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Can Democrats and Republicans Understand Each Other? It Starts With Getting Off Twitter

Monica Humphries

August 23, 2019 |

NationSwell |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Living Room Conversations facilitates civil discourse among people with different political views. The nonprofit encourages in-person meetings of groups of four to seven people with different backgrounds and views, ideally in a comfortable setting like a living room, coffee shop, or park, and provides over 100 guides on their open-source website to help participants engage in thoughtful dialogue. Rather than attempting to problem solve actual issues, the goal of the conversations is to humanize one another. Participants find the skills they learn useful in their personal relationships as well.

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How teen Greta Thunberg shifted world's gaze to climate change

Linda Givetash

August 17, 2019 |

NBC News |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Sweden

All over the world, more than 2 million children and teens are participating in classroom walkouts in an effort to bring attention to the severity of climate change. Called, Fridays for the Future, leaders of the movement are gaining traction, and have developed a declaration that emphasizes their demand that world leaders do something to stop the rising global temperature. This movement was sparked by Sweden’s Greta Thunberg, who, at 16-years old, has started this movement, spoken to global leaders, and continues to do what’s needed to demand action in the face of climate change.

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When public lands become tribal lands again

Anna V. Smith

August 16, 2019 |

High Country News |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians Reservation, United States, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon

After decades of failed legislation, over 17,000 acres of public land was finally restored to the Umpqua Tribe with the passage of the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act. The land was a constant source of tension between the tribe, the government, and environmental conservation groups, “under the pretext that Native peoples didn’t know how to manage them.” But in December 2018, with the passage of the Act and the return of 3% of the land that was originally seized, a sense of justice was felt.

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The community hub of the future isn't a library or a shopping center. It's city hall

Emily Nonko

August 12, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Sweden, Kiruna

In Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost city, a new city hall building is embodying transparency and community engagement. The building boasts a public cafe, seating nooks, studios, and a public art museum among the more traditional municipal offices of typical city halls. There are no barriers in this city hall, and the public has full access to everything except the offices and the chamber.

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Court Observers Are Shining a Light on the Immigration Court System

Ari Honarvar

August 02, 2019 |

Rewire |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

One way that any ordinary citizen can lend a hand to the plight of those caught in the American immigration system is by being a court observer: someone who sits in immigration court and takes notes by hand. Several organizations are working to develop a standardized way of evaluating judges' treatment of migrants to put it in a central database so that the data can be used to evaluate the human impact by the system as a whole. People who participate testify to the job alleviating despair over the situation as they can mitigate any unfair practices going unnoticed.

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Britain's first climate assembly: can it help fix democracy too?

Mark Rice-Oxley

July 19, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Camden

In the London borough of Camden, randomly selected locals, including students, builders, civil servants, restauranteurs, and others, came together to discuss what to do about climate change. This climate assembly allows jurors to listen to briefings, pose questions, analyze data, debate, and discuss action items. The council took inspiration from a citizen assembly around abortion in Ireland in 2016 that led to the national referendum in 2018.

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Preventing Gun Violence with Nicole Hockley of Sandy Hook Promise

Becky Margiotta

July 18, 2019 |

Unleashing Social Change |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Newtown, Connecticut

The non-profit, Sandy Hook Promise, equips schools and youth with knowledge and tools to prevent gun violence. Founded after the Newtown shooting, the organization couldn’t make headway through policy and legislature, so they turned to people. The founders spent time analyzing how social change happens and took a strategic, generational approach to shifting the culture of gun violence. With much success, they now face the challenge of scaling to a national level.

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How Minneapolis Freed Itself From the Stranglehold of Single-Family Homes

Jeremy White

July 11, 2019 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The city council of Minneapolis has successfully reached out to its constituents and responded to their concerns regarding the housing crisis by enacting the Minneapolis 2040 plan which outlines 100 sustainable solutions to mitigate the threat of urban density. Several progressive city council members have worked toward the goal of providing more affordable housing by creating coalitions and proactively gathering citizen input. Subsequently, affordable housing was the main issue in the latest city elections. The plan rewrites the residential zoning laws to allow multi-family homes in any part of the city.

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How grassroots partnerships are working toward long-term food security

Alexis Allison

July 03, 2019 |

Columbia Missourian |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Branson, Missouri

Overcoming the causes of social isolation plays a crucial role in combating food insecurity. From faith-based community meals paired with job programs in Branson, to food recycling initiatives that tap into local markets in Kansas, multiple organizations across Missouri and the United States are developing solutions oriented toward local needs. In some cases, such as the work of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Bloomington, IN, building community leads to political advocacy and civic engagement.

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Preaching Faith in Democracy

Courtney E. Martin

July 02, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Shared expressions of community and fellowship are fostering a non-partisan approach to civic engagement. The nonprofit Citizen University, based in Seattle, Washington, provides small grants to trained community leaders who host Civic Saturdays. The meetings take place across the country in libraries, town centers, and at small businesses. Groups gather to share song, poetry, and to discuss political concepts as ideas on a spectrum, rather than in opposition to one another.

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