CIVICS CON 2022 will be held June 10-11 in Norman, OK
Join us for CIVICS CON 2022 on June 10-11 at the Sarkeys Energy Center in Norman, OK. The event is free for all attendees, and breakfast and lunch will be provided both days.
The theme of this year's event is "GeoCivics: Designing Stronger Communities" - many sessions will address how geography and maps affect fair representation, where we live, how we vote, and other things. Here are some of the topics that the presenters will cover:
Mapping Greenwood: Using Data to Reveal Untold Stories
Communities and Redistricting
Drawing Your Own District
Migration and Oklahoma
Population: Oklahomans on the Move
Creating Brave Classroom Spaces
Classroom as Deep Democracy
Using the Geo-Inquiry Process to Understand Wildland Urban Interface
Power to the People: The Ins and Outs of Oklahoma's Ballot Initiative Process
Teach Broadly, Engage Locally: Using Project-Based Pedagogy to Encourage Civic Involvement
Using the Oklahoma Giant Map to Understand the Heavy Consequences of Light Pollution
While Civics Con is designed for all people, this year we partnered with several educational organizations to ensure that many sessions are created by educators and for educators. We know that civic engagement starts with civic education, and this is a great opportunity to foster that growth from the beginning.
2020 Election Night Live Blog
We’ll start the conversation whenever we wake up, but the meat & potatoes will be served beginning at 6pm CT and will go until…well, it’s hard to say, really.
This could be a weird night. Hold on to your butts.
Live Podcast | 3-2-1- Council Contact
This week we held a special, experimental event called “3-2-1 Council Contact,” which was a mashup of two podcasts - Let’s Pod This and the WAFTI Show - interviewing three members of the Oklahoma City city council, James Cooper, JoBeth Hamon, and Nikki Nice. The idea for this event came about because the Tower Theatre sits at the intersection of their respective city council wards.
The conversation included our usual News Roundup and WAFTI’s usual trivia, but we also heard the council members’ perspectives on transportation, infrastructure, MAPS, and more. Full video of the event is below, followed by links to pertinent articles and topics mentioned in the episode.
Before we get to all the links, here is the video of the March 26th OKC City Council meeting that Councilwoman Nikki Nice references during the show:
News & Articles
NewsOK, SB227: Splits OMES into 2 with IT having its own agency
Passed out of Committee
4-3 vote
Agency says this is more expensive way to do business
IT unification takes a hit
Tulsa World; Failure to renew 2014 Excellence in Mental Health Act
Demonstration project
Red Rock, NorthCare, Grand Lake Mental Health Center
Potentially devastating blow to OP mental health services
Major news:
Yesterday (3/25/19) OK Supreme Court declined to request to postpone the beginning of the opioid lawsuit
13 companies
Alleges fraudulent marketing to docs and patients
Seeking $20b in damages
Today (3/26/19): AG Hunter announces settlement with Purdue Pharma
$270m
Sackler family is responsible for $75m
We have so many questions….
Why settle?
Purdue filing for bankruptcy? <— settlement is “bankruptcy proof”
Does this make other companies likely to settler?
Does this save the state money in litigation costs?
Is $270 appropriate?
$200m to one research center seems like…a lot - was this a condition of the settlement?t
$12m for the entire rest of the state seems like...not much
Will funds awarded by the court be distributed similarly?
Some members of the community are quite upset about not getting to confront Purdue in court
![The Election Night Show [complete video]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/575053f820c6473bd3e6aba3/1548522553957-A716HFJ4BSJLA0F3D9XW/title+screen.png)
The Election Night Show [complete video]
Our inaugural election night watch party & entertainment event was a tremendous success! More than 700 people attended and raised nearly $5,000 for our organization. Huge thanks to all of our guests, sponsors, and volunteers who made the night so great.
If you weren’t able to attend (or if you did but just want to re-watch it, the video of the event is embedded below:
The Enemy of Our Time is Inaction
If you're like me, you spent the past weekend indoors, awaiting the arrival of an ice storm that [thankfully] didn't materialize for most of the state. And, if you're like me, that also means you spent most of your time eating, sleeping, and catching up on your Netflix queue. Or, to put it more succinctly, you were inactive.
If you're like me, you spent the past weekend indoors, awaiting the arrival of an ice storm that [thankfully] didn't materialize for most of the state. And, if you're like me, that also means you spent most of your time eating, sleeping, and catching up on your Netflix queue. Or, to put it more bluntly, you were inactive.
