🗞️ Inside San Jose's Civics Masterclass, Happy Hour at the AMPO Conference, Fresh Insights, Hot Jobs, & more!
September 18, 2024 edition
EngagingCities shares outstanding work by our network of planners and changemakers, who actively involve their communities in creating better places and a brighter future.
🔥 Fireside Chat with City of San Jose
Demystifying Local Government: Inside San Jose's Civics Masterclass
Jasmine Hartenstein, Betty Nguyen, and Ellina Yin discuss the creation of San Jose’s Civics Masterclass. Discover how this free, online, self-paced course equips residents with essential knowledge on local government, parliamentary procedures, and the California Brown Act, and more. Available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, the course aims to empower diverse community members to participate in local governance. They highlight the course's development, the community feedback received, and the positive impact on participant's civic knowledge and engagement. The guests also touch on challenges faced, digital literacy needs, and future plans for expanding civic education resources in the city.
Main Takeaways
✅ Accessibility is Key: The course’s self-paced online format caters to diverse learning needs and schedules, increasing participation. This approach can serve as a model for other cities.
🌏 Cultural Relevance: Tailoring content to resonate with different communities, including using familiar analogies, enhances engagement and understanding among diverse populations.
🗣️ Empowerment through Education: Participants report increased confidence in civic participation, demonstrating the course’s effectiveness in fostering active citizenship.
🔄 Feedback is Essential: Continuous improvement through participant feedback, such as requests for deeper content on local issues, helps refine and enhance the course’s relevance and effectiveness.
👥 Community Collaboration: Partnering with local organizations and libraries has been instrumental in promoting the course, highlighting the importance of community connections in civic engagement efforts.
📈 Measurement of Impact: Tracking participant satisfaction and knowledge gain reveals the course’s success and areas for improvement, reinforcing the value of structured feedback mechanisms.
🏛️ Culture of Civic Engagement: The initiative illustrates a commitment to building a culture of civic engagement, aiming to foster a well-informed citizenry that actively participates in local governance.
“The goal was building a culture. It's not meant to be just for San Jose - we would like to have other cities. And I think the more people who participate in the process, the better and more healthy a democracy we have.”
Ellina Yin, Founder & CEO of Only in San José
👀 Watch or listen to the Fireside Chat.
🌐 Access the City of San Jose’s Civics Master Class online.
📧 Contact Jasmine Hartenstein on LinkedIn.
📧 Contact Betty Nguyen on LinkedIn.
📧 Contact Ellina Yin on LinkedIn.
🎙️ Listen to the Only in San Jose podcast.
📅 Engaging Events
📌 Happy Hour at Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Conference, September 25
Come join us for a fun and casual Community Engagement Happy Hour at the Destinations Lounge located at the Marriott Salt Lake Downtown City Creek hosted by EngagingCities. It's a great opportunity to network, mingle, and unwind after a day of learning and collaboration at the conference (and before heading out to the Conference Night Out). Connect with fellow planners, professionals, and enthusiasts in a relaxed setting right at the conference venue and discover new possibilities for community involvement. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to network and enjoy free drinks, paid for by our sponsor Konveio. See you there!
Date and time: Wednesday, September 25 · 4:30 - 6:00pm MDT
Location: Destinations Lounge, 75 South West Temple Street Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Register on eventbrite.
📌 APA California Chapter Conference, September 28 - October 1
Whether you’re a seasoned planner, a budding urban strategist, or someone simply passionate about building better communities, this conference is your chance to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the ever-evolving field of urban planning. Discover fresh perspectives, share your expertise, and be part of a vibrant community of professionals dedicated to shaping the future of California’s cities and regions. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired – mark your calendar for the American Planners Association California Conference from September 28th to October 1st in beautiful Riverside, California! View more information on the conference website.
⭐ Mobile Workshop Highlight: Downtown Riverside Civil Rights Walk
Monday, September 30, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Using downtown Riverside as a living laboratory, we will walk to a series of sites and monuments that represent the civil rights struggle. We will emphasize the importance of these sites in a historical and cultural context and explore both the intrinsic and economic value of cultural tourism. While all of these sites are located in Riverside, they are not unique to Riverside. Lessons are easily transferable to other cities throughout California and the nation. Each stop will highlight a specific civil rights issue AND include other issues of interest to planners. Workshop will include an outdoor performance by Ground Series, a dance and social justice collective that uses performance to practice place-based justice.
— Shared by Miguel Angel Vazquez, FAICP
📌 APA Colorado Chapter Conference, October 2 - October 4
Experience the excitement of the annual fall conference hosted by APA Colorado, the pinnacle event for planning professionals in the state. Our conference promises an unparalleled blend of learning and networking opportunities that will elevate your career. This extraordinary event boasts a diverse array of professional development sessions, all of which are eligible for AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) credits. Immerse yourself in enlightening workshops, captivating sessions, and immersive mobile tours. Hurry, registration closes on August 31st! View more information on the conference website.
🚀 Fresh Insights
💡 Unique insights on civic participation and placemaking from the Neighborhood Design Center
NDC sat down at Placemaking Week with artist Antoinette M. Perry to hear about her lived experiences and unique insights on civic participation and placemaking. Her perspective highlighted the power of art in shaping inclusive, vibrant communities.
We believe that vibrant, thriving communities come from collaboration and dialogue across diverse sectors. It’s not just about new buildings or public art—it’s about how we engage with one another to shape the spaces we live in. To learn more about Placemaking Week, check out the recap here.
— Shared by the Neighborhood Design Center
💡 Latin Labic's first community intervention
Check out a mini blog/documentary on Latin Labic's first community intervention along with the Florence-Firestone Community Organization on September 14th in the Florence Firestone community in Los Angeles County, featuring workshops and creative activities that celebrate Latino traditions and foster community engagement. The event includes a Placeit workshop by James Rojas, decoration workshops, and a creative piñatas intervention, all aimed at mapping community leadership and encouraging active participation in urban planning. Interviews from Jonathan Pacheco Bell, Elizabeth Gomez Ibarra, Jean Carlo Aranda, Vidal Marquez, and other participants.
— Shared by Urban Beginnings
💡 Planners Network Disorientation Guide
Check out the Planners Network Disorientation Guide for an intro to progressive planning practices, resources, and more! The Planners Network Disorientation Guide attempts to orient folks new to the field of urban and regional planning to ideas, concepts, and practices linked to progressive or radical planning traditions.
Reimagined 20 years after its first iteration, the Disorientation Guide features a range of articles, interviews, and excerpts sourced from progressive planning academics and practitioners. In addition, the guide includes additional resources with links to grassroots organizations, non-profits, and academic research groups involved in progressive city-building practices. Learn more and download it here.
— Shared by Cara Chellew
✨ Read more fresh insights here.
💼 Job Opportunities
📎 Manager, Community Engagement - Cook County
📎 Community Engagement Specialist - Delaware County
📎 Director of Environmental Justice and Community Partnerships - Aclima, Inc.
🗃️ Find more jobs here.
🙌 Support for APA Interest Group
We believe the practice of Community Engagement should have its own Interest Group within the American Planning Association (APA) as a place to network, find inspiration, and share best practices. Help EngagingCities make the case by filling out this online form to express your support and get updates along the way. You may view the existing Divisions and Interest Groups within APA here for reference.
➡️ Visit EngagingCities.org and follow us on X and LinkedIn for more stories like these!
💬 Do you have an interesting story, event, or job to share? Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email us at hello@engagingcities.org
The EngagingCities Newsletter is proudly sponsored by Konveio:
