The Civility Initiative
The Civility Initiative is our commitment to helping advance civility through journalism and storytelling and by presenting special programs that provide opportunities for the residents of Connecticut to learn with and from each other about important topics affecting our communities.
Through programming, dialogue, and reflection, we will:
- Amplify residents' stories
- Convene people around topics – sometimes challenging ones that need problem solving and sometimes topics that deserve celebrating
- Provide training opportunities to build skills in how to have challenging conversations
Community Discussions & Events
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Connecticut Public and the University of Hartford host a unique conversation between Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and former Governor M. Jodi Rell, Wednesday, September 13 on the campus of the University of Hartford. -
Mónica Guzmán and Wilk Wilkinson of Braver Angels talk about their work building bridges across political differences and share strategies that everyone can use to learn (or re-learn) how to listen, reflect, debate and communicate. -
A panel discussion with three women leaders (Democratic Stamford Mayor, Caroline Simmons, former Republican Leader in the CT House of Representatives, Themis Klarides, and the first Executive Director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer) who bring their unique perspectives to issues around the breakdown of civility in politics and how women play a unique role in bridging divides and restoring civility.
Programming That Connects:
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A weekly series of state candidate debates in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. Debate watch parties were included to encourage active participation in this important democratic process. -
Documentaries with topics such as housing equity, juvenile justice, climate change, and antisemitism, including Cutline in the Community: Democracy and Community, which featured voices from around the state discussing the challenges and opportunities for building a more inclusive, just, and effective democracy in Connecticut. -
Where we Live, the Colin McEnroe Show, Disrupted, Audacious and the Wheelhouse provide opportunities for listeners to learn from experts in the field and from people within their own communities sharing their lived experiences. -
Connecticut Public teamed up with StoryCorps Mobile Tour to remotely record interviews of people from all backgrounds across our state, with a mission to preserve and share humanity's stories to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.
Please join us in our pursuit of advancing civility by becoming a supporter of Connecticut Public