To be most effective in this environment, the Center for Democracy and Citizenship is developing a partnership with the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities. Through this network of liberal arts colleges, we will be able to further multiply our work and engage more young people across the Twin Cities in such initiatives as Public Achievement, the Jane Addams School for Democracy, and the Warrior to Citizen Campaign.

As of today, we will be located at Augsburg College in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. We value our long association with the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and other units of the University of Minnesota and will retain these strong ties as we further our work.

Building on our past initiatives, our focus going forward will be the democratic purpose of education. We believe that education reform is needed so that all people can and do develop their full talents as contributors to our democracy. Our staff will continue to teach classes, offer training, and coordinate demonstration sites and programs locally, nationally, and internationally in support of this mission.

During our physical transition from the University of Minnesota to Augsburg College, you will be able to find our up-to-date contact information and new blog address at www.publicwork.org. We look forward to announcing a newly designed blog later this summer.

Thank you for your continuing interest in our work and your contributions to the strength of our democracy.

In January 2007, there were two violent rapes in one week in Simpson's Payne-Phalen neighborhood. Residents were outraged and afraid. At a community meeting, Simpson says he heard "a typical outcry for the chief of police, mayor, and city council representatives to 'solve this problem,' to protect us."

Elected officials have a role to play in the livability and safety of their city, says Simpson, but "citizens have got to go out there and assume their rightful place as equal partners with the city." He decided after that community meeting that he'd start walking the alleys with a flashlight in the pre-dawn hours "to make sure no one was lurking."

Defining community

When he tells the story of how he came to lead community watch in his neighborhood, Simpson quotes Jay Walljasper, author of "The Great Neighborhood Book": "You need a coffee shop and hard boundaries before you can have community." The area that Simpson covers (he rejects the word patrol as too militaristic) is bounded by major streets and includes 1,200 to 1,500 people, plus businesses and a fire station. To the police, it's known as Reporting Grid 34. It also includes an independent coffee shop called Polly's Coffee Cove, whose owners encourage its use as a gathering place and staging ground for what Simpson jokingly refers to as "the revolution."

In May 2008, after Simpson bought the community watch car, he added shifts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights when he would slowly drive the streets of Grid 34.

"Kids were the first ones to be attracted to the car," says Simpson. "It started with two boys," he explains. "They said 'Can we go for a ride?' 'No,' I said, 'we have to have a reason, something to do.'"

Eventually, Simpson says, he offered to hire the kids on Saturday or Sunday mornings to find graffiti and pick up trash, followed by breakfast at McDonald's. There was one catch: Simpson required kids to tell him their name and phone number, the name of one of their parents, and to save one third of their earnings with him. Before school started, he would pay out their savings so they could buy clothes or other supplies. Word spread, and by October Simpson says he had 15 boys ages 10 to 13 years old who wanted to work for him.

The goal, he says, was to get to know the kids and build a connection. "They'd introduce me to their mom or dad," he says. "I knew where they lived. They lived way down on the south side [of Grid 34]...that's pretty tough living."

Simpson also started carrying $3 gift cards for Polly's Coffee Cove. "Any time I catch someone doing something good -- picking up trash, picking up dog poop -- I say 'Thank you, you are busted for doing something good!' It's amazing what a 30-second positive connection will do if you have to come around later with a negative request."

Finding shared self-interest

Simpson retired a few years ago after a long career as an engineer at 3M and entrepreneur, and says he's achieved all of the big goals he set for himself. The death of his daughter from cancer two years ago also gave Simpson a clarity and fearlessness in pursuing his vision for the neighborhood.

This summer, he's driving an expanded route to include the area near Lake Phalen, where a handful of violent attacks occurred last year. He started to recruit walkers, and signed up 40 people in one weekend last spring. When city officials got involved and wanted to do background checks on volunteers and have them go through training with the parks and recreation department, Simpson did not hide his frustration. "These are people we know, as friends and neighbors," he says. At the same time, he adds, "as citizens, we've got to prove that we can be counted on and that we will keep [our commitment] for as long as it takes."

Although he's still mostly a one-man, self-funded operation with occasional donations from neighbors and friends, Simpson is interested in how he can organize other people. Last year, he joined a group of neighbors exploring a restorative justice project and ways to connect people to the Dispute Resolution Center at the nearby McNerney Housing Project.

The next big issue for Simpson could very well be how to work with a broader group of residents, city officials, police officers, and the community council to address the safety and livability issues he is so passionate about.

Read Payne-Phalen coffee klatch brews bonds of community, Star Tribune, April 14, 2009

I believe it also has much in kind with the "different kind of politics" that candidate Barack Obama called for in 2008, a politics which he continues to voice in international statements.

This politics doesn't fit conventional boxes of left versus right, and President Obama's approach to the Iranian crackdown on demonstrators has drawn fire from across the political spectrum. John Nichols, writing in The Nation, flagship magazine of the left, labeled the president "diplomatic in the worst sense," "avoiding hard truths," and "speaking far too softly." Meanwhile, Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate slammed the president. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called Obama "timid and passive." Republicans sponsored a resolution widely seen as a veiled criticism of Obama, attacking the Iranian government. Democrats overwhelmingly joined them, and it passed by a margin of 405 to 1.

But Barack Obama's stance should be understood as different than the diplomatic caution charged by the critics. During his news conference on June 23, Obama's emotional identification with the demonstrators was unmistakable. "He praised what he called their courage and dignity, especially the women who have been marching," reported the New York Times. He declared faith in popular aspirations. "We know this: Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history." He told the story of a 26-year-old Iranian woman whose last seconds of life were captured by video camera after she was shot on a Tehran street.

What is at work in Obama's stance toward Iran, in my view--as in his magnificent speech in Cairo on June 4, expressing deep respect for and engagement with the Muslim faith and the Arab world--are the lessons he learned as a community organizer in Chicago: every culture, like every person, is immensely complex. Every community has democratic as well as authoritarian potentials. Statements from democracy cheerleaders based on simplistic divisions of the world into "good" versus "evil" can do considerable harm if manipulated by democracy's enemies. People must be the agents of their own liberation, and the most important democratic change comes from within, not from without. A crucial role which a president can play is often not to intervene directly but rather to highlight civic stories of courage and creativity--a concept of the presidency as bully pulpit outlined by the civic engagement committee of the Obama campaign.

Obama's approach is civic populism. It surfaces the older tradition of democratic self-assertion, collective organization, and cultural transformation represented by figures like Jane Addams, Saul Alinsky, Ella Baker, and Martin Luther King in the 1960s. Such politics of popular agency is an alternative to social democratic politics of the left and or unbridled worship of the market and capitalism on the right.

More simply, it can be called the politics of "yes we can."

Here at the University of Denver (DU), we just wrapped up our sixth successful year of Public Achievement. This year we worked with six school partners in Denver Public Schools with over 20 teams, over 40 DU coaches, and over 250 K-12 students. The projects ranged in scope from improving school lunches to working on police harassment.

While we could tell you about several success stories this year, I will spend just a minute to tell you about our most unique PA site.

At Denver's South High School, we have been working with the Future Center--a center focused on college access for the high school students. Several DU coaches have been volunteering there for two years, and this year they took what they learned in PA last year and then worked with 15 high school students to improve the college access programs for the students at South. Many of these students are immigrant refugees and never thought of college as even remotely possible before they set foot in the Future Center. PA has helped to turn that notion upside down.

This year, the PA team has worked to develop a peer mentoring program where juniors and seniors are working with underclassmen to create a pipeline to college. These coaches and students worked together to build a strong program that will now be part of the Future Center and the school for years to come.

We are excited about what lies ahead next year at this site and our other six schools. For now, we will spend the summer assessing and planning.

Essays are due by September 15. More information.

"The truth is that ordinary citizens will not become involved in tackling the nation's problems unless the professionals who run government, health care, education and social services change the way they think about their work. Fortunately, there is an alternative mindset growing among professionals: citizen professionalism, where professionals see themselves as catalyzing and working alongside everyday citizens who share the mission to improve health care, education, criminal justice, the environment and other areas. The citizen professional understands that to begin to fix wicked problems, he or she needs active collaboration with real publics, not symbolic or virtual ones. Not focus groups but focused communities."

Read the op-ed published in Saturday's St. Paul Pioneer Press (or download article)

Like real embedded journalists, the students will go into the field each day, identify story ideas and conduct interviews, then write, produce and file their work.

The "embed" was the brainchild of Lt. John Hobot, an Iraq War veteran and public affairs officer with the Minnesota National Guard. Lt. Hobot saw firsthand how difficult it was to be exposed to media for the first time during battle and felt soldiers could benefit from media training.

This week, photo journalism students Heather Rudloff and Teagan Higley are at Camp Ripley in north central Minnesota. Teagan is shown above with First Sergeant Juan Esquivel, who is preparing to fire an M16. Photo: Heather Rudloff

The "embed" provides an example of the power of relationships - in this case, between the Center for Democracy and Citizenship, University of Minnesota students, and the Minnesota National Guard - which are vital to any organizing effort. It is also an example of students creating opportunities for themselves to develop a variety of skills that will serve them as professionals and citizens.

Read more

“She literally walked into our office the summer before her freshman year and said, ‘I want to do Public Achievement, I want to work with Denver public school students,’” says Frank Coyne, associate director for Denver University’s Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning. “And Charla never looked back.”

“Through Public Achievement, I’ve learned that change is a process and it’s not something that an individual can do themselves. You have to build relationships and understand what you want to change before you can do it,” Agnoletti says. “I’ve also learned a lot about the U.S. public education system and the realities facing the students and schools.”

Agnoletti plans to work in the field of public education reform. She has been accepted into the Teach for America program and will teach language arts for two years at the new Manny Martinez Middle School in Denver.

Excerpts above from the June 3 edition of DU Today

We began in September 2008. We were told by our teacher, Colonel Johnson, that we would do Public Achievement this year. We decided that for a topic we wanted to see changes in our school. Therefore, we wrote a list of ideas of things that needed improvement. Once we agreed on beautifying Humboldt, we needed to get our ideas down into one project. We decided on a mural on our pillar and to put benches outside to make the school more comfortable and friendly looking. At semester change, we were surprised that we lost four students from our group and new ones were put in. We also hit another road block when we found out that the University of Minnesota already had plans for the school grounds.

For a few weeks, we were down, because we did not think we could go through with our plans. After attending a few site council meetings and talking with our principal, we realized that the school was on our side. We pushed forward with the project!

Continue reading on the Humboldt High School web site

After two years of research and honing their organizing and public speaking skills through work with other young people and participation in the Organizers Breakfast Club, Click4Life celebrated Minnesota's new seat belt law at an event last Thursday with their partners and supporters.

Quartney Fore shared a story about overcoming fear and approaching Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to ask for his support. A video of her short interview helped garner the last two votes needed to pass the bill.

Chantel Winn performed her song 'Friend,' and HC, Bishop and Ruby P. performed 'Yes I Am,' both of which were recorded for the Click4Life CD and used at youth summits to get teens interested in driving safety and the role they could play in changing Minnesota's law (they make talking about buckling up cool.)

Congratulations, Click4Life!

His high school peers and teachers called him “Part Time.” He only attended classes when he felt like it or when it was convenient, and he had no hope of graduating.

I met “Part Time” while coordinating the Public Achievement program at Wasson High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. Two social studies teachers had seen beyond the nickname and enrolled him in the program.

Kira Pasquesi, at right

“Part Time” participated in a small group focused on the issue of violence in their community. One student and a recent alumna from the high school were killed in acts of violence and the Public Achievement group wanted to take a stand on behalf of their classmates.

The group planned and executed an assembly in loving memory of their friends and debriefed the losses alongside two coaches from Colorado College. Over 500 high school students attended and heard how they have the power to stop the violence impacting their community. The families of the two classmates told their stories as guest speakers. At the end of the assembly, students signed a pledge against violence and each student received a pledge card to remind them of the message.

“Part Time” made this assembly possible. He excelled at motivating his group members to be accountable, contacting community members and organizations, and leading meetings with school administrators, among many other skills. Soon after beginning the program, “Part Time” began attending class on Public Achievement days and started to believe he could graduate from high school after all. This pattern of attendance quickly filtered into the remainder of his classes after the non-violence assembly. While he had heard from others and reinforced for himself that he could not succeed in the traditional classroom environment, he found a new found confidence through Public Achievement and his public work. Peers and teachers called him Jared for his senior year of high school and he graduated this May.

Jared is my motivation for continuing this work. There are many more “Part Timers” in this world and I truly believe in the power of Public Achievement. Thank you to all the coaches, organizers, and coordinators out there that impact the lives of our students and communities. I urge you to think of your motivating stories often and share them with those around you.

I spent an evening with six Western Kentucky University (WKU) students. My goal was not to teach a class or orchestrate a co-curricular event; rather, I was there only to listen. After simply asking them to describe their passions and what they hope to accomplish during their time at WKU, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was listening to the future of our university and our society at large.

I have always had an empathetic nature and wanted to help others. I’ve found that this is the most effective way to do that – getting students involved in their communities. It takes an entire community to do something to truly help others. Instead of doing random acts of kindness here or there, we really have to be in the mindset that our everyday actions are what truly makes a difference. – Rebecca Katz

Following the 2008 election, a number of publications have focused on the increase in civic engagement among the millennial generation. While following electoral politics and voting is important to these young leaders, they are thinking much more in terms of local organizing and empowerment.

During my second year of college I wrote a newspaper article about MLK day and human rights. At that point I realized that there were so many issues on the local level – there are things that I could be doing right here, right now. The notion of “saving people” always sat really uncomfortably with me. I have come to realize that it’s not about saving anybody. It’s about working together to achieve justice. – Greg Capillo

For these students, the university is a space where character is shaped in significant ways. All of the students that I spoke with have achieved a high level of academic excellence in their classroom studies, but are sensitive to the crucial growth that occurs outside the classroom.

When I came to college I found others who shared the same sort of passion and hope that, in a world with so many problems, things could be better and that we as young people can determine our own future – we can write our own history. It has been very inspirational being around all these people that care so deeply about these things. – Matt Vaughn

When I got to college, I realized that just being in a classroom and learning “stuff” wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted to learn by doing it and being involved. I have learned so much here that did not come from a textbook. I think that it is hard not to care about important social issues when you are surrounded by people that are passionate and knowledgeable. – Sara Moody

Sara Ferguson reminded me of the practical impact that students can bring to our campus and community. Her leadership with “GreenToppers – Students for Campus Sustainability” culminated in the adoption of a campus-wide energy policy. Ferguson noted that “The education and knowledge combined with our constant communication with administration, I feel, has been our contribution to the energy policy. It hasn't been about protests and petition, but rather about bringing all stake holders together and coming up with a tangible goal for everyone to meet.”

I was impressed with the depth of vision that these students articulated. They see their work as having a lasting impact on WKU.

I think that a lot of the work that we are doing has led the leaders and administrators of this university to think about institutionalizing civic engagement. Of all the things that we are doing, I am most proud of the type of education that we are developing here – a place where students can learn about the state of the world and how to change it. – Joey Coe

I want to see a day when, like school spirit, we develop a sense of community spirit and that is what is expected from WKU students. – Sara Moody

As our campus and communities come together to shape the future of our society, this conversation serves a critical reminder of the task of higher education and the role that we all have in creating a more just and sustainable world.

Editor's note: Western Kentucky University is one of 16 state colleges and universities around the country working together as part of the Civic Agency Project to integrate citizenship with coursework. The effort goes beyond service learning and involves staff and community members as well as faculty and students. The Civic Agency Project is coordinated by the Center for Democracy and Citizenship and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

photo by Zackary Canepari for New York Times

“Everybody keeps blaming the government, but no one actually does anything,” said Shoaib Ahmed, 21, one of the organizers. “So we thought, why don’t we?”...“The youth of Pakistan wants to change things,” said Shahram Azhar, the lead singer for Laal, a Pakistani rock band, reflecting an attitude that is typical of this rebellious younger generation. The reason the Taliban is ruling Swat,” he said referring to a valley north of Islamabad where Islamic extremists took control this year, “is because they are organized. We need to organize, too. The only answer to Pakistan’s problems,” he added, “is a broad-based people’s movement.”

Renae and four other students produced a video about their Public Achievement team's work at Wasson High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. After researching discrimination and the effects of cliques at their school, they organized a mix-it-up at lunch day to break down barriers. They titled their video "Finding your voice at Wasson, " and facilitated discussions in their classes after it aired on their school-wide television channel. Check it out.