These were the most popular resources and ideas featured in our newsletter this year:
7 key lessons for addressing racism in community programs
Fighting racism goes hand in hand with creating communities where everyone has a voice and a chance to work together. In our 25 years of working with communities to create positive change, here are key lessons we have learned about addressing racism in community initiatives.
Incorporating a Racial Equity Lens in Facilitation
This exercise is designed to help you have a conversation about how your community’s racial dynamics may be impacting your work as dialogue facilitators. It will also help you to think about how to work together as a team more equitably during this phase of the process.
Why "good intentions" aren't enough to dismantle white superiority
"Even though I didn’t consciously consider white skin to be a marker of superiority, I nonetheless had been socialized to believe that was true AND I had spent much of my life acting in good-intentioned ways that nonetheless perpetuated that damaging myth."
Action Road Map Planning Tool
This Action Road Map will help communities walk through the steps we need to take to carry out a plan for action. Using this worksheet, you will think about the people, places, and things in your community that can help you reach your goals. Each action team that forms through the Dialogue to Change process should create their own Action Road Map.
Evaluating Community Engagement
We've recently released an Evaluation Guide and Toolkit for Practical Use. This is a mini-guide that offers tips for evaluating community engagement. It is not meant to be fully prescriptive on evaluation but it is a practical, hands-on tool to help you determine if you are ready to evaluate your community engagement
A new take on the role of volunteers in public engagement
Everyday Democracy's latest commentary explores the growing need to have a place for volunteers in public engagement. More local governments are hiring professionals to shape their public engagement strategy, but we also need to make space for passionate community members to volunteer their time and expertise to make public engagement more effective.
More than a seat at the table: A resource for authentic youth engagement
Young people have galvanized and inspired people throughout the country with their energy and effective responses to gun violence. Here is Everyday Democracy's resource on how to overcome common challenges and involve young people in Dialogue to Change efforts or other established groups or campaigns.
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