FIDE - North America is a proud member of the Advisory Board and lead evaluator for the City of Dayton's first ever Citizens' Assembly. On March 11, Dayton City Commissioners met with the Assembly organizers to learn more.
Read all about it and watch the Work Session in full here:
Thank you to the City of Richmond and PlanRVA for hosting FIDE - North America’s workshop last week, Citizens’ Assemblies 101, covering what Citizens’ Assemblies can offer and best practices for implementation.
Read our report all about the workshop and takeaways: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Calling all innovators interested in Citizens' Assemblies and democratic reform! FIDE - North America is recruiting a part-time Innovation Fellow. This is a paid, part-time, hybrid position based in Washington, DC.
Find more details and fill out our application here: forms.gle/9mMYUTQbSpFP...
On February 18th, FIDE - North America’s new Deliberative State Governance initiative launched its inaugural workshop, the most senior level convening on Citizens’ Assemblies ever in the United States! Read all about it here:
In a rapidly changing world, Citizens' Assemblies can provide the key to bridging the gap between the government and the people they represent. Read more about Snohomish County's upcoming Citizens' Assembly AI policy, our role as ongoing technical advisor and evaluator.
Congratulations to @petermacleod.bsky.social and Richard Johnson on the release of their excellent new book, Democracy's Second Act: Why Politics Need the Public. A timely and elegant must-read for anyone interested in democratic reform. We just received our copies. Order yours!
Our Deliberative State Governance (DSG) initiative’s inaugural workshop is right around the corner! Take a peak at the incredible leaders speaking next week on citizens’ assemblies and building partnerships between policy makers and the people. And stay tuned for more announcements very soon... 👀
What is the secret to long-lasting, sustainable, systemic change? FIDE — North America decided to try and find out. After consulting experts and opening our findings up for public review, we finally have a working Theory of Change - the first of its kind. Read about our process and findings here!
“When we have great facilitation and education, when we have time to talk to each other - and not at each other - good things can happen.” Agreed! Check out this week's episode of Dayton City Radio's podcast, “Birthplace of Next,” to learn about our latest Citizens’ Assembly.
📈 Korean policymakers show growing interest in deliberation.
Min Reuchamps, Chair of the Board of FIDE - Europe, and Marjan Horst Ehsassi, Executive Director of @north.america.fidemocracy.org, address Korean leaders at the 16th Asia Future Forum.
For our newsletter, FIDE asked our summer fellow (Diya Kumar) and interns (Eyob Sisay & Paige Margie) what they learned and their hopes for the future of our politics.
Also:
🏛️FIDE's session at NCOC this month
💻An upcoming webinar on CA & Institutional Reform
Read & subscribe: shorturl.at/Kyats
Our newsletter highlights our latest Citizens' Assembly school, which convened more than 40 elected representatives, public managers, advocates, implementers, & researchers from around the US in Akron, Ohio. Momentum is building behind American CAs!
Read & subscribe here: shorturl.at/TRlK1
Marjan - our Executive Director - will speak at the Athens Democracy Forum this fall.
As citizens’ assemblies gain momentum & deliver results across North America, she'll share how FIDE, our partners & government reformers address voice insecurity through these processes.
athensdemocracyforum.com
🚨 Only a few more days to register!
Join us in Akron Ohio this June 12-13 for FIDE - North America's Citizens’ Assemblies School, hosted in partnership with Unify America.
📸 Get inspired by the energy from past editions in Washington, D.C. and Arizona!
📌Registration: www.fide.eu/north-americ...
🔬 Science & tech policy should include voices of those most impacted—not just experts. Amanda Borth shares a framework to blend community experiences with scientific advice for better, fairer decisions.
📹Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arfe...
Akron School Registration 🔜 www.fide.eu/north-americ...
💵 Launching meaningful citizens’ assemblies often hinges on a crucial factor: funding.
🪙 What lessons can we learn from how past deliberations were funded, and by whom?
