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Could the highly political redistricting process be more independent? San Antonio may find out

Megan Stringer

April 17, 2022 |

San Antonio Express-News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

San Diego’s independent redistricting commission has aimed to take politics out of drawing district maps since 1992 by preventing City Council from drawing or approving its own map. Instead, nine commissioners from over 100 applicants were chosen based on background and qualifications by three randomly selected retired judges. The member selection process, rules for transparency, open public engagement and no tolerance for conflicts of interest are keys to its success. There is more equitable infrastructure investment and greater voter turnout now, which are two positive signs of reduced gerrymandering.

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Que Viva El Barrio: One neighborhood's decades-long fight for a less-polluted future

Ana Ramirez

April 08, 2022 |

San Diego Union-Tribune |

Documentary |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Barrio Logan, California

Residents in Barrio Logan have been fighting for years for policy changes to minimize industry in the area and make the community less polluted. After a decades-long battle, the city council recently passed an act that no new industry can come to the area and created housing-only sections for residents to live comfortably.

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Red/Blue Workshops try to bridge the political divide. Do they really work?

John Burnett

April 06, 2022 |

NPR |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Braver Angels stages workshops in all 50 states to encourage civil discussion and active listening between polarized Democrats and Republicans. Through conversations that ask them to consider stereotypes and "humanize the other," participants say they come away with a better understanding of their commonalities.

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These rural organizers have found an answer to dog whistle politics: Multi-racial, working-class solidarity

Jaisal Noor

March 24, 2022 |

The Real News Network |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

Organizers with Down Home North Carolina use deep canvassing, a door-knocking strategy based on active listening and in-depth, nonjudgmental conversation, to spark political discussions with voters who are often left out of the democratic process. Canvassers are trained to center issues of race and class to build solidarity across demographics and recorded high levels of support from voters in 82% of conversations surveyed between November 2021 and January 2022.

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Democracy Comes to Michigan

David Byrne

March 21, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

A grassroots campaign ended gerrymandering in Michigan by passing an initiative requiring districts be drawn by citizen-commissions rather than politicians. The all-volunteer campaign went door-to-door collecting enough signatures to get the initiative on the ballot and used creative voter-engagement techniques to sustain the support. Once the ballot initiative passed, 9,300 people applied for the first commission. A third-party firm ultimately selected four Democrats, four Republicans, and five non-partisan people as commissioners, who worked together very well to redraw districts.

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Good Talk

Jennifer Miller

March 16, 2022 |

The Washington Post |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania created a Civil Dialogue Seminar to teach students how to communicate across political divides. The seminar, which is part of a growing civil dialogue movement taking place among Gen Z, includes social psychology curriculum to help students navigate difficult conversations with people they disagree with. Students participate in the Red and Blue Exchange, small group conversations about controversial topics, where they practice having conversations about issues that elicit strong responses. Students also investigate their own emotional responses with weekly journal reflections.

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California offers graduation honor to encourage active civic engagement

John Fensterwald

February 08, 2022 |

EdSource |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

The State Seal of Civic Engagement, which is affixed to high school diplomas, recognizes student civic participation. The program is intended to increase civic participation among youth and strengthen civics curriculum by making the learning more active instead of passive. Criteria for what qualifies for the seal varies and is meant to be inclusive and accessible. It ranges from high-level demonstrated knowledge in civics courses to participation in actual civic engagement projects. Several districts have partnered with a nonprofit that supplies “action civics” curriculum and teacher training.

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The Town That QAnon Nearly Swallowed

Sasha Abramsky

February 07, 2022 |

The Nation (New York) |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sequim, Washington

The Sequim Good Governance League (SGGL) formed in response to right-wing agitators taking over positions of power and spreading misinformation. SGGL recruited progressive and moderately conservative candidates who successfully defeated incumbents with the help of dozens of volunteers they trained. Volunteers worked around the clock, sent out emails, put up signs around the town, and used their most effective tool: having one-on-one conversations with other residents. SGGL-backed candidates now hold the majority of government offices.

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Climate change activists look to increase voter turnout in 2022 and beyond

Ben Adler

January 28, 2022 |

Yahoo! News |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The Environmental Voter Project (EVP) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to increase voter turnout among irregular voters who care about the environment. The EVP has 6,000 volunteers who contact infrequent voters in 17 states via text, phone, postcards, and door-knocking. Volunteers identify would-be voters who care about the environment but don’t actually talk about the environment. Instead, their goal is to engage voters and get them to vote regardless of whether anything related to environmental regulation is on the ballot. EVP uses peer-pressure and sends many reminders to get people to the polls.

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Asher Craig: 'We are walking our talk' in Bristol's experiment in democracy

Betty Woolerton

January 19, 2022 |

Bristol 24/7 |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Bristol

A year after Bristol convened a randomly selected 60-person citizens’ assembly, which brought together a representative and diverse group of residents to tackle complex issues facing the city, they have delivered a set of recommendations. The panel produced 17 recommendations, with a total of 82 associated actions on three topics: climate, transport and health. Fourteen recommendations have been fully agreed to and eight have been dismissed. Participants also report positive effects of being able to work together across diverse ideologies and experiences, as well as from the civic participation more broadly.

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