Kristen Cambell, Director of Programs and New Media, spoke at and participated in the Citizens’ Toolbox Conference in Oxford, Ohio in March 2011. Here is her event reflection:

Summary (in your own words): This conference was a convening of college students, campus administrators, and deliberative democracy practitioners. The programming was focused on the “civic toolbox”—the specific things students need to be effective dialogue facilitators and citizens on their campuses, as well as to gain careers in the public sector upon graduation.

What role did you play?: I participated on a panel regarding the importance of the Civic Health Index and using data to make the case for civic engagement. My fellow panelist was Annie Miller, former Director of the Center on Civic Engagement at Miami University Hamilton and co-author of the 2009 and 2010 Ohio CHI (she’s now a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Colorado). The panel was moderated by Nancy Thomas, Director of the Democracy Imperative, who will help write the 2011 Connecticut CHI.

Biggest takeaway: We had the opportunity to visit the Underground Railroad Freedom Museum in Cincinnati, which was extremely moving, meaningful, and powerful. This gave me a lot of opportunity to reflect on the trials of American history and the importance of learning from them. It also made me want to think further about how NCoC’s research can focus more on aspects of social justice in ensuring equality and civil rights.

Question(s) that left me thinking:
1. Does the process for civil discourse fundamentally decrease the right to free speech?
2. Does the word “change” dilute the importance of our work by focusing too much on end result, versus the value of the civic process? Do we ever really achieve change?

Recommended research/reading: The Kettering Foundation supplied a number of materials on the importance of deliberative dialogue and issue framing such as the Higher Education Exchange and For Communities to Work .

After my visit to the Museum, I’d like to read the books “ Beloved ” and “ The New Jim Crow .” Martha McCoy also shared with me about Everyday Democracy’s plans to produce a piece on talking about religion in a diverse democracy, and I will really look forward to reading that when it comes out.