The Interactivity Foundation recently announced the launch of its new website and newsletter, designed to serve as comprehensive resources for learning about the foundation's mission, values, and initiatives. The website offers detailed information on current projects, past accomplishments, and valuable resources for interactive learning and engagement. Visitors can also subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed about events, workshops, and funding opportunities. The foundation aims to strengthen democracy through meaningful discussions, fostering collaboration among practitioners, educators, and civic professionals. Read more in the blog post below and visit the new website here!
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"The Futures Happening: Democracy Edition" was a generative and interactive gathering focused on building positive narratives and possibilities for democracy's future. Led by Lisa Kay Solomon, the event emphasized imagining and creating desirable futures rather than merely reacting to current challenges. It featured immersive activities, diverse voices, and a "civic imagineer" gallery showcasing civic innovations. The gathering aimed to empower participants as "civic futurists" to shape a thriving civic society and has already sparked significant impact and connections across various sectors. Read the blog post below and learn more here. Weave's Social Trust Index and Map show how different neighborhood traits are linked to social trust. They look at behaviors, intentions, and spaces separately but recognize how they all work together. The data, updated annually from sources like Esri and SafeGraph, is collected locally to be specific and timely. Experts chose data linked to social trust, and Datastory analyzed it into easy-to-understand scores. The Index covers community engagement, intentions, and social spaces to help neighbors connect. Check out the blog post below, read the article, and explore the Social Trust Index Map here. Thank you to everyone who participated and provided feedback on NCDD's response to the White House Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) recent Request for Information on developing a Federal framework for Public Participation and Community Engagement (PPCE). The final response, reflecting input from our coalition, is now available on the Federal government's site. Additionally, several NCDD members submitted their own comments, which are linked in the blog post below. TODAY - May 29th from 1-3 PM Eastern, will be a virtual event hosted by The Open Government Secretariat titled "Strengthening Democracy and Improving Our Communities Across All Levels of Government: The United States Experience". This session will explore open government approaches and their impact on democracy and communities across the United States. Learn more in the post and register to join here. The pandemic and political divisions have intensified social distancing and loneliness, underscoring the need for public gathering spaces to rebuild connections. Civic infrastructure, like community gatherings, can bridge social gaps, foster trust, and encourage civic engagement. Citizen University offers a task to all - Become a "gathering engineer" by identifying areas of disconnection and envisioning purposeful gathering places, such as swap meets or BBQs. Relatedly, if you want to strengthen your skills in civics and hosting ritualized gatherings, check out the Civic Saturday Fellowship opportunity. Applications to join the Fall Fellowship are open until May 17. Learn more in the post below and on the Citizen University site here. NCDD Member Organization, The Kettering Foundation has joined the All By April pledge, emphasizing the importance of free and fair elections in democracy. This nonpartisan campaign urges early support for essential nonprofit organizations vital for democratic functioning, aligning with Kettering's commitment to fostering an inclusive democratic environment where citizens are informed, engaged, and empowered to confront threats to democratic institutions and values. Learn more in the post below and on KF's site here. If you've ever felt the strain of discussing politics with differing views or feared for democracy's future amidst division, you're not alone. The Building Civic Bridges Act (BCBA), a bipartisan bill introduced in Congress last week, offers a glimmer of hope through funding vital dialogue programs. Take action now by urging your representatives to support the BCBA, envisioning a future where respectful discourse leads to solutions. Resolutionaries has made it easy to write your representatives via the BCBA site - learn more in the post below and use their advocacy tool to contact Congress! H.R.6843 - Building Civic Bridges Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Andy Barr [R-KY-6]* & Rep. Derek Kilmer [D-WA-6] with 20 cosponsors in the Education and Labor committee on 02/25/2022 to help local communities foster civil discourse to address shared challenges. The bill would establish a new, non-partisan pilot program, led by an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding, within AmeriCorps focused on building relationships across lines of difference. The program would have four core pillars:
NCDD Member Organization, The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), leverages science to advance community priorities. These projects are contributing to a growing movement toward engaged, community-driven science. They recently shared an interview from The Wildlife Center of Virginia where Community Science Fellow Devin Jefferson was interviewed for "Untamed: Life is Wild". Devin showcased his work with the Science Museum of Virginia and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond to study urban heat islands and air quality. His interview is in the May 5: Episode 403: Citizen Science (starting at 16:53). Untamed: Life is Wild is an award-winning television series co-produced by the Wildlife Center of Virginia and VPM, Virginia's home for public media. The series focuses on a variety of wildlife issues drawn directly from the stories of the thousands of wild animals in need of care that arrive at the Wildlife Center’s doorstep every year. The stories of these animals illustrate the wider problems wildlife face — litter, pesticides, free-roaming domestic animals, habitat loss, and diseases – and challenge viewers to take action to protect wildlife.
The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) is a professional membership organization with a vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people and a mission to champion and support science and technology centers and museums. Founded in 1973, ASTC champions and supports more than 500 science and technology centers and museums, natural history museums, children’s museums, and other STEM-rich, place-based institutions. ASTC currently runs a Dialogue & Deliberation Fellows Initiative - learn more here! The National Civic League, an NCDD member organization, released the National Civic Review (NCR) Spring 2022 edition and NCDD members receive a digital copy of NCR for free! (Find the access code below.). This esteemed quarterly journal offers insights and examples of civic engagement and deliberative governance from around the country. Thanks to Rebecca Trout, NCL’s Program Director for All-America City Award & Communications, for sharing this announcement with the NCDD network!
National Civic Review Spring Edition 2022 – Access Code: NCDD22 |
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