Everyday Democracy Inc

IN 2021, THE NEED AND DEMAND FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK WAS GREATER THAN EVER. EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY CONTINUED TO INVEST IN STRENGTHENING OUR INTERNAL CAPACITY TO INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT, DEEPEN, AND ENHANCE OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS. STAFF THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH THE COLUMBIA CAPSTONE CONSULTING TEAM WHICH PROVIDED A DISCRETE PROGRAM REVIEW HELPING TO GUIDE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL DECISIONS AND PRIORITIES. FIELD-BUILDING EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY'S FIELD-BUILDING PROGRAMS REMAINED CONSISTENT FOR 2021. WE HELPED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR DIALOGUE, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND POSITIVE CHANGE FOR STRONGER, MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES. MUCH OF OUR PROGRAMMING WORK FOCUSED ON USING DIALOGUE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ADVANCE EQUITY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON REDUCING THE DISPARITIES IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES TOWARD THIS END, WE PROVIDED SUPPORT TO FIVE JURISDICTIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE MACARTHUR FOUNDATION'S SAFETY AND JUSTIC

COMMUNITY-BUILDING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS WITHIN OUR HOME STATE OF CONNECTICUT. WE CONTINUED IN OUR ROLE AS A LEAD ORGANIZER IN THE CONNECTICUT COLLABORATIVE ON POVERTY, RACE, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. WE ALSO GREW OUR WORK IN THE AREA OF CIVIC HEALTH: WE EXPANDED OUR PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS WEBINARS AND TRAININGS, FOR THE CONNECTICUT CIVIC AMBASSADORS INITIATIVE AND SUPPORTED YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH EXPANDING OUR CT CIVIC AMBASSADORS COHORT WE ALSO HOSTED A TWO-DAY CIVIC AMBASSADORS SUMMIT WHICH HELPED BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CAPACITY FOR CT CIVIC AMBASSADORS IN THE STATE.