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.
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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22 April
RT @alabamapioneers: New Podcast: The town of Marion has a storied history, originally named Muckle's Ridge, the town was an education hotb…
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22 April
RT @mainstmarional: Come to downtown Marion! Jazz on the Square is in full swing! Here is a snippet of Squared Away a group of talented MMI…
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21 April
RT @APT_IQLN: Teachers, don't miss this FREE opportunity!! @DMCforCivicLife and @al200 present What's Next Alabama? Place-Based, Deliberati…
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20 April
RT @mainstmarional: Join us on the Courthouse Square in Marion, AL tomorrow starting at 2:00PM! We can't wait to see everybody! https://t.c…
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17 April
Missed today’s workshop on "What's Next, Alabama? Place-Based, Deliberative Learning in the Classroom"? We’ll be in… https://t.co/K1sx5tPAYd
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17 April
We’re at @cmdcah kicking off the first “What’s Next, Alabama?” Place-Based, Deliberative Learning teacher workshop… https://t.co/tSAYlx019H
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16 April
RT @ListenFirstProj: #ListenFirstCville kicks off National Week of Conversation in only 5 days!! Incredible support among the #Charlottesvi…
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16 April
We're so excited for our first teacher workshop tomorrow in Auburn, at Pebble Hill! We still have a few spots left… https://t.co/VyMPgZ8tJT
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14 April
RT @BigTentNation: The Power of Dialogue: a workshop from @essentialprtnrs on transforming conflicted conversations about divisive issues.…
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14 April
RT @AHF: Don’t worry #Alabama teachers! If you can’t make it to our June SUPER #TeacherWorkshop we have one May 10! Go to https://t.co/6lie…
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13 April
RT @DMCforCivicLife: Coming up in Auburn, Tuesday the 17th - our first FREE teacher workshop of 2018! Lunch provided, CEUs offered, $50 tow…
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13 April
RT @CherylGraeve: I've got my conversations planned for @NatlWkOfConvos how about you? This is an important time for us to come together as…
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12 April
Coming up in Auburn, Tuesday the 17th - our first FREE teacher workshop of 2018! Lunch provided, CEUs offered, $50… https://t.co/sEiqTjSPNk
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11 April
RT @JeffersonCtr: "Their friendship is the story of what happens when people who disagree, emphatically and sometimes angrily, get out of t…
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10 April
RT @mainstmarional: We hope to see everyone on April 21st in Marion, AL for the Marion-Perry County Jazz on the Square @ALBicentennial even…
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10 April
RT @DMCforCivicLife: Want to support how we strengthen civic life in Alabama? Check out our fundraiser in partnership with Regions Traditio…
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10 April
We’ve updated our website homepage - check out how easy it is to register for our 2018 teacher workshops, made poss… https://t.co/77uson06TP
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9 April
RT @DemocracyFund: 42 #localnews outlets across the state of Ohio are involved in @JeffersonCtr's Your Voice Ohio's project, all taking a c…
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4 April
We’ve just launched our annual internship Call for Proposals for the 2018-19 year! Here’s some background about Mrs… https://t.co/n0DBePaWFQ
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4 April
RT @DMCforCivicLife: Join us at a 2018 What's Next, Alabama? teacher workshop sponsored by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission @al200 to le…
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3 April
Mentioned in April's newsletter: @al200, @cmdcah, and our Jean O'Connor-Snyder Internship partners at @AuburnLD2018… https://t.co/9sIz07yaMo
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3 April
And, we're always looking for opportunities to highlight good work happening in Alabama communities, so if you have… https://t.co/ZTPsUcHkRU
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3 April
Have you subscribed to our monthly newsletter? It includes a comprehensive list of upcoming DMC workshops, forums,… https://t.co/Ej53nzoWKD
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2 April
Birmingham educator JohnMark Edwards speaking about the role that deliberation has in students' classroom interacti… https://t.co/agOVZp5hDe
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2 April
Join us at a 2018 What's Next, Alabama? teacher workshop sponsored by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission @al200 to… https://t.co/NtIeTDUO8f
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2 April
"In 2013 Montevallo students deliberated on ways they could improve their community. The result: Montevallo Junior… https://t.co/tNRk7IabMv
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2 April
RT @BigTentNation: Getting excited for the National Week of Conversation, April 20-28! Follow @NatlWkOfConvos for more. #NWOC #ListenFirst…
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28 March
Want to support how we strengthen civic life in Alabama? Check out our fundraiser in partnership with Regions Tradi… https://t.co/QqNfRcirC9
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28 March
And, to learn about some of our current partnerships, visit our blog: https://t.co/pVyFHt07lD
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28 March
The Jean O'Connor-Snyder internship Program (#JOIP) is a series of unique partnership between the DMC, an instituti… https://t.co/aUUsFkkHNf
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28 March
Our new Jean O'Connor-Snyder Call for Proposals is up! Check out this interview with Lowery McNeal, a former #JOIP… https://t.co/GVdRIqLtlJ
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26 March
Wish your students were this engaged? Join us for one of our upcoming What's Next, Alabama? teacher workshops spons… https://t.co/MuoPRPvuvH
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22 March
From @EducationDive: “While it’s important that students know how the government works, students must also learn th… https://t.co/s8SX87AxXQ
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20 March
From @edutopia: Civic opportunities for parents, students, and teachers (including those of courses other than civi… https://t.co/DGaxlhGN5l
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16 March
RT @mainstmarional: We hit a major milestone on our Facebook page. We’ve reached 600 likes! Please continue to share our progress in Marion…
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16 March
RT @mainstmarional: WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please take 10 minutes (or less) to complete this survey and help us improve Downtown Marion, AL. Yo…
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16 March
How cities can use public art to address civic issues:
https://t.co/YNxUrZiNNLDMCforCivicLife
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16 March
Montevallo middle & high schoolers having a blast touring historic Montevallo, visiting its many murals, brainstorm… https://t.co/Pvpunoi4tb
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15 March
RT @CristinBrawner: One of my favorite @DMCforCivicLife programs is seeking proposals for the 2018-2019 year. I love working with the stud…
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15 March
The 2018-19 Jean O'Connor-Snyder Call for Proposals is here! This program connects Alabama communities, young peopl… https://t.co/wZmorhMC61
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14 March
RT @CivicYouth: Youth have important perspectives that should be brought to bear on community issues #22x20 https://t.co/lbP5Un7DQQ
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14 March
What can citizens actually accomplish together? An example of how sustained local dialogue can drive resident-orien… https://t.co/Xvpb5num1J
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6 March
An encouraging reminder that communities who simply talk - and listen - to each other can better address local issu… https://t.co/l4doSLK0sF
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6 March
It's 1813 and your world is being ripped apart by a war. What do you do?
That's the question at the heart of this… https://t.co/xE9ex1TDoHDMCforCivicLife
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5 March
RT @KetteringFdn: In this new book, authors Nan Fairley and Mark Wilson describe the inception of the @AuburnLD2018 at @AuburnU and the wor…
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2 March
Students from different schools across the state are working in groups to map their communities’ assets & challenge… https://t.co/7zPuyPtz8o
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