Promoting Equity and Meaningful Dialogue in Local Gov

Co-hosted by ELGL and Bang the Table

Community engagement is about building relationships and gathering meaningful input from community members. With public trust in government institutions at an all-time low, it is more important than ever for local governments to engage their residents and give them a chance to weigh in on the issues that affect them. Through an equity lens, reaching the residents whose voices have not been heard in the past is a primary objective – but traditional strategies often fall short. How might we bring more voices to the table and rebuild the public’s trust in government?

This roundtable will be interactive, with opportunities for group participation, dialogue, and networking. Get to know your peers in the Triangle, share your organization’s challenges around equity, and exchange your ideas and experiences engaging residents in your community.

Staff from Bang the Table will showcase case studies from across the US highlighting meaningful, equitable community engagement in the online space.

Lunch will be provided by Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken.

Key Take-Aways:

• Equity: context, challenges, and implications for community engagement
• Reaching under-represented groups: how to set goals and measure success
• How to facilitate a civil, constructive dialogue in the online space
• Balance in-person and online efforts to create a comprehensive approach
• How to get the most out of social media in online community engagement
• Scale meaningful, equitable engagement up across your entire community

Amanda Nagl, US Practice Lead, Bang the Table

Amanda Nagl joined Bang the Table in 2017 after spending nearly two decades working on the front lines of local government, focusing on community engagement. She has served as Neighborhood Liaison for both the City of Boulder and the City of Fort Collins and as the Community Services Manager for the Estes Park Police Department. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Alabama and an MBA in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University.

Amanda has a background in facilitation, conflict resolution, program and project development and process improvement. She is motivated to use her training and teaching skills to help cities across the United States effectively connect with their communities, through public engagement.

Jeremy Shackett, Engagement Manager, Bang the Table

Jeremy Shackett is an Engagement Manager in Bang the Table’s Boulder, Colorado office. He holds a BA in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Bang the Table in 2016, Jeremy co-founded Gymnasium, a mobile civic engagement app designed to break down the barriers that make it difficult for residents to engage. Gymnasium was a finalist in the American Planning Association’s Innovating Planning Apps Competition