NorthWay Community Trust co-hosted the March 15th panel discussion titled, “Navigating the Political Landscape”. The event was designed to introduce people to the legislative process, inform the public of important decisions pending legislative action, and encourage civic engagement.
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The format was tailored to the general public and driven by the questions and answer sessions .
The panel included NorthWay Executive Director, Wesley Walker, Representatives Jeff Hayden and Bobby Joe Champion, and Public Policy Project Founder, James Trice. Our Representatives talked about their roles in government and urged people to speak out at the capital. They put the importance of casting a ballot on election day in perspective—reminding people it’s critical to make policy makers aware of your priorities and hold them accountable.
The panelists fielded questions about access to decision makers and how to maintain discourse with our local politicians. There were agitators in the audience who tried to shift the focus of the agenda to organizational issues of their own, but the listening audience recognized the importance of process and place, reinforcing how respect and listening make room for discourse.
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