About The David Mathews Center
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt corporation. We build skills, habits, and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative decision making.
Announcing the Jean O'Connor-Snyder Fund
Your donation is an investment in Alabama's future.
Teach them something new.
This free workshop equips educators to incorporate place-based deliberative learning into their curriculum to sharpen students’ critical thinking skills.
(Substitute reimbursement and CEU’s will be provided.)
We aim to strengthen Alabama’s civic life by increasing active citizenship, community collaboration, and effective decision making.
All of our programs are designed to get Alabamians talking to each other about the issues that matter most to them.
We engage communities all across Alabama—find an event near you now!
Signature Programs
Alabama Issues Forums
AIF is designed to help communities talk to each other and through issues, rather than at each other and about issues.
Coaching Community Innovation
These local workshops equip citizens with the deliberative tools necessary for engaging their communities.
The Jean O’Connor-Snyder Internship Program
This internship provides experiential learning opportunities to develop the next generation of Alabama’s civic leaders.
Students’ Institute
We believe that young people learn to be civically engaged by being civically engaged—this program gives them that opportunity.
Teachers’ Institute
This two-day workshop equips teachers from all across Alabama with the tools necessary to bring deliberation into the classroom.
“Changing the way people talk can change the way they relate to each other and their problems – and that can eventually change the community.”
– David Mathews
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17 October
Last Friday’s moderator workshop with our good friends at @ACESedu marks the 66th out of 67 Alabama counties that w… https://t.co/S5e6gmU8oE
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13 October
RT @AHF: The WHAT COMES to LIGHT discussion series is on its way to Clarke County! Mark your calendar to join us and Pulitzer Prize winner…
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11 October
Excited to have a coalition-building workshop with the ALProHealth Initiative & @ACESedu today! https://t.co/E4CrLXwJH6
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4 October
RT @AL_League: Cristin Brawner, Director for the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, speaks to attendees about community engagement! https…
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3 October
“As a parent what is most powerful to me is not putting my kid in a box. [You can be] and athlete, an honors studen… https://t.co/3PCKk0dnLP
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3 October
“I tell my students it doesn’t matter if you have a 3 month skill, 6 month skills, 2 year skill, or 4 year skill. Y… https://t.co/x71d97sBMD
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3 October
“We can have all kinds of investments coming in to build facilities & provide services, but if you don’t have the w… https://t.co/i13ZbzSaC5
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3 October
Secondary and community college educators, administrators, and workforce development experts from regions around ar… https://t.co/hwVk1jc2ZV
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3 October
RT @APT_IQLN: Our student panel consists on students from Washington County! They’re doing a great job! #AmGradAL https://t.co/7vEgDAZKFz
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3 October
We are so grateful to have students from Washington County Student Leadership join us today to share their thoughts… https://t.co/Ybgb1qpM01
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3 October
“There’s college ready, there’s career ready & there’s life ready. You need the grit, the drive & the perseverance… https://t.co/MJJNLAqu5J
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3 October
“Identify and break down barriers. If you go into any leadership position with that perspective you will be success… https://t.co/sqKykTUwd5
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3 October
“We need all of our students to find purpose and meaning in their life. When we say “community college,” we mean co… https://t.co/zjqTQtforB
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3 October
“If you don’t have anybody in your family who is rooting you on, becoming a pilot can seem like a far stretch. When… https://t.co/fUYC6nCPF6
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3 October
“We have these kids who don’t really want to go on to college but they are interested in becoming a pilot. Between… https://t.co/tnHHN6tU1c
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3 October
“Strong communities require a strong local economy, a strong economy requires a strong infrastructure... including… https://t.co/Lb0dTZtcNO
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3 October
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is delighted to be partnering with @APTV to offer today’s “Alabama At Work:… https://t.co/UPVQP6Y8CO
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25 September
We're excited to be moderating a timely discussion on community journalism and building an informed citizenry! Also… https://t.co/ggzFVW0Yvk
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25 September
RT @kristine_ish: Some really great insights from Amber, a member of our Facebook group, The Many, about how talking to women with differen…
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24 September
RT @spaceship_media: A big thank you to all our panelists and everyone who attended our event, The Many Live! Also, thanks to @bpl for bein…
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21 September
Our wonderful Board member Joe Sumners, ED of @gediau, is kicking off an engaging panel at the Black Belt Roots Sta… https://t.co/teiUORBwwz
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13 September
RT @CivChangeMakers: #CivicChat TONIGHT!!
