NCDD at the 22nd Century Initiative Conference: Building the “Bigger We” for Democratic Resilience

By Keiva Hummel, Executive Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

From June 19–22, 2025, the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) had the honor of attending the 22nd Century Initiative Conference in Atlanta, GA—an energizing convening of over 1,000 movement builders, narrative strategists, organizers, civic practitioners, artists, and funders working to forge a people-powered democracy. Hosted by the 22nd Century Initiative, the gathering focused on connecting past victories to future possibilities through courageous strategy, narrative power, and deep collaboration. 
The conference drew together people across sectors united by a shared belief: that a healthy democracy requires active participation, respectful engagement across differences, and infrastructure that supports informed decision-making.

I attended alongside Roshan Bliss, NCDD’s Director of Democracy Innovations, as part of our continued effort to position dialogue and deliberation as essential civic infrastructure (and met up with NCDD Member, Duncan Autrey!). Over 100 breakout sessions explored themes of building narrative power, defending democracy, racial justice, political education, spiritual grounding, and joyful resistance. Roshan and I were especially moved by the opportunities for dialogue and deliberation in these efforts. From navigating deep ideological divides to supporting cross-sector collaborations, our tools in the D&D field are increasingly recognized as vital. Speakers and attendees reflected on the need to better connect D&D practitioners with organizers and cultural workers, to deepen our impact and bridge the persistent gap between theory and action.

​A powerful theme throughout the conference was the call to move from episodic outrage to sustained organization. This shift means embedding storytelling, dialogue, and deliberation into the daily practices of civic and community life, and resourcing the infrastructure that makes it possible. We left 22CI reaffirmed in our mission and excited to collaborate across movements to build what many described as the “Bigger We.”

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What We Heard and Saw: Emerging Themes from 22CI

Throughout the conference, several key themes emerged—each pointing to a critical role for dialogue, deliberation, and civic engagement in this moment of democratic uncertainty:​

• People power must be organized, not just inspired. A resonant phrase from the conference--“Only people can save the people”—captured the urgency many feel in the face of rising authoritarianism. But inspiration alone is not enough. Organizers emphasized the need for infrastructure, tools, and training to turn passion into power.
• The role of D&D in resisting authoritarianism and democratic resilience is critical. Conference dialogue highlighted how participatory processes—when done well—can both surface shared values and create alternatives to fear-based or scapegoating narratives. Dialogue isn't just about listening; it’s about helping communities imagine and build a future rooted in equity and dignity.

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• Dialogue and deliberation must move beyond neutrality. Practitioners were challenged to reflect on how perceived neutrality can sometimes undermine trust or credibility, particularly in the context of racial justice and movement spaces. Rather than disengaging, D&D facilitators must navigate complexity with clarity, values, and humility. Our field is uniquely positioned to hold space for differing worldviews, recognizing that no one political identity has a monopoly on truth, and that democracy thrives through principled disagreement and shared problem-solving.
• Narrative strategy and D&D are natural allies. Several sessions emphasized how our field must strengthen its capacity to facilitate understanding, support collective storytelling, shift values, and drive cultural change. As one speaker shared, “Informing people isn’t enough. Get them to act—and then they’ll begin to feel and think differently.”
• We need to bridge movements. A recurring theme was the need to connect D&D practitioners with organizers, artists, spiritual leaders, and policy strategists. This isn't just about networking—it's about building the connective tissue that makes our collective efforts stronger, more innovative, and more sustainable.

Takeaways for Dialogue & Deliberation Practitioners

For those of us working in dialogue and deliberation, 22CI offered both affirmation and challenge. It became clear that our tools—so often centered on listening, reflection, and bridge-building—must also evolve to meet the urgency of this political moment. Practitioners are invited to explore new partnerships across sectors—from community organizing to cultural storytelling—as we build the connective tissue of civic life.

​We are called to stretch our field: to document and tell the stories of dialogic and deliberative success, equip organizers with facilitative tools, and partner across sectors in building not just better conversations but stronger democratic ecosystems. As D&D practitioners, we have a unique opportunity to serve as connective tissue, grounding vision in practice and practice in purpose.

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Looking Ahead: Practicing Democracy, Together

We are deeply grateful to the 22CI team and all who showed up to build power together. As we reflect on this moment in history, NCDD remains committed to supporting the practitioners, networks, and communities who believe that respectful dialogue, deliberation, and informed engagement are essential to a thriving society.

Learn more about the 22nd Century Initiative at 22ci.org, and explore our ongoing work to support democracy practitioners at ncdd.org.