Emily Smith’s Post

https://lnkd.in/e7Rum3-3 Here are a few tips to help you party responsibly, no matter where you celebrate.

Building mutual trust between police and communities is vital. Our Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships programs do just that, fostering a safer environment for all. Discover how these initiatives transform ideas into actionable plans: https://lnkd.in/eFBKcMJq

I don't know whether to laugh or cry - probably both. Playing around with some GenAI tools for building websites, I thought I would see if I could revamp the website for my company, Know Your Local. With the prompt "Know Your Local, LLC provides free services to community members interested in civic engagement. We also offer consulting services to government entities on emerging technologies, policy advocacy, and community engagement," what you see below is the result. 😳 I could spend a long time analyzing why that particular image was generated (and already have let's be honest), but what became clear to me right away is that we have a lot of work to do. I'm not even talking about the technology itself, certainly lots of work to be done there. We need more media attention, news coverage, conversations, trending topics, stories, etc. on the communities we're all part of - like Indy Rishi Singh planting lettuce on a rooftop garden in Oakland. We need to support organizations like RepresentWomen and She Should Run to work towards a more representative government. We need organizations like Institute for Citizens & Scholars who are educating the next generation of civic-minded and community-oriented people. Let's start reimagining what civic engagement might look like. Please highlight other groups working in this space in the comments below so we can bring more attention to the people who deserve it.

To my LinkedIn friends and colleagues,   Some of you are aware of my passion for documentaries covering topics such as industry, government, public figures, and transportation. It's my privilege to share with you a documentary (see YouTube link below) about my hometown of Jefferson City, MO, which captures the oral history of residents from a black neighborhood known as "The Foot". This area was a vibrant mixed-use community, boasting everything from hotels to grocery stores. When it came to entertainment, The Foot was a hotspot where talented musical acts like Ike and Tina Turner often performed. I'm sharing this video not just because it's about my hometown, where many of my family members still reside, but because it provides a broader insight into the issue of Urban Renewal. We all know that Urban Renewal initiatives were largely destructive practices that disproportionately affected low-income and minority neighborhoods. However, too often, I think people associate Urban Renewal as an issue that only impacted large urban areas like Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, NYC, and St. Louis.    Small cities, like the one I grew up in, also suffered from this same negative approach to planning, and the impacts it had on small communities were just as devastating for those who lived there as they were for residents of big cities.   Many of you are involved in industries that support and lead projects with the potential to profoundly influence both infrastructure and the social fabric of the communities they serve. This documentary, along with other examples, serves as a reminder that what we do truly matters and can have a lasting and deep impact. We must never lose sight of this as we advise and lead such developments.     Happy Black History Month! https://lnkd.in/gtXy9tfC

Check out this comprehensive toolkit on evaluating public participation and community engagement approaches!

Leading up to the election, we are expanding our grassroots coverage across the battleground states! 🇺🇸 Does your organization need help sourcing insights on overlooked parts of America before the election? Partner with us: bit.ly/coverage2024 It's critical now more than ever to help newsrooms, civic institutions, and more combat misinformation, and expand how they highlight the needs of Americans from all walks of life. So we're disseminating our grassroots reporting training and content forensics tools to more underreported communities across the following states: Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada.

Did you see The Black Public Defender Association's most recent report: "Reimagining Public Safety?" This report is the result of a year-long project that dives into Black Chicagoans' definitions of public safety. Collaborating with BlackRoots Alliance, Cook County Public Defender, and Northwestern University, the report emphasizes community voices, aiming to inform policymakers, funders, activists, and community groups for sustainable public safety reforms. Read it here!: https://lnkd.in/eHqVANUz

Here are 3 reasons why you should attend our upcoming info session👇 1. You'll get to meet our recruiter, Wendy, and one of our current volunteers 2. You’ll learn more about the CASA volunteer experience 3. You’ll get to meet other people looking to contribute to their community through volunteer service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 22, 2024 / Harris 2024 Campaign - WATCH: Vice President Harris Takes the Case to Donald Trump “I know Donald Trump’s type.” In her first campaign remarks as a presidential candidate, Vice President Harris took the case to Donald Trump in a fiery and energized speech to campaign staff in Wilmington, Delaware. After a career holding predators, crooks, and fraudsters accountable in court, she’s ready to take on Donald Trump, a 34-time convicted felon, at the ballot box this November. The Vice President laid out the clear contrast in this election: a prosecutor versus a criminal, a champion for reproductive freedom versus the man who ‘proudly’ overturned Roe and wants to sign a national abortion ban, a fierce ally of the middle class versus someone bought and paid for by billionaires. It’s no secret the Trump campaign is running scared from Vice President Harris. The next 106 days are going to look a lot like this: Vice President Harris: “As many of you know – before I was elected as Vice President, before I was elected as United States Senator – I was the elected Attorney General, as I've mentioned, of California and before that I was a courtroom prosecutor. In those roles I took on perpetrators of all kinds: Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump's type. And in this campaign, I will proudly – I will proudly put my record against his. “As a young prosecutor, when I was in the Alameda County District Attorney's office in California, I specialized in cases involving sexual abuse. Donald Trump was found liable by a jury for committing sexual abuse. As Attorney General of California, I took on one of our country's largest for-profit colleges and put it out of business. Donald Trump ran a for-profit college, Trump University, that was forced to pay $25 million to the students it scammed. “As District Attorney to go after polluters, I created one of the first environmental justice units in our nation. Donald Trump stood in Mar-a-Lago and told Big Oil lobbyists he would do their bidding for a $1 billion campaign contribution. During the foreclosure crisis, I took on the big Wall Street banks and won $20 billion for California families, holding those banks accountable for fraud. Donald Trump was just found guilty of 34 counts of fraud. But make no mistake, all of that being said, this campaign is not just about us versus Donald Trump. “There is more to this campaign than that. Our campaign has always been about two different versions of what we see as the future of our country. Two different visions for the future of our country. One focused on the future, the other focused on the past. Donald Trump wants to take our country backward. ###

Anyone in between gigs or just like to learn and challenge themselves - Check out the webinar below! Robert Elder is a wonderful part of my network and career and Doug Weaver is also has been a great industry resource for many years. Though I will admit it has been many many years since I was sitting in person with him but I have continued to tap into his knowledge #spreadtothenetwork #heretothenetwork #sharetothenetwork #keepLearning #here2help