Local Civic Power 101

🕠 5:30–7:00 PM

Ever wondered how local government actually works and how everyday people can influence it or even run for office?

Local Civic Power is an interactive, instructional civic learning experience designed to break down how Kansas City government operates and how community members can engage, lead, and shape decisions that impact their lives.

This is not a lecture. It’s a hands-on, community-centered learning space with rotating small-group conversations, real-world examples, and clear pathways to stay involved.

• How the City of Kansas City is structured
• What a City Councilperson does day-to-day
• How City Council committees work vs. full council
• How agendas are set and decisions are made
• The role of city boards and commissions
• How ethics, accountability, and oversight function in local government
• How other local bodies operate, including:
• • School Boards
  • County government
  • Independent agencies (as applicable)

You’ll also learn how to run for office, what serving on a board or commission looks like, and why lived experience matters in leadership.

• Instructional overview to ground everyone
• Dinner break midway
• Small-group, round-robin conversations with facilitators
• Groups rotate so participants learn from multiple perspectives
• Collective share-out at the end with clear calls to action and ways to stay engaged

• Plain-language explanations of how local government works
• Tools and resources to stay civically engaged
• Ideas for boards, commissions, advocacy, and future leadership
• Follow-up materials and opportunities to continue learning and participating

This event is for parents, students, organizers, educators, advocates, and community members who want to better understand power, participation, and leadership at the local level and who believe civic spaces should reflect the people they serve.

Come learn. Come ask questions. Come see yourself in local leadership.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Latinx Education Collaborative