The purpose of this paper is to provide a perspective on advocacy and advocate counseling for participants in the University of Maryland Sixth Annual Community-Clinical Workshop, 1976. It attempts to define relevant terms and outline a method of self-advocacy which can, if utilized properly, lessen the impact of institutional racism. The terms, institution, race, racism, advocacy and self-advocacy are first defined. Next, the origin and development of institutions within a social contract perspective is presented. Third, a theory of the development and diminishment of racist institutions in the United States is presented. Fourth, various advocacy efforts are presented and analyzed regarding their impact upon institutional racism. Particular emphasis is made on the distinctions between advocacy "on behalf of" efforts and self-advocacy efforts. In addition, the Advocate Counseling Model, a self-advocacy approach espoused by authors, is heavily stressed in this paper and in the workshop. (Author)