From CivicStory and the Maplewood Library:
SOMA teens and adults are invited to join the final installment in a series of lively 75-minute dialogs on Civics: essential info we all need to be confident voters and active participants in four levels of government, on Wednesday, August 26, at the Maplewood Library on Baker Street. Co-Moderated by Candice Davenport, Maplewood’s Health Officer, and Susan Haig, CivicStory founding trustee and South Orange Symphony Conductor, the series invites us to learn and think about roles and relationships in our democracy.
Each session focuses on 3 or 4 topics: our elected representatives, legislative bodies, registering and voting, founding documents, key civics concepts, primary elections, major parties and more. Summer Civics is presented by CivicStory and will be held in Maplewood Library’s Community Room.
“Public health is one of many public services ‘of, by, and for the people,’” says Maplewood Health Officer Candice Davenport. “We need to understand how our voice and our vote impacts the future of public health locally and nationally.”
“Democracy is complicated, and depends on our full involvement,” says South Orange resident Susan Haig. “We’re excited to delve into civic relationships in a lively free-wheeling format.” Teens and adults are welcome to attend any or all sessions.
The final session, Session 4, on Wednesday, August 26, 6 pm – 7:15 pm will cover the following:
Know Our 5 Maplewood Township Committee members, 6 South Orange Village Councilors, and 2 Mayors; How do our municipalities function, and what are their key departments? Encouraging new candidates; strength in diversity; empowering the people; and ensuring New Jersey has a voice in presidential nominations.
Previous sessions covered getting to know federal representatives and the role of the U.S. Congress (Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, and U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia, NJ-11), the Constitutional Preamble and Article 1; getting to know State-Level Representatives (Governor Mikie Sherrill, State Senator Renee Burgess, Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Assemblyman Chigozie Onyema) and the function of NJ State Legislature; and county government and the role of the Essex County Commissioners, the Essex County Executive, Essex County Clerk, and New Jersey Primary elections.