PHYSICAL INACTION
What happens to our body when we are physically inactive for too long? Nothing good, right? You get lazy, lethargic, fat, and flabby. You can't do all the things you used to. You start to see other things in your life slip, you feel uninspired, demoralized, and maybe even depressed. In some cases, you just give up and let the world pass you by.
I hate to break it to you, but the same thing happens when we become politically inactive. (Yes, I realize I'm making a connection between two things many people dislike: exercise and politics. But those are also two things we all know we need to be better about, right? Okay, so just hear me out...)
POLITICAL INACTION
What happens when you are politically inactive for too long? Again, nothing good. When we stop caring about what happens in our government, when we tune out and "let ourselves go," things have a way of just...getting worse over time. Slowly, at first, but then one day you wake up and realize that we, as a state, can't do all the things we used to. You look around and see that everything has begun to slip - teachers losing jobs, health outcomes in the toilet, roads crumbling as you drive. Your state is near the bottom in all the measures that people care about when they're looking for a place to raise their families. You find yourself whispering "Oh my gosh...what is going on with this place?" after nearly every news story. You feel helpless, demoralized, and probably even depressed. Political inaction means that we stand by, complacent in our negligence, as our state buckles under the weight of failed policy. And as you stand there, you realize that you have two options: give up and let Oklahoma continue to crumble, or decide to get involved and do something about it.
LET'S GET ACTIVE
We must be shapers of events, not observers, for if we do not act, the moment will pass, and we will lose the best possibilities of our future. We face no imminent threat, but we do have an enemy. The enemy of our time is inaction.
Those words, spoken 20 years ago by President Bill Clinton in his fourth State of the Union address, have never been more true than they are today, for you and I, right here in the great state of Oklahoma. It's up to us to make the brave, bold decision to become active participants in our state government. It's up to us to stop complaining online and get out there and act like we give a damn.
I challenge you to do just that - to do what very few of your fellow Oklahomans ever do - to voice your thoughts and your opinion directly to your legislators. I bet you didn't realize that it often only takes a few phone calls or emails to legislators to make a difference. The thing is, if you're not talking to them, someone else is - and that someone else is probably lobbyists and special interest groups. But who is more "special" than you, the voters? No one, but the public doesn't have a lobbyist. We just have ourselves.
A DAY AT THE CAPITOL FOR REGULAR FOLKS
Over the next few months we are hosting several events to help you (and all the other regular folks out there) share your thoughts with the elected officials at the Capitol, and we'd love for you to join us. These events are designed for people who have never been to the state Capitol before so that you feel comfortable, prepared, and maybe even a little excited.
February 9th we're having an Info & Training Session where we will talk about the state budget, other issues, and what to expect at the Capitol Day & Capitol Crawl (see below). Details will be posted to the event pages on our Facebook & website.
February 15th is two events:
First, it's our first Capitol Day of the 2017 legislative session. We'll meet at the Capitol in room 412-A at 9am to hear from a few legislators about why hearing from constituents is important and recommendations for how to have a successful Capitol visit. After that, we'll break out and do visit our legislators' offices. (Pro tip: We recommend that you call ahead and schedule an appointment to meet with your legislators on that day so that you can be sure to catch them in the office.) More details can be found on our Facebook event page as well as the event page on our website, so check back often for updates!
Second, it's our first Capitol Crawl of 2017. Following the Capitol Day, we will convene in several local restaurants, coffeeshops, and bars just down the street from the Capitol to meet, greet, and visit with legislators in a more relaxed environment. We had seven legislators participate in our first Crawl in December, and we look forward to having more at each one this spring. Details will be posted to our Facebook & website soon!
CAN'T MAKE IT?
If you can't make it to these events, don't worry - we're going to repeat the same format every month of the legislative session (February-May) as well as several impromptu events, so you'll have many more chances. Subscribe to our Facebook events page and sign up for our email list and you'll never miss an invite! Remember - decisions are made by those who show up.
Also, regardless of whether or not you can make it up to the Capitol in person, you can always call and email your representatives. You can find out who your House & Senate members are here, and we have a full list of all members' contact info available here.
Remember, they can't represent you effectively if you don't talk to them. This is how we do it. This is how we fix this.
