CHESTERTOWN — The newly formed Citizens Connect will host its first meeting Monday, Aug. 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 914 Gateway Drive in Chestertown.
The topic will be whether Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge can survive federal budget cuts.
The speakers will be Bill Burton and Bonnie Ford, president and vice president, respectively, of Friends of Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge.
The public is invited.
According to a news release, Citizens Connect is a community-based initiative that brings people together to discuss concerns sparked by recent state and federal executive orders and legislation.
“Our goal is to encourage informed, respectful discussions, from diverse political perspectives and life experiences, to sharpen our understanding of the issues and common interests. And ideally, to agree on constructive feedback to offer elected officials,” the news release states.
“We would also like to provide connections to and support for non-profit organizations that can help individuals during these difficult times,” the news release states.
The inspiration for Citizens Connect came from a Washington College class titled “Bridging the Divide,” which explored finding common ground among people who disagree politically.
Co-founder Joan Caivano said she and Eileen Kessler convened interested classmates and other friends from Kent County to plan how they might create a space that would bring people together to discuss their common concerns around local issues, “raise our understanding of those issues, bring our concerns to the attention of policy makers, and perhaps even take actions that might mitigate some of the harm being done.”
According to the news release, future discussions may address the impact of federal spending cuts on the hospital in Chestertown and local health care, Medicare, Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); immigration policy and its effects on local families, farmers and small businesses; and bridging the divide between rural and in-town perspectives.
“Our hope is that people will feel comfortable joining our public forums and talking about how certain policies have affected their lives. Have they been harmed or helped by recent political changes?” the news release states.
For more information, contact Eileen Kessler (eileenkessler1@me.com) or Joan Caivano (joan.caivano@gmail.com).
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The next meeting of Citizens Connect is Monday, Sept. 15 at Kent Cultural Alliance, 101 Spring Ave. in downtown Chestertown.
The topic will be how to talk with people from different backgrounds and political views.
Anthony Flaccavento, co-founder and executive director of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, will lead the discussion.