8pm EST - "Building The New Civic Infrastructure” @LauraHowellsB @SultanReflects @hharriel @Ope…DMCforCivicLife
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13 September
RT @JeffersonCtr: While we’re sad we're not at #ONA18, we’re excited it’s because half our team is strengthening community-driven economic…
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13 September
Next Wednesday 9/19 we’ll be at the @ALPublicLibrary for another @al200 sponsored teacher workshop on engaging stud… https://t.co/mIhZ0HPua8
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11 September
RT @al200: Have you heard about #Montevallo’s Junior City Council? #AL200 https://t.co/8JOgMeRY8K
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10 September
@kylebozentko @JeffersonCtr What a wonderful conversation and heartening experience to chat with all of you--let's do it again soon!
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10 September
@ErnestAnemone @kylebozentko @JustinWayneLutz I agree--and we need to emphasize non-official modes of engagement, l… https://t.co/Fijyq1wMv5
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10 September
RT @kylebozentko: @DMCforCivicLife @JustinWayneLutz An important question - we consistently hear desire among local officials to get reside…
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10 September
@ErnestAnemone @JustinWayneLutz Yes, absolutely! We need to build more alliances with like-minded organizations acr… https://t.co/i7vP37Un6j
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10 September
There's a narrow focus on the "national conversation." How can we emphasize importance of local elections when incr… https://t.co/ACSA7Y5jw2
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10 September
We need to renew civic education, and start teaching young people how to be citizens, not just consumers! Young peo… https://t.co/7zz77iwFZH
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10 September
RT @JeffersonCtr: @DMCforCivicLife @MontevalloCity @JustinWayneLutz What a great way to get youth engaged! Definitely a model that could/sh…
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10 September
Yes! We especially love the folks at @whatsnextwv! https://t.co/y5BqIJw9TR
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10 September
RT @mcarcasson: A2 A healthy democracy is a conversation that focuses in part on the tough choices to living together. We must constantly w…
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10 September
In @MontevalloCity we have a Junior City Council made up of local youth. They attend meetings at city hall, and eve… https://t.co/IRJPL4mWd6
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10 September
One indication of a healthy democracy is that people actually *trust* in the institutions that govern them. Deep, a… https://t.co/dG30em8unZ
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10 September
RT @itscamillemn: @JeffersonCtr Q2: To me, a sign of a vibrant democracy are that ppl feel comfortable not rushing to judgement, but are co…
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10 September
RT @_sarahatwood: @itscamillemn @JeffersonCtr YES! And it's so important that people feel that they can change their mind on issues - multi…
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10 September
@JeffersonCtr @JustinWayneLutz @YourVoiceOhio We at the @DMCforCivicLife certainly do this year-round, but we're no… https://t.co/R1PpeljpCB
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10 September
RT @kylebozentko: A2: democracy is healthy when people are active not only in voting, but in all the different ways they can make a differe…
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10 September
RT @arockway: A2: A strong, vibrant democracy is a democracy where "regular" people, not just politicians, are able to meaningfully shape d…
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10 September
A healthy democracy to me is one that doesn't discount small towns and rural communities. There are civic deserts a… https://t.co/z9G4Vck0UR
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10 September
@JeffersonCtr @JustinWayneLutz Yes--first you have to find them (unregistered voters). In my case, Alabama recently… https://t.co/qj6TZurwOY
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10 September
My favorite memory of being involved with a democracy was when I registered my mom to vote for the very first time!… https://t.co/hJxgh4wQal
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10 September
@JeffersonCtr My favorite memory of being involved with a democracy was when I registered my mom to vote for the ve… https://t.co/iqrIPl5L4W
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9 September
RT @kylebozentko: We're looking forward to bringing citizens jury style of engagement and deliberation to #NYTADF this year w/@NYTLive - jo…
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7 September
RT @JeffersonCtr: Who's coming to our #DemocracyChat on Monday? Join @JoshPauly from @OpenPolicyMN, @JustinWayneLutz from @DMCforCivicLife,…
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6 September
We're looking forward to joining the #DemocracyChat Monday, September 10! https://t.co/tnfKjR3j5x
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31 August
RT @CourtneyBreese: Are you looking to dig deep w/fellow innovators on #dialogue, #deliberation, & #publicengagement? Collaborate on how to…
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29 August
RT @USNatArchives: Explore how the National Archives encourages civic literacy and engagement through public programs, educational programm…
DMCforCivicLife
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