developing spokesperson prep, shaping digital content, or supporting storytellers. 

Families who use the health care system every day are the real experts — because they see firsthand what works and what doesn’t.

2. Emphasize Relatable Problems and Incremental Solutions 

Moderate and conservative voters are skeptical of sweeping system overhauls, but they strongly support concrete steps like capping hospital or prescription costs. Messages that pair everyday problems with specific, achievable solutions calm fear and frustration. 

Use this when: framing policy wins, explaining reforms, or responding to attacks. 

3. Show That Change Is Possible — and Already Happening 

Many people believe the system is broken but doubt it can change. Highlighting real examples of everyday people taking action and winning increases hope and perceived agency. 

Use this when: uplifting partner wins, campaign milestones, or community action stories. 

Messaging that highlights incremental wins achieved by everyday people helps resolve feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm.

4. Avoid Polarizing Language That Triggers Backlash 

Messages that over index on partisanship, abstract ideology, or blame without agency can reduce support. This guide outlines how to name corporate harm without stripping people of a role in change. 

Use this when: reviewing campaign language, pressure testing messages, or training spokespeople. 

Many people believe the government can and should play a role in addressing rising health care costs.

5. Offer Multiple Ways for People to Act 

People engage differently. Effective messaging pairs persuasion with choices — sharing a story, contacting a legislator, joining a local effort, or voting with health in mind. 

Use this when: designing calls to action or aligning messaging with organizing strategies. 

Who This Resource Is For

Who This Resource Is For 

  • Health justice advocates and organizers 
  • Communications and digital teams 
  • Storytellers and spokespeople 
  • Coalition partners working across issue area

The insights apply across health topics and geographies and are especially useful for reaching audiences beyond an existing base. 

Research Backed and Field-Tested 

The guide is based on: 

  • In-depth interviews with moderate and conservative voters 
  • A multistate qualitative survey 
  • Randomized controlled message testing 

It builds on existing narrative and equity research while offering new, actionable insights specifically focused on persuasion and agency. 

About the Partnership

About the Partnership 

This work was made possible through the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the Voices for Health Justice program. Community Catalyst is grateful for RWJF’s partnership in supporting research driven tools that help advocates meet people where they are and build durable public support for change. 

How to Get Started

How to Get Started 

  • Download the full guide
  • Identify 1–2 messaging recommendations to pilot 
  • Test language in upcoming campaigns or materials 
  • Share learnings with partners and coalitions 

For questions or support applying this resource, contact Community Catalyst.