The Plan for 2017
Wow, what a year it's been! It's hard to imagine that it was just 8 months ago I created a Facebook event and invited a bunch of people to join me at the Capitol to talk to our lawmakers about the dire situation in which we found ourselves. That event exceed my wildest expectations and it was clear that the public was thirsty for way to be involved, so we held another event, and then another, and then another. Since April, we've mobilized thousands of Oklahomans - most of them just regular folks who, like me, had never done anything political in their lives. We've worked hard to create opportunities for people to engage with their government in meaningful ways. We've fostered conversations between the public and their legislators wherever we can - at the Capitol, on social media, at restaurants, and even in bars. And that was just the first year!
Wow, what a year it's been! It's hard to imagine that it was just 8 months ago I created a Facebook event and invited a bunch of people to join me at the Capitol to talk to our lawmakers about the dire situation in which we found ourselves. That event exceed my wildest expectations and it was clear that the public was thirsty for way to be involved, so we held another event, and then another, and then another. Since April, we've mobilized thousands of Oklahomans - most of them just regular folks who, like me, had never done anything political in their lives. We've worked hard to create opportunities for people to engage with their government in meaningful ways. We've fostered conversations between the public and their legislators wherever we can - at the Capitol, on social media, at restaurants, and even in bars. And that was just the first year!
Where does that leave us for 2017, you ask? Well, we've been busy making plans and putting things into motion. Here's a quick preview of what we have scheduled right now, and we will be rolling out more content every week for the next several months:
Staying true to our roots, we will be holding "Capitol Day" every month while the legislature is in session where people can come meet with their legislators and get some information and training from us.
We're also going to have a "Capitol Crawl" each month as well (usually the same days that we're at the Capitol), where representatives, senators, and city leaders come out of their offices and interact with the public in places where we "regular folks" feel more comfortable - namely the restaurants, coffee shops, and bars of our communities.
In the final days of the legislative session, it's almost inevitable that the House and/or Senate will have some long floor debates that extend into late night hours, sometimes as late as 9pm, 10pm, or even midnight. During these late night sessions, the legislature often debates very important bills, including the state budget, and they occur long after the public and news crews have gone home. So, this year we're going to make sure that they know we're paying attention, regardless of what time it is, and we're going to gather outside the chambers and continue to have face-to-face conversations with legislators. Can't make it that late? You can still participate by communicating with your legislators via social media while they're in session.
(Because of the unpredictable nature of these events, be sure you're following us on Twitter & Facebook so you can catch the announcements.)
Feeling unprepared for all of that? Don't worry - we'll get you ready. We understand that going to the Capitol to talk to legislators can be kind of intimidating, but it's a lot easier if you feel confident in what you're going to say before you go. Most people can identify a problem, but when it comes time to suggest a solution, sometimes folks lock up and shut down. So, we're going to be hosting Info & Training Sessions in the community and online where you can learn how to be a better advocate for yourself. We'll also post tools and resources to our website that you can print off at home and practice before you go.
Remember, we're all in this together. Oklahomans have always relied on one another to survive. We believe that the "Oklahoma Standard" should be a way of life, not just something that happens when there's a traumatic event or natural disaster. That standard - the desire to help our neighbors, a respect for others, a willingness to seek solutions in order to overcome big challenges - should be the basis for our society and for our government. The public is sick of the bickering and partisan politics, which is why we are nonpartisan and why we actively promote transparency and civil discourse between parties. We applaud those (in the community and in the legislature) who actively reach out to those who may see the world differently so that they can learn to see from another perspective. Whether that's across the aisle, across town, or across the state, we must work together to fix this place.
We look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people at each event this year. If you've attended LFT events in the past and plan to come again this year, please invite someone to come with you. It could be your friend, your neighbor, your coworker, or that person who posts political rants on Facebook all day. Tell them to put their words into action, just like you're doing. You don't even have to agree on issues or be of the same political party - just get them to come and participate in something bigger than themselves and see what it's like. Heck, bring them to a Capitol Crawl and let's have a beer or share some cheese fries or something. We all want Oklahoma to be better, right? Great, so let's stand on that common ground and work toward solutions together.
Wrap-Up: Hall & Oaths and Capitol Crawl
Last week we hosted our first events of the 2017 Oklahoma legislative season - Hall & Oaths and the inaugural Capitol Crawl. Both of these events were timed to coincide with the swearing-in ceremonies of the 56th Legislature, which more-or-less marks the first "official" day for the 43 new members of the legislature.
Last week we hosted our first events of the 2017 Oklahoma legislative season - Hall & Oaths and the inaugural Capitol Crawl. Both of these events were timed to coincide with the swearing-in ceremonies of the 56th Legislature, which more-or-less marks the first "official" day for the 43 new members of the legislature.
