Broadening Access to the Power of Civics

October 27 was National Civics Day and, as of an announcement from Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas hosted at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, it is also Connecticut Civics Education Day.

Secretary Thomas joined Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Foundation President and CEO Karen DuBois-Walton, ESPN analyst and celebrated MLB player Doug Glanville, and State Rep. Kevin Brown, to proclaim the state observance and to unveil a free online tool called "The Power of Civics."

The interactive training course is "like a civics GPS," said Secretary Thomas, meant to help users of all ages understand their roles and rights in local, state and national governance, and to better advocate for themselves and organize with others.

Doug Glanville, ESPN analyst and celebrated Major League Baseball star, described his role in shaping the tool, and the importance of storytelling the process. “Storytelling opens the door to collaboration so that everyone is invested in the outcome,” said Glanville, after sharing his own story of being invited to be a member of the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council. “Storytelling is a critical ingredient to civic change, and all it asks of us is to share, and soon we will listen all the way to enacting change.”

State Rep. Kevin Brown, a high school civics teacher in Enfield who co-chaired the State Civic Education and Media Literacy Task Force, shared his experience over “the better part of two decades trying to engage young people in this very process. If you educate and you teach the importance of participating in your community, you're developing the next generation of leaders in your community. We won't be fighting ourselves stretching to find people to run for office or to fill seats on boards and commissions if we are intentional.”

The Foundation acted not only as host and partner, but has also signed on as one of hundreds of Civically Engaged Organizations, or CEOs, across the state.

"We're not just promoting civic participation," said The Community Foundation President & CEO Karen DuBois-Walton, "we're really seeking to model it. Through our work as a convener, as a collaborator, as an educator and as an investor in community, we bring people together, seeking to heal, seeking to learn, and seeking to act for the common good. The launch of Power of Civics offers an incredible new way to support that work, helping individuals, schools and organizations access the tools and knowledge to strengthen the civic life of our region."

News outlets like CT-N, Connecticut Public, WTNH, and the New Haven Independent were in attendance and provided coverage. Watch the full replay here: