The words we use in our civic lives – our civic language – have become deeply coded and loaded, leaving little space for productive discussion within our communities. Where we used to think we were just saying words, we now realize we are speaking in signals – sometimes constructive, sometimes destructive, sometimes intentional, sometimes unintentional.
Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) leads the Civic Language Perceptions Project to hear from Americans about their perceptions of and relationships with words frequently used in democracy and civic engagement work. Building on the civic language research PACE conducted in 2021-2022, PACE is excited to share updated research from its 2023 nationally representative survey of 5,000 American registered voters, as well as an oversample of 600 Iowa residents sponsored by the Iowa Council on Foundations.
Join us on Thursday, April 25 from 10 am – 2:30 pm for “The Signals We Send: A Look at Civic Language Perceptions in Iowa and the U.S.” where we will share data to answer questions like:
- What are the current perceptions of words like democracy, civic engagement, service, racial equity, unity, and community?
- How do Iowans differ in their relationships to civic language than (from?) Americans as a whole?
- What signals do we see about why Americans and Iowans hold the perceptions they do about civic language?
- What should you say in your communities, especially in an election year like 2024?
You can learn more about PACE at www.PACEfunders.org and the Civic Language Perceptions Project at www.PACEfunders.org/Language Please reach out to Language@PACEfunders.org with questions.
Sponsors: Thank you to the Leighty Fund and the United Philanthropy Forum for funding the Iowa-specific data collection and this meeting.
Speaker Bios:
Kristen Cambell, Chief Executive Officer
Kristen Cambell is CEO of PACE, a philanthropic laboratory for funders seeking to maximize their impact on democracy and civic life in America. Previously, Kristen ran her own consulting practice focused on civic engagement, education, and leadership. She served the National Conference on Citizenship as its Chief Program Officer, and has held philanthropic roles at the Case Foundation and Points of Light. Kristen is an AmeriCorps Alum and serves on the board of United Philanthropy Forum and Citizen University, as well as the advisory groups of several national groups, including the working group of the Philanthropy Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution.
Amy McIsaac, Managing Director for Learning and Experimentation
Amy helps funders learn, connect, and experiment in an effort to strengthen American democracy and civic engagement. Beyond developing PACE’s organizational learning agenda and the programmatic elements to achieve it, Amy leads PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project and Faith In/And Democracy initiative. Amy is a proud AmeriCorps Alum, having served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Washington, DC, during the height of the 2008 economic crisis. She has led multiple national and international nonprofit organizations focused on community engagement and service over her career, including with LIFT and 2Seeds Network, and most notably, was part of the small leadership team that established Service Year Alliance in 2015. Amy lives in the Boston/Providence area (Go Friars!) with her husband, Kevin, and three children.
Notes and Logistics:
Cost
For ICoF membership meetings, each membership is given one complimentary registration, with additional registrations invoiced at $25 per person to help cover venue/food costs. Invoices will be sent the week following the event. Please note that for registration purposes we have not listed a cost on the event registration page.
Location + COVID-19 Safety Precautions
Our meeting will be held at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Attendees assume all risk and responsibility related to possible virus transmission at an in-person event. On the registration form you are asked to review and agree to a COVID-19 liability waiver. If you become ill, test positive for, or are exposed to COVID-19 prior to the event, please stay home and take care.
Accessibility
The facility is an ADA-compliant. More information is available here. If there are specific accommodations that would help you attend and/or more fully participate, please let Laura know with as much notice as possible.
Registration
Online registration will close Wednesday, April 17 so we can get our final lunch count in. If you want to register after that date please contact Kari or Laura to see if a spot is available.