Did you see The Odyssey this summer?

Or maybe you’ve read it at some point. Think back to English lit class from all those years ago.

Either way, you might know the passage where Odysseus is steering his ship between two dangers at once: Scylla, the six-headed sea creature up there on the rocks, and Charybdis, the whirlpool on the other side.

He can’t avoid both. He can only pick which one takes the smaller bite.

As much as most politicians feel generally good about camp, that is the passage the camp field often navigates in Washington. Most camp people have no idea we are sailing through it at all.

The Two Fronts

Lots of DC folks love camp. Lots. Many people in Washington don’t have a strong feeling about camp one way or the other. Some of them have negative feelings that come from different directions.

Say the words “J-1 camp counselor.” Most from both sides of the aisle support the program. But others see it as taking jobs from Americans. Still others think it means taking advantage of international workers. The program takes fire from both sides.

Then there are people whose view of camp has been shaped by a painful experience. They don’t distinguish between the camps that strive every day to keep their campers and staff physically and emotionally safe and meet every standard and the ones that don’t. To them, camp is one thing — and that thing failed them.

Not one of these positions is going away. And the camp field doesn’t get to opt out of any of them.

Government is not the enemy. Critics are not all irrational. The field simply can’t afford to assume everyone is on our side all the time. We need to understand that there are doubters and critics and engage with them productively.

Even Your Tribe

The trap most camp directors walk into is assuming their own tribe has their back.

Many camp folks, in some way, identify with a political community and probably assume that community is naturally on their side. That assumption is sometimes mistaken.

Because the levers that quietly hold the camp model together sit inside larger fights political groups pick for other reasons. Think about the J-1 programs, minimum wage and overtime exemptions, access to federal lands, and tax policy. When one of those levers gets pulled, camp goes with it — and it is almost never on purpose.

The Move

The good news is that most of Washington doesn’t oppose camp at all. We’ve got tons of allies and supporters.

There is a wide field of ambient goodwill out there. But we can’t rest easy thinking goodwill is enough.

Ambient goodwill means someone doesn’t walk into the room ready to hurt you. That is where it ends. When the moment comes that a camp needs something, goodwill by itself is a starting point at best.

The work is education, building and nurturing relationships, and preparing the room before you walk into it.

The goal is more modest than most people think.

It is moving people, one at a time, from lack of knowledge or even opposition to shared understanding. The whole endeavor reduces to that one thing: helping to educate and engage whenever and wherever possible.

The camp field doesn’t get to assume everyone loves us. We keep sailing the political passage because there is no other water. We’re getting better at navigating those waters, to be sure, but the voyage is far from over.

The journey from 26 million kids to 52 million kids attending camp every summer is worth it. Lives changed. Future-ready and caring kids. That’s the goal. Today, tomorrow, and twice on Sunday.

Join the movement. Get updates on the Camp Caucus and learn how you can support camp advocacy in DC.

Scott Brody is ACA’s Government Affairs co-chair and leads the association’s advocacy efforts in Washington, DC. He served as ACA National Board Chair during the COVID-19 crisis, helping guide camps nationwide through safe reopening while securing unprecedented federal support. A camp director for more than 30 years, Scott is Director Emeritus of Camps Kenwood & Evergreen and owner of Everwood Day Camp and Camp Sewataro. He has dedicated his career to advancing the life-changing impact of camp and championing its value on a national stage.