What is the BPC Civic Leadership Institute (CLI)?
This first-time program is designed to help BPC members and others increase their ability to become more proactive citizens in Charlotte. By hearing directly from African-American leaders engaged in policy-and decision-making in all the key government areas that affect our lives, attendees will gain insights to better understand the systems that impact their living conditions. Come out and be inspired by these outstanding examples of civic leaders who just happen to be people of color.
Insights about the roles and responsibilities of each governmental unit and its elected officials will provide clarity on how current and new laws and policy decisions will be implemented. The more one understands the positions and different issues that candidates stand for, the better one is able to understand how elected candidates and hired administrators will address issues once in their government roles.
Is the CLI an opportunity to hold government officials accountable for their actions or perceived inactions?
The CLI is an opportunity to listen and learn, not debate. Information will be provided about effective steps to take to question official government actions as well as follow up on concerns that are not fully addressed during the CLI. The program’s focus will be on helping attendees to become more proactive civic leaders within their own families, organizational affiliations, and the community at large.
Registration fees will cover breakfast and lunch, materials, program fees, and the Toolkit for Civic Engagement. The reception will have a separate food menu, entertainment, and a short program. Some people may not want to or be able to stay for the reception after the CLI ends. Others may be more interested in attending the reception to network with CLI panelists and attendees, as well as help recognize precinct chairpersons whose own civic leadership has been demonstrated by their neighborhood volunteerism in getting out the vote.
Rarely has there been a local program in Charlotte that brought together so many African American leaders in one all-day setting to share their wisdom and insights about how and why they do their jobs and the impacts of their decisions on our daily lives. One would have to attend many meetings over several weeks or months to achieve this type of gathering and information. We feel privileged that so many of them felt the value of this kind of program and agreed to participate.
We sought to get a healthy mix of administrative government leaders and elected officials to serve as discussants for the CLI. Less than ¼ of the presenters are current elected officials or candidates for office. This was intentional to focus on government moreso than politics, and to provide foundational perspective and information from proven civic leaders in our midst, about the differences in city, county, state and federal governments in terms of who is responsible for what services, and the intersectional
relationship among all of them. The selected moderators have all had work or elective experience with the government entity they are moderating.
Early next year, the BPC is committed to working with other organizations to convene a community-wide meeting with a broad array of citizens and organizations to more specifically focus on developing a Black Agenda for Charlotte. It is our hope that participation in the BPC Civic Leadership Institute will enable more fruitful discussion and expectations about what government can or cannot do and provide a blueprint for increased civic engagement all around - individually and collectively - to maximize outcomes beneficial to black neighborhoods and communities in Charlotte.
Attendees are encouraged to register only if they can commit to full day attendance, 9:00am – 4:30 pm. Seating will only be available for those who pre-register. It can be disruptive and disrespectful to the speakers to have audience members come and go throughout the day. A short break will be given after each of the six panel sessions.