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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_Hlk519605438"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Hello, everyone. Hope you are managing to stay relatively cool! I am gearing up for a busy new “season” of civics workshops. Whether it’s misinformation, the Constitution, elections/campaign finance or citizen advocacy, my interest and my research skills result in constant efforts to learn more, and to refine the workshops.<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The fall will be particularly challenging for all of us to track election developments. And, the new, “long” state legislative session in 2019 should be very interesting. The Constitution workshop now discusses the application of the Bill of Rights to the states [they only applied to federal laws for most of our history] and some considerations of who actually interprets the Constitution for us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The workshops are non-partisan. The knowledge and tools I provide to people can be used by anyone for any reason. A number of workshops are scheduled for the fall; I’ll have a flyer soon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Feedback is welcome about: would libraries/library systems like some type of professional development 1/2 -day workshop? It could be geared to the type of knowledge covered in all the workshops. This could help libraries decide if they want to develop some in-house talent around any of the topics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>One more thing: I’ve postponed a trip to the coast ‘til the spring. Please let me know - especially libraries from north to mid-Coast, if you are interested. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>PS A heads-up - for 2019, the cost of the workshops will be $350. Between ongoing development and customization to locations, I spend far more time on them than may be obvious. I could earn more if I was a traditional librarian but this undertaking is one to which I am devoted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519605438'></span><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Here are the workshops:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;color:#660033'>Civics for Adults </span></b><b><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033'>[and others!] </span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;color:#660033'>Workshops: </span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033;mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'>Enhancing Civic Knowledge / Inspiring Political Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The goal of all workshops is to provide information typically hidden behind the headline-grabbing, background noise of our lives and to encourage utilizing this knowledge to improve our communities and country. Our democracy is strengthened when citizens have accurate civic knowledge and a basic understanding of political structures.<span style='color:black;mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'>Misinformation, Fake News and Political Propaganda</span></b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>We are overwhelmed with messages from politicians, news sources and other media. Learn to distinguish truth from fiction using critical thinking strategies. The workshop uses real world examples of political ads, news headlines, logical fallacies, graphs / charts, the effect of word choice in messaging, statistical data and other types of information in a “what do you see here? / what is missing?” type of format. </span>The last part is about finding accurate information. The goal is to help people become their own “factchecker”. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'>Citizen Activism 101—Making Change Happen <span style='mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Want to improve life for yourself and your neighbors or have a concern about local, state or federal laws? Learn about strategies for change, and more: Examples of successful advocacy; Brief historical perspective; Choosing your battles; What matters to <i>you</i>?; Who makes the rules?; Getting heard: tools for change; “Tracking” legislation<span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'>The Influence of the Constitution on Civic and Political Conversation<span style='mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>By looking back at the creation</span><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> of the Constitution and tracing major changes to it and its interpretation we puncture some myths and develop a broader perspective on its significance – perspective that helps us evaluate current politics more thoughtfully. <span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#660033'>Beyond Voting: Elections and Campaign Financing<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_Hlk519690504"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>This is a unique workshop covering numerous topics related to our electoral systems and presenting specific ideas for bi-partisan civic/political engagement. Topics:<span style='color:black;mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519690504'><i>Voting as Constitutional right(?), Voter Rights, Voter Fraud, Voter Registration, Voter Turnout, Felon voting, Alternative Methods of Determining Winners, Redistricting, Electoral College, Campaign Financing, SuperPACS and 501(c)4s, Contribution Limits, Dark Money, Campaign Finance Databases, Public Financing of Elections<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk519690504'></span><p class=MsoNormal> <span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>"The most important political office is that of the private citizen." Justice Louis Brandeis<span style='color:black;mso-contextual-alternates:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Enjoy the rest of the summer; it goes SO fast!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Donna<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Donna L Cohen, MEd, MLIS<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Portland, Oregon<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>503-737-1425<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>citizen@civicthinker.net<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='color:#9E0000'>Civics for Adults Workshops: To Enhance Civic Knowledge and Inspire Political Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='color:black'>Keep up-to-date: </span></i><b><i><span style='color:#9E0000'>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/"><span style='color:#0563C1;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal'>https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/</span></a> and/or let me know if you want to be on the Civics email list.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>