Active Citizenry Series

Based on the Campus and Living Room Conversations Project Framework, the SLE hosted a “Freedom of Speech” conversation with students from different backgrounds, offering coffee, refreshments and cookies. – 04/18/2024.

This workshop given by Dr. Adi Wiezel from Elon University, taught students about the different causes of polarization and its types. Also, students were encouraged to think and share the different actions they can take in their communities about this current and relevant phenomenon – 03/23/2024.

An interactive workshop of 45 minutes which had the purpose of building up practical knowledge for students about the upcoming primary elections through an inclusive voting toolkit and voting check-in simulations. These sessions were held during the early voting period across campus on different dates and times with over 100 students in attendance. – 02/06/2024 – 02/26/2024.

During November 2023, the active citizenry series hosted this workshop to show students the different threats to democracy in North Carolina. In partnership with the Non-Profit Organization “Democracy NC” and the interim Director of the Master of International Studies “Robert Reardon”, students were informed about the different risks their voting and electoral rights face. 11/30/2023.

Before December 6, state legislators will have to redraw our state’s political districts. In North Carolina, redistricting is always a point of political contention, due to legislators drawing maps to better suit their political interests, which is called gerrymandering. This workshop aims to outline the history and context of redistricting, specifically focusing on when redistricting becomes gerrymandering, and how that affects targeted communities. Participants who attend this workshop will learn how gerrymandering can be a tool used to silence the voices of our community, and learn how to recognize when it is actively occurring around them.

Now more than ever, being able to identify societal issues is vital to active members of our society. But when you identify those societal issues, how do you go about addressing them? This event will be focused on giving perspectives of organizing to create social change, and gives students the opportunity to learn more about already accessible points of creating change. Participants who attend this workshop will learn how organizing can be a valuable tool to create change, and learn about avenues to join existing coalitions that address issues in our communities.

As more and more aspects of our lives become political topics, being able to have discussions on the current events going on around us is more vital than ever. This workshop invites students of all beliefs and ideologies to join us via Zoom to have structured conversations about recent events, and focus on developing skills to understand others and participate in civil discourse.

Since the mid- 20th century, humankind has impacted and changed the climate at unprecedented rates. All around us, examples exist of how we are harming the world, from the shrinking, melting ice in the Arctic, to the record high temperatures we experience nearly every year. While some of us are engaged and active in attempting to reduce and mitigate our impact, some of the most impactful individuals such as lawmakers and government officials deny the existence of climate change, and slow the progress of creating a greener future. This event aims to allow students who want to discuss climate change and what they can do to take action. Discussion topics include rallying and activism, lobbying lawmakers and governmental representatives, corporation impact on climate change, and local opportunities for climate change activism.

Join us on January 20th at 6:30pm for an informative and intimate small panel and group discussion with Black local and state policymakers and elected officials to learn about their experiences in creating change in the space around us! Topics to be discussed include their journey and experiences in their field, the motivations that move them forward, and some of the issues and topics that they are addressing in our communities.

Students will be able to take away tools and strategies that they can use to influence policy and create change in their community or on issues they feel are important, and will learn about current topics and issues in the policymaking space. This event is part of our NC State’s Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration week programming and celebration.

The events of the first months of 2020 have caused a social revolution as individuals, communities, and institutions grapple with their complex histories and current policies towards the citizens of this country. This session will cover topics to inform and prepare students to engage in activism and organizing in the spaces and communities they are a part of and engage with the complex political landscape of our times. We invite participants to come with questions for this interaction panel.

How did the Two Party system develop in the United States? What third parties exist in the US, and what access do these parties have to the electoral system? What other systems of government exist?

Take the deep dive with us into the United States’ Party system!

The world of politics is complex, difficult, elaborate, and frankly, tiring. However, being civically engaged is one of the greatest privileges we have as members of a democracy. Participants of this workshop will walk away feeling rejuvenated and inspired to be involved in politics in anyway they see fit – whether that be walking in a protest, volunteering for a candidate’s campaign, or running for a political office.

Participants of this workshop will learn the intricacies of how various politically engaged groups impact the American government. We will have a panel of speakers that will be composed of individuals from various interest groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), lobbyist groups, as well as individuals who work in state government. All of the organizations that the panelists are affiliated with will be centered around environmental quality, as this will allow for better understanding of how various groups can have differing impacts within one issue topic. Participants who attend this workshop will walk away with a better understanding of how outside organizations influence our government, as well as how they can become involved in these groups themselves.

How does the electoral college work? Does your individual vote actually count? (Hint: the answer is yes!) What’s the deal with all of these voter ID laws? Come learn the answer to all of these questions at this workshop about the electoral college and voting! Participants of this workshop will walk away feeling confident about what their vote means and how the whole voting process works in America.