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Across the political spectrum, Americans think our democracy is in trouble, expect the government to guarantee both secure and accessible voting, and want “ordinary people” to have more of a voice in policy. Differences persist along partisan lines on racism’s impact on democracy and the need for systemic change to…
Public Agenda and the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, through Cycles of Resilience work funded by the New York Community Trust, have partnered with the Eastern Queens Alliance (EQA) and Blacque Resource Network to host a series of “Intergenerational Conversations About a Sustainable Southeast Queens.”
Seligsohn’s leadership in civic engagement, higher education to advance Public Agenda’s mission to strengthen democracy and expand opportunity for all Americans.
Ruth Wooden, who served as President of Public Agenda from 2004-2010 and Board Member from 2010-2021, reflects on her legacy at Public Agenda and the organization’s history as a leader in public engagement, higher education, and research.
Citizens’ assemblies are one example of a minipublic, which typically brings people together to deliberate and facilitate progress on issues ranging from large to small and from local or national to international, as is the case with climate change.
Building off findings from A Two-Way Street: Building Trust Between People with Medicaid and Primary Care Doctors, Interim Co-President and Director of Research David Schleifer describes how doctors need to believe and respect patients in a Health Affairs blog post published April 29, 2021. The post, co-authored by Dr. Mary…
This Public Agenda/USA TODAY Hidden Common Ground® survey, fielded in February 2021, finds a powerful consensus across political affiliations that the nation needs to move beyond the destructive divisiveness that plagues our politics. It also finds common ground on several approaches to overcoming divisiveness. Findings from this research update and…
Public Agenda’s Associate Director for National Engagement Programs, Quixada Moore-Vissing, describes the importance of civic health in assessing and promoting a healthy democracy in her new op-ed in The Fulcrum published April 27, 2021. In the piece, Moore-Vissing outlines her research on how to better the civic health assessment process…
The Global Learning on Democratic Innovation webinar series, presented by Public Agenda and Club de Madrid, brings together panelists and moderators from around the world to discuss global innovations in various areas of democratic life, with a focus on nourishing the renewal of shared societies in situations of political polarization, democratic deficit and racial tensions.
Many of the groups supporting President Biden’s stimulus bill touted its capacity to build “civic infrastructure.” The resulting American Rescue Plan does include elements—like support for broadband access, child care, and volunteerism—that would seem to help Americans participate in public life. Is this enough? What exactly is civic infrastructure anyway, and what more might we need to do to strengthen it?
Finding Common Ground (WNYC – The Brian Lehrer Show, May 19, 2021)
#ListenFirst: New virtual event kicks off annual National Week of Conversation (USA TODAY, May 18, 2021)
America Talks: Toxic polarization threatens our nation’s future. Here’s how we can save it. (USA TODAY, May 18, 2021)
Why it's bad for America if President Biden gives up on bipartisanship (USA TODAY, May 17, 2021)
America Is Optimistic. Can Biden Make the Feeling Last? (The New York Times, May 3, 2021)
In Patients We Trust: Why