DIALOGUES IN DEMOCRACY:
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
CITIZEN DELIBERATIONS

In 11 cities around the nation this fall, By the People’s Dialogues in Democracy will bring together more than 1,100 randomly selected citizens to deliberate about some of the most contentious issues facing the country.  Through the prism of local topics, these dialogues will examine the rights and responsibilities of citizens as we move into the 21st century.  

Albuquerque, NM: On October 20th, KNME and Youth Development, Inc. will convene New Mexicans to address the issues surrounding universal healthcare coverage for their state.  Through deliberation, they will look at the different options for New Mexico’s healthcare system.

Baton Rogue, LA: On October 13th, Louisiana Public Broadcasting gathered citizens to deliberate on the state of their healthcare system, focusing on differing approaches to reform. 

Bowling Green, OH and Cleveland, OH: On October 20th, WBGU-PBS and Bowling Green State University will host Ohioans in Bowling Green, while across the state in Cleveland, WVIZ PBS / Ideastream and Kent State University will host another group.  These two linked dialogues will address the purpose of a public university. 

Denver, CO: On October 20th, Regis University’s Institute on the Common Good, Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation, the Civic Canopy and Rocky Mountain PBS will bring together 100 Colorado residents to discuss the purpose of public education.  Together, they will focus on what can be done to improve high school graduation rates in Colorado. 

Houston, TX: On November 3rd, KUHT-TV and the Houston Public Library will convene Texans to inquire about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and the government when it comes to air quality in Houston. 

Kansas City, MO: On October 20th, KCPT Public Television and Consensus will host residents of surrounding counties in Missouri and Kansas to deliberate on the state of their regional transportation network.  As they focus on how best to use limited transportation resources, they will discuss proposed methods of improvement. 

New Haven, CT: On October 20th, CPTV and Gateway Community College will bring together community members to deliberate on challenges of, proposed strategies for and impact of immigration on the New Haven area.  

Omaha, NE: On October 14th, NET Television, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center convened a dialogue to discuss immigration in Nebraska.  They held a series of small group discussions and a plenary panel featuring a variety of Nebraska lawmakers, as they examined immigration’s impact on social services, equity and the community. 

Rochester, NY: On October 20th, WXXI Public Broadcasting and the Rochester Institute of Technology will assemble residents of the greater Rochester area to address cost, quality and access to healthcare in their community.  Together, they will discuss how issues of affordability and accessibility impact their healthcare.  

Seattle, WA: On October 20th, the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington will partner with KCTS Television to congregate residents from the Seattle area to discuss how issues of cost and availability affect the dream of home ownership.