Advocacy and Activism: PVCC’s Upcoming Civic Engagement Conference
March is set to be a month of advocacy and engagement here at PVCC. This year’s Civic Engagement Conference Advocacy and Activism, will take place throughout the month of March. The featured speakers, discussions, and activities are designed to provide students with information and resources that will help them be effective advocates and engaged citizens.
The conference will kick off Wednesday March 3 with Power in Numbers: Advocacy, Organizations and Activism, hosted by PVCC’s One Book committee. This session features a panel of four representatives from various organizations centered around advocacy. The discussion will focus on the goals and methods of their respective organizations in seeking out and affecting change. The session will begin at 12 p.m. on March 3 and is expected to last for an hour.
The conference will observe PVCC’s spring break and then return on March 17 with Elected Officials Under 30: The Changing Face of Political Office, a panel session hosted by PVCC Democracy Fellows, Alex Flowers and Sommerville Munt, as well as the Campus Vote Project. The session kicks off at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, and will feature several panelists who hold elected offices throughout the eastern U.S.. The session will highlight young individuals with a passion for advocacy by discussing the importance of one of the most impactful forms of civic engagement: running for office.
The following week, the conversation will be turned over to the attendees of the conference for a constructive deliberative dialogue entitled, A House Divided. Small groups of attendees will engage in a discussion centered around the central question: What Would we Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want? After the individual groups have exhausted their time, everyone in attendance will reconvene to share key ideas and takeaways with the group. Deliberative dialogues offer a safe and respectful environment to have productive discussions about complex and difficult issues. Each participant is encouraged to engage with the group and remain open-minded and respectful of each opinion presented.
Deliberative dialogues are a way to have difficult conversations all while earning great civic engagement centered content for college applications and resumes. The session will begin at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24, and will last for 2 hours.
The conference will come to an end by exploring yet another way to advocate for change with the Advocacy at the Capitol: Lobbying the Virginia General Assembly panel. The panel will feature several professionals who lobby the Virginia Legislature. Each will discuss the causes they advocate for and the clients they represent. The session will provide a glimpse into how these professional lobbyists forged a career in our state’s capital. Attendees will gain valuable insight on the process of lawmaking and the role of a lobbyist in influencing change. The session will begin Wednesday March 31 at 12 p.m. and last until 1 p.m..
Despite the tenacity of the COVID-19 pandemic, our democracy continues to demand an engaged citizenry and dedicated activists on a whole host of issues that range in nature from social to economic. PVCC’s Civic Engagement Conference offers valuable resources and information designed to help you discover your role as an advocate in today’s society. Each event will be held via Zoom and pre-registration is required. For information about the conference or to register for an event, vist https://www.pvcc.edu/node/914221.
