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.
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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31 October
@ABroadheadTIS Thank you for inviting us to speak with you and your colleagues!
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31 October
RT @ABroadheadTIS: TY David Matthews Center for coming to talk to our SS PLC. Learning about deliberations️@DMCforCivicLife https://t.co/X…
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19 October
RT @markedixonAL: Great day with this year’s A+ Student VOICES team - impressive group of AL high school students coming together to advoca…
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21 September
RT @AL_League: ATTENTION rural Alabama women leaders! The David Mathews Center for Civic Life invites you to an online forum on women in le…
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28 August
RT @bhamcivilrights: #OnThisDay 56 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washi…
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23 August
@Trish_Crain It's hard sometimes, but nothing worth much is ever that easy! We're so glad you could spend the day with us!
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23 August
@KellyAnnScott We're so glad you spent the day with us!
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23 August
@SenoritaDChavez @Shelbyedk12alus Y'all are simply the best! We're honored to work with you, and that panel was enl… https://t.co/C0h4GclNW8
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23 August
"I grew up in the aftermath of the Second World War. We fought that war to save democracy; democracy was not a cont… https://t.co/GVsLXgLRQ7
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10 July
RT @LivingDemocracy: Jack and Whitt are halfway through their Living Democracy summer! Last week, they celebrated Independence Day at #Elba…
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8 July
RT @LivingDemocracy: In #ChatomAL, Micki Savage is working tirelessly to preserve African American history in Washington County, Alabama. C…
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24 June
RT @LivingDemocracy: In #ElbaAL, the Giving Garden is helping their community by providing nutritious foods to the Elba Community Food Bank…
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9 May
Our namesake Dr. David Mathews giving thoughtful closing remarks at #apv2019 https://t.co/O495yrZHrO
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4 April
Calling all educators! This new fellowship program aims to engage classroom and community educators in the work of… https://t.co/TCgyTPQYPw
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6 March
RT @pbsteachers: Kicking off the morning with a packed house for this morning’s @HenryLouisGates and @PBS CEO Paula Kerger keynote at #SXSW…
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5 March
“When you see a problem, don’t just be an agitator, be a problem solver” - Patrick Awuah Jr, President & founder of @Ashesi #SXSWEdu19
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5 March
Day 2 of @SXSWEDU hearing from the founder of @Ashesi on leadership & students taking ownership of ideals: asking,… https://t.co/rfOWFm5gBX
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11 February
RT @BigTentNation: Check out what we're reading in February! #bigideas #democracy #civics #news with highlights from @AspenInstitute @Georg…
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11 February
Mentioned in our February newsletter: @NIForums, @Shelbyedk12alus, @ths_community! Staff picks this month include t… https://t.co/kcCPqLmGB2
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21 January
RT @AHF: Only 6 more slots left for our Creek War SUPER Teacher Workshop! Visit https://t.co/7eqjeUiKHm and sign up today! #Alabama #ALEduc…
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15 January
RT @alnewscenter: Auburn University’s Kyes Stevens honored for prison education program that changes lives https://t.co/HMh30edysN https://…
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11 January
Thanks for having us at Thompson High School! We are constantly impressed by the quality and quantity of ideas the… https://t.co/swgyRmXjLN
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3 January
We enjoyed kicking off 2019 with a meeting with @Russellville_HS amazing History Dept. Thanks to … https://t.co/DPvhjyiBod
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2 January
The 2018 Year in Review is here, and it's interactive! Many thanks to our wonderful network of community partners,… https://t.co/8ZCXJQHt9V
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2 January
RT @BigTentNation: It's a new year, a fresh start. What will you do in 2019 to improve your community? yourself? politics? the nation? http…
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21 December
Announcing the 2018 Year in Review! We're so thankful to highlight the hard work of all our community partners in a… https://t.co/lWhNjjYTgD
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19 November
RT @icivics: Students in grades K-5 are rarely referred to as active, engaged, and informed citizens. How do you incorporate democratic pri…
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19 November
RT @JimByardJr: Celebrating hope & the future! 4 years ago today, the City of Cordova’s new Piggly Wiggly opened. Fed, State & local partne…
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6 November
RT @maiben: The @DMCforCivicLife has put together A – Z list of resources, histories, and terms related to the voting process ️ https://t.…
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5 November
Calling all citizens! We've put out a nonpartisan A-Z guide for voting in TOMORROW'S midterms. This comprehens… https://t.co/OuI97rfBfi
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2 November
RT @CristinBrawner: Excited to be representing @DMCforCivicLife at #NCDD2018 https://t.co/bxdoneM1nV
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29 October
RT @AHF: Talladega! We’re headed your way...TOMORROW. Join us, @dmcforciviclife, and Pulitzer Prize winner Harold Jackson for engaging disc…
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24 October
Our wonderful board member, and Mayor of Monroeville, Sandy Smith opening the @MainStreetAl quarterly training. W… https://t.co/ZggbJk3PzJ
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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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