By James Martinez\/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Americans need to move away from divisive politics and toward more local civic engagement, a speaker told the Hood community on Nov. 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The speaker, Rich Harwood, president and founder of Harwood Institute, discussed his book, “The New Civic Path,” and his campaign to restore civility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA crisis of belief grips our nation,” Harwood said. “Americans have lost trust in our leaders, institutions, systems even one another. So many of us want to find a more hopeful path forward, but don’t know how. More divisive politics isn\u2019t the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To Harwood, the solution is fostering community in local government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way to do this comes from four key things, he said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, people need to decide to look outwards at the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, they need to start focusing on what really matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Third, they need to take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, they need to make the change visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAmericans are too comfortable with talking about issues and complaints,\u201d Harwood said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He went on to explain how strictly political issues are causing people to become quick to associate with party ideals rather than what we really need as a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that talk alone does not accomplish anything. Many of Hardwood’s beliefs are grounded in history and examples of how activism brought social change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harwood said change is happening, but many communities are unaware of it. Making these changes known and visible is essential to fostering community, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harwood shared examples of the success that his two-year campaign has found in local governments across many states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harwood’s presentation was the latest of a series of events in CivicCon that will run throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe point of CivicCon is to get folks from all demographic backgrounds involved in local decision-making about their communities,\u201d said Paige Eager, the vice president of Academic Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CivicCon series began in September with a presentation on sustainability and will continue in the spring semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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