Hall & Oaths
The purpose of Hall & Oaths was to get people to do something rather unusual: go to the state Capitol, watch the legislature take their oath of office, and actually have face-to-face conversations with them. What better way to welcome state representatives and senators to the job than to show up, wear buttons, and start the discussion. These folks ran for office because they want to make a difference in our state, so we wanted to tell them what issues are most important to we, the people of Oklahoma.
As it turns out, the general public rarely attends the swearing-in ceremonies, so our presence there was highly unusual. Multiple people commented that they have never seen a crowd so large for these events. There were people sporting red Let's Fix This buttons throughout the Capitol - in the halls, in galleries, in legislators' offices.
We estimate there were 75 to 100 people attending LFT throughout the day, and among our group were teachers, parents, healthcare workers, blue collar workers, white collar professionals, retired adults, newborn babies - the whole gamut. I'm proud to say that our group proudly represented the diversity of our state. The media took notice as well, with the following comprehensive reports from OETA, NonDoc, and the Red Dirt Report:
Capitol Crawl
While the purpose of Hall & Oaths was to the bring the people to the Capitol, the purpose of the Capitol Crawl was to bring the Capitol to the people. We decided to hold the event in the Uptown 23rd district, in shadow of the Capitol itself. The crawl began at 6:00pm at Guyutes with around 35 people (including four legislators) and then moved to The Pump Bar, where we joined up with more people (and another legislator). You could feel the momentum and excitement growing with each stop along the route.
By the time the full group reached the Rockford Cocktail Den around 8:30pm, we numbered more than 150 and had strangers asking "What's going on?" followed by "Oh wow, this is really cool!"
Here's the thing: it really was cool. People were introducing themselves to legislators and asking them real questions, like "What's your stance on school vouchers?" and "What are you going to do about mental health funding?" Furthermore, the legislators were also introducing themselves to constituents, asking where they lived, who their representatives are, and finding out what issues are important to them.
We [the public] hold onto this notion that legislature doesn't care about us, and I understand why. We want to change that perception, and, to the extent that it exists, we want to change that reality. I also have a hunch that many in the legislature feel like the public doesn't care about what they do, because we don't act like we care. Low voter turnout and very little interaction with the folks at the Capitol mean they have to govern in a vacuum. They can't represent you if you never talk to them. Even if you didn't vote for them, they still represent you.
It's not hard. We did it, and on pretty short notice, too. All you have to do is call your legislator and invite them. Or even tweet at them, like one of our board members did:
Altogether we had over 200 people - including seven legislators - who were able to come to our first Capitol Crawl. We look forward to many more constituents, many more legislators, and many more conversations at our next one in February. And we hope that more people feel like this attendee:
Special thanks to the legislators who participated: Senator Kyle Loveless and Representatives Forrest Bennett, Mickey Dollens, Jason Dunnington, Scott Inman, Shane Stone, and Collin Walke.
First time at the Capitol?
Tomorrow is will be the first event of Oklahoma's 56th Legislature, and for many of the folks attending our Hall & Oaths event, it will be their very first time to ever visit the state Capitol. Which, by the way, is terrific. When Let's Fix This started in the spring of 2016, it was the first time most of us had ever gone to the Capitol, at least for something other than a tour. Personally, I wasn't sure where to park or walk or where to find the restrooms, much less my Senator's office.
And so, here's your quick guide to visiting the Oklahoma State Capitol!
Tomorrow is will be the first event of Oklahoma's 56th Legislature, and for many of the folks attending our Hall & Oaths event, it will be their very first time to ever visit the state Capitol. Which, by the way, is terrific. When Let's Fix This started in the spring of 2016, it was the first time most of us had ever gone to the Capitol, at least for something other than a tour. Personally, I wasn't sure where to park or walk or where to find the restrooms, much less my Senator's office.
And so, here's your quick guide to visiting the Oklahoma State Capitol!
WHERE DO I PARK?
There are two lots: one to the south of the building and another lot to the east, just across Lincoln Blvd. To get to the east lot, take the 21st Street exit from Lincoln and then the entrance will be on your left. You can see on this map that both lots are roughly the same size.
WHERE DO I ENTER THE CAPITOL?
If you park in the south lot (#1 on the map), just walk through the parking lot to the building. If you park in the east lot (#2 on the map), you'll have to cross Lincoln Blvd. Ordinarily you could take the tunnel and go underneath the road, however, it's currently closed due to construction.
Looking at the south side of the building, you will immediately notice that the south steps are currently barricaded due to the potential of falling rock (yes, seriously). Just to the right of the steps is a sidewalk that leads up to the entrance. There are some signs; it's really not too difficult. There are two other entrances to the building, but I think most visitors enter this way, so we'll stick with that.
Once you're inside you will immediately go through security, so leave your weapons at home, lest they be confiscated and sold at public auction.
WHERE DO I GO?
Depends what you want to do...so, let's consult the floor plans of the state Capitol and get the basic breakdown:
- Basement: State Auditor, Ethics, and Election Board, and the snack bar (but it's currently closed). The entrance to the tunnel is down here, too, but it is also closed due to construction.
- 1st Floor: Various state offices
- 2nd Floor: Supreme Court, Governor, Treasurer, some House Representatives' offices, and a few other things. Nice art.
- 3rd Floor: More House Representatives' offices, Senate admin offices.
- 4th Floor: More House Reps' offices, Senators' offices, plus both Chambers. This is the main hub where most of the action takes place.
- 5th Floor: More House Reps' office (including all Democrats, except for Munson), more Senators' offices, and the Gallery seating for both chambers. (That's where us regular folks get to sit and watch the proceedings).
You'll note that all House-related stuff is on the west side of the building and all Senate-related stuff is all on the east side. That's actually pretty convenient. Also, note that the restrooms are in the same place on every floor, always at the north end of the building. Also convenient. Offices have not yet been moved around so if your Legislator is new on the House side, you will need to look for them personally as you won't find an office with their name on it.
Each floor definitely has it's own unique "feel." I don't know how to explain it, but you'll understand once you walk around a little. Offices are assigned based on position and seniority; consequently, they greatly vary in size.
OKAY, BUT WHERE DO I GO TOMORROW?
4th floor rotunda. We'll have smiling volunteers standing around to help guide you. But remember, if you're running late and are just going to try to grab a seat in the gallery, the entrance for those are on the 5th floor.
HOW DO I FIND MY LEGISLATOR'S OFFICE?
First, find out who your legislators are. Get to know their face so you'll recognize them when you see them. (Caveat: the newly-elected legislators haven't even sworn in yet, much less had headshots, so they're not yet in the directory. If your district has a new rep, you may need to look at NewsOK's Election Results to find them.)
Now, I know this sounds weird, but to find offices I actually use a free app put out by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. It's available for both iOS and Android and it's incredibly helpful. (Caveat: like the OKLeg website, the app hasn't yet been updated to reflect the election. Check back in a few weeks.) Also, as I said earlier, offices have not yet been moved around so if your Legislator is new you will need to look for them personally as you won't find an office with their name on it.
OKAY, I FOUND THEM, NOW WHAT DO I SAY TO THEM?
That, my friend, is up to you. Legislators rely on us constituents to to keep them informed and educated about how legislation affects our lives. That's really why I started Let's Fix This in the first place - I realized that most of us just complain on Facebook and Twitter but never actually communicate with our elected officials, and I wanted to change that. And what I've learned from them is that they want to get to know us and hear our personal stories so that they can more effectively represent us at the Capitol.
If you need a help articulating what you want to say, try writing it down. We have a handout called A Letter to My Legislator for that very purpose. You can write down your message, take it with you to be used as a script when talking to your representative or senator, and then leave it with them so that they can refer to it later. Feel free to print the form yourself; we'll have plenty of of copies of it with us at the Capitol as well.
WHAT IF I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO ASK THEM TO DO ABOUT MY ISSUE?
That's okay, we don't expect you to have to have all the answers! If you're not sure, I encourage you to ask your legislators what they plan to do about the issues. They may not have a solution (or not one you agree with), and that's why these conversations are so important - we are highlighting to them what issues are most important to us, their constituents.
I also encourage you to talk to other people attending the event with you. Remember, we're all in this together, and I love learning from other people about what ideas they have and what resources are out there.
ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
Yes! You need to know that every conversation, every email, every phone call really does matter, especially on the state and local level. Sometimes all it takes is 5 or 6 phone calls from constituents to kill a bill. Your legislators are paid to represent you...well, you and all your neighbors. But chances are your neighbors aren't talking to their legislators, either, so you already have an advantage. (But seriously, invite your neighbors to our next Capitol Day. You'll be glad you did!)
Can't wait to meet all of you tomorrow!