On Tuesday, April 9, from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., the Gephardt Institute of is hosting a Civic Skill Building Event with Zoe Ang, Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, on the topic of policy and political change.
Legislation is not self-implementing; a series of events must translate the words from a bill to the policies we experience. During this translation, legislation meaningfully changes when we, as citizens and denizens, voice our opinions on these policies. In this hour-long session, participants will learn how to advocate for their interests and community by submitting a public comment on federal, state, and local legislation, as well as government-sponsored plans, such as expansion of public transportation and use of tax-payer dollars. Participants will further develop a foundation for sustainable political advocacy and engage their social networks as agents of change.
Participants will work in groups to examine cases in which political entities use public comments to improve policy implementation and/or learn public preferences. Participants will learn about public commenting, how it works at various levels of government, who can use this method, and how using this form of political action serves as an act in a chain of behaviors.
Students will leave the session with tools to 1) identify items for comment, 2) write acomment that can influence policy, and 3) engage their social networks to develop political capital to bolster their advocacy.
Civic Cafe is a weekly event series that occurs every Tuesday evening at Stix House, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Each night fits the theme of either a Skill Building session, Democracy Dinner, or Civic Storytelling event. Students of every level and discipline are invited to attend. Learn, eat, and meet other civically-minded individuals.
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