Policy Hangout: Justice Watch & Documenters
“The Room Where It Happens”
As we’ve all learned from the musical Hamilton, to understand and influence public policy decisions, it matters who’s in “the room where it happens.“ Whether it’s a city council committee room, a school board meeting room, or a courtroom, discussions are taking place and decisions are being made in physical and virtual rooms across Atlanta everyday that directly affect people’s lives.
On Tuesday, October 25, 2022 CCI was joined by two special guests, Canopy Atlanta and the Southern Center for Human Rights, to share information on programs they’ve recently launched to get more residents into Atlanta’s decision-making rooms.
If you would like to jump right in, skip ahead to learn:
how CCI’s making sure people are at the table and “not on the menu” (00:09:30),
how Justice Watch provides the public with critical info and clearer data about our courts (00:42:00), and
how with Atlanta Documenters is paying residents to hold government accountable (01:02:32)
Atlanta Documenters is part of community journalism nonprofit Canopy Atlanta that pays and trains Metro Atlantans to take notes at under-covered public meetings—where Metro Atlantans can act on the systems that impact their lives. They publish those edited notes for everyone to use. To learn more about Atlanta Documenters → click here
Justice Watch Georgia is a coalition of organizations committed to providing our community with holistic political and civic education about the important systemic changes needed in our criminal courtrooms. Through educational workshops, training and court observation for everyday people, they hope to shed light on the many opportunities that promote public safety and reduce harm caused by mass incarceration. To learn more about Justice Watch → click here
Atlanta Policy Hangouts
CCI’s policy hangouts are an open forum for learning, conversation, and discussion that keeps you and your organization informed and engaged in what’s happening in the halls of our local governments. This includes inviting local policymakers and subject-matter experts to offer context and insight as well as creating space for you to share your organization’s advocacy and engagement opportunities.
Got an idea for a future policy hangout? Contact us!