Join a discussion on Funding Citizens’ Assemblies this June 5, 2025, 11am-noon Eastern Time. Register here: shorturl.at/oCRxn
At FIDE - North America, we are providing technical guidance and oversight to support the work of Civic Genius and YOUnify in the design and implementation of Millcreek's city-wide citizens' assembly.
📚 Follow our Learning Series to learn more in the upcoming case study: www.fide.eu/learning-ser...
Last year, during our Citizens' Assembly School in Washington, we heard Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor of Millcreek, explain the most pressing issues facing his community —and how he hopes to address them through deliberation.
Spots still available for June 12-13!
✍️ www.fide.eu/north-americ...
Jilian Youngblood, Executive Director at CivicGenius, explains how assemblies can be one of the tools to bring politics closer to constituents at the local level.
🎥Watch her session: youtu.be/dLJ7Zo0uSL0?...
👉Register for the Akron School: www.fide.eu/north-americ...
🤔Can you identify your own biases?
Harry Gottlieb reminisces over how their team at Unify America conveyed this valuable message to members of the Citizens' Assembly of Montrose.
🎥Harry’s session: shorturl.at/tcMUG
📝Register for the Akron School: fide.eu/north-america/akron-school-2025
❤️🩹We need more Civic Concierges
Assisting participants with their emotional and practical needs can ensure the participation of underrepresented groups.
🎥Sara’s full session: shorturl.at/M1D3t
📝Register for the Akron School: www.fide.eu/north-americ...
📖 In Washington, DC on May 18?
☕ Join us for a discussion with FIDE-North America's Executive Director Marjan Ehsassi about her new book, Activated Citizenship, at Busboys and Poets (14th & V Street).
RSVP for the free, in-person event here: www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-ev...
🌱Cultivating a respectful public discussion
Linn Davis recalls how the Petaluma Fairgrounds Advisory Panel transformed the heated debates in the City Council.
🎥Watch his talk: rb.gy/dg0xqc
👉Registration for the Citizens’ Assembly School in Akron: fide.eu/north-america/akron-school-2025
👋 Welcoming our new Program Manager!
Cole Speidel is joining our team to upscale and support our advocacy, capacity and field-building activities. He brings key expertise from strengthening democratic practices in local institutions with @ndidemocracy.bsky.social
🤝 @fide-europe.bsky.social
💼 Start prepping your elected officials
@petermacleod.bsky.social speaks from experience when emphasising the problem with forgetting to enlighten the electees.
🎬 Watch 'Creating Conditions for Policy Impact': www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-wE...
🔜 Upcoming School in Akron: www.fide.eu/north-americ...
A two-day training in all things Citizens' Assemblies!
Join public servants, elected officials, and community leaders in improving democracy through deliberation.
📅 June 12–13
📍Akron, Ohio
🎟️ Learn more and register: www.fide.eu/north-americ...
CITIZENS‘ ASSEMBLY SCHOOL
Akron - a US city that has never shied away from reinventing itself - meets democratic innovation!
@fide-northamerica.bsky.social and Unify America invite you to their upcoming Citizens’ Assembly School.
📅 June 12–13
🔜 Register now!
#CitizensAssembly
📢 SAVE THE DATE
Akron—a city that has never shied away from reinventing itself—meets democratic innovation!
We're thrilled to announce our partnership with Unify America to host the upcoming Citizens’ Assembly School.
📅 June 12–13
🔜 Registration and full program details coming soon—stay tuned!
📰 The House of the People
We need audacious transformations to seek a way out of the current democratic crisis. Today in the Boston Globe, we introduce a daring proposal to shift the conversation and renew the US democratic system.
✍️ shorturl.at/lfvTX
With @peoplepowered.org at @bostonglobe.com
🗣️ Break the digital barrier and join us for an in-person chat!
Meet Marjan Horst Ehsassi for the presentation of her book: Activated Citizenship: The Transformative Power of Citizens’ Assemblies.
📅 April 24, 5 pm
📍 Columbia University, New York
✍ Register here: events.columbia.edu/cal/event/ev...
