UPCOMING EVENTS
Our philosophy on community engagement
WisACT plans community events throughout the year. Whether they are coffee meet-ups with our co-leads, trainings with our partners, or a booth at a county fair, the idea is the same: to build relationships before we need them.
In an uncertain world where trust in a variety of institutions - and in each other - sometimes seems weak, we believe strongly that we all need to build and nourish our relationships with each other.
If you have an idea for a WisACT event, small or large, please reach out to our state co-leads or to our state coordinator:
CO-LEADS
Scott McCallum: Scott.McCallum@cartercenter.org
David Haynes: David.Haynes@cartercenter.org
WISCONSIN COORDINATOR
Allison Carter Keeley: Allison.CarterKeeley@cartercenter.org
June Network Meeting:
Join or Die: A Conversation with Documentary Co-Director Pete Davis on Rebuilding Community in Wisconsin and Beyond
Wednesday, June 18 | 12 to 1 p.m. | Virtual
Join us for the next Whitburn+WisACT Wednesday event featuring special guest Pete Davis, Co-Director of the acclaimed documentary Join or Die. Pete will discuss the film’s message, the legacy of social scientist Robert Putnam, and the vital importance of social capital and building community in an age of isolation. We are also excited to have Miranda Spindt, a Policy Associate with the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), join the conversation to provide a Wisconsin perspective based on their 2024 report Fraying Connections: Exploring Social Capital and its Societal Implications.
We hope you join us to explore the nature of civic decline, social connection, and democracy and to share ideas that can reshape how we connect—and how we thrive—together. This event will be moderated by Dr. Paul Van Auken (Sociology) and include commentary from student research assistants, Amanda Pierron (Political Science and Social Science Education) and Aspyn Rafac-Escobar (Political Science).
PS – If you want to watch the Join or Die film in advance (and meet Pete on camera), it is available to stream on Netflix!
REGISTER HERE
Thank you to our co-sponsors!
UWO Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program
UWO Center for Civic and Community Engagement
Menard Center for the Study of Institutions & Innovation