NCDD Conference Hosts Panel on "Citizen-Initiated
Deliberations on Legislative Policy Issues"
The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD) emerged from a 2002 conference in Alexandria, VA. The Coalition grew from 50 members to more than 170 a year later. Organizations and individuals who make up NCDD work to strengthen the D&D community, and to foster conversation, participation, and action in their communities.
The session on citizen-legislator engagement attracted 25 people interested in involving legislators in their D&D activities.
“We used the session to launch the citizen-based component of the project to foster more public deliberation in legislative decision-making,” said panelist Ihara. “The next step is for Kettering Foundation to convene meetings of legislators in 2005 and 2006 to support public deliberation efforts in their own legislative bodies.”
Ihara said he is continuing to work with some of the session participants as they develop relationships with D&D friendly legislators.
Ihara invites others who are interested in the project to contact him and to help identify:
- Known “D&D-friendly” legislators in your state;
- Issues in your state for which D&D programs can helpful;
- D&D programs that may be applicable to the issues in your state;
- D&D success stories;
- Information needed to involve legislators in your state.