2008 State of Democracy in Minnesota Planning Conference

Registration and Continental Breakfast
Main Atrium

Opening Remarks
Introduction to LWVMN State of Democracy Project
Auditorium

Keynote Speaker:  Deborah Goldberg Auditorium

Civic Education Student Panel:  What Citizenship Means to Me.

Facilitated by:

• Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State

As soon-to-be voters and the future leaders of Minnesota, how do students view civics, democracy and their role as citizens?  A panel of students from diverse backgrounds -racial, geographic, ethnic, economic - will share their views of Minnesota' future and how young people view their stake and role in it as citizens and how that relates to civic education in our schools.

Goal:  Provide the perspective of the next generation of voters on what citizenship means to then and how those ideals might be integrated into civic education in our schools.

Media Panel:  The Role of Media as the "Fourth" Branch of Government

Facilitated by:

• Gary Hill, Media Director, Minnesota State Senate

Panelists:

• Jeff Goldberg, Fox TV
• Doug Grow, MinnPost
• Tom Hauser, KSTP
• Janice Lane-Ewert, KFAI Radio
• Bill Salisbury, Pioneer Press
• Dane Smith, Growth and Justice

Goal:  To explore the current and past roles of media in Minnesota' democracy and discuss ideals for the future and ideas on how to get there.

Networking "Working Issues" Luncheon
Main Atrium

Breakout Session 1

Wilkins:  Redistricting
How district lines are drawn affects who wins and who loses, and as Minnesota stands to lose a congressional district after the 2010 census, efforts have begun around the state to address by whom and how redistricting is done.  What characteristics should districts have?  Who should draw the lines?  Participate in this interactive presentation to learn more about the redistricting issue in Minnesota, and provide your opinion about what should be done.

Facilitators:

• Sean Kershaw, Citizens League
• Aaron Street of the Center for Law and Politics at the University of Minnesota Law School

Goal:  Outline the issues and impact of redistricting in Minnesota and solicit input on how attendees think the lines should be drawn.

Museum:  Citizen Engagement
Minnesota has some of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, but voting is not necessarily equivocal to civic engagement.  This session will explore how Minnesota' strengths in election administration can be built upon to create a more participatory government that calls on citizens to work together with government to solve common problems.

Facilitators:

• Marcia Avner, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
• Dan McGrath, TakeAction

Goal:  Gain a better understanding of citizens’ access to government, their engagement, and the citizen-government relationship, and explore practical ways this can be improved.

Break

Breakout Session 2

Wilkins: Meaningful Involvement of Communities of Color in Issue-Based Activism and Organizing
Issue-based grassroots organizations often organize within communities of color, but are those efforts effective at truly engaging communities of color in long-term strategic plans?  This session will discuss challenges to and strategies for truly effective communication and organizing in communities to form valuable trust relationships that can result in more effective participation in community action.

Facilitator:

• Keesha Gaskins, League of Women Voters Minnesota

Goal:  Establish meaningful communication and clear language to address issues related to organizing and activism within communities of color.

Museum:  Exploring the State of Democracy in Minnesota with Organizations targeting Under-Represented Communities
Organizations that work primarily with under-represented communities have a different perspective on the State of Democracy in Minnesota.  This session explores the perspective of key stakeholders within these organizations involving major issues related to LWVMN' State of Democracy Project.

Wrap up and Next Steps
Auditorium