Civic Health Summit
September 6, 2024
On September 6, 2024, participants from across Washington State, who are interested in or actively working to nurture and support civic health, gathered for the 2024 Civic Health Summit. This meeting was meant to facilitate information sharing in order to build relationships and strengthen our efforts to hold the ground of civility. Community leaders, elected officials, and organizations from across the state took part, representing different disciplinary fields and political identities.
The 2024 Summit picked up where the previous year’s discussions left off and built on the 2023 Summit Proceedings report. The design of the day allowed participants to share their insights, network with each other, and brainstorm within small group conversations, leading to numerous ideas and creative solutions for our civic health crisis.
2024 civic health summit highlights
Attendees were encouraged to speak respectfully and frankly to suggest remedies for what ails our civic health. In addition, the table discussions enabled participants to share ideas and understand where others’ beliefs and perspectives came from.
We also benefited from comments and remarks by Congressman Derek Kilmer and Elizabeth Doll, National Political Director of Braver Angels.
Congressman Derek Kilmer has represented Washington’s 6th Congressional District since 2013. Earlier this year, he co-sponsored the “Building Civic Bridges Act,” bipartisan legislation aimed to help communities address sources of division by aiding local civic and community organizations.
Elizabeth Doll joined Braver Angels in March 2022 as the Director of Braver Politics after volunteering with the organization for four years. She became involved in politics as a teen and has spent years working in the Pacific Northwest political arena. While interning on a Congressional campaign, she became passionate about improving her community through civic engagement.
Ideas shared out from each table were visually documented and recorded as headlines on posters throughout the room. Main themes that emerged from the dialogues include community engagement, education, networks, collaboration, and connection, among others.
