Reliably Austin
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Life of the Civic Party: Austin-Based Institute Works to Get People More Involved

Filipa Rodrigues for KUT News
Some people prefer to keep their distance from politics, the Capitol, and civic life. A conference this weekend is one of many efforts try and get people more comfortable with participating.

Voting in elections. Volunteering. Calling up elected officials. All ways to be civically involved. All things that Texans don't exactly do in large numbers.

A study earlier this year by the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas at Austin found Texas ranks near the bottom on almost every aspect of civic engagement. The state's civic health is bad. The Institute is gathering people together Saturday, Nov. 9, to try to come up with some good medicine.

Institute Director Regina Lawrence talked with KUT's Jennifer Stayton before the conference about how to best get people off the civic sidelines and into the game:

The Institute's Texas Conference on Civic Life is designed to give people the space and time to dig deeply into topics about civic engagement.

The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the University of Texas at Austin - Belo Center for New Media (2nd Floor Auditorium). Pre-registration is required.

Jennifer Stayton is the local host for NPR's "Morning Edition" on KUT. Got a tip? Email her at jstayton@kut.org. Follow her on X @jenstayton.
Related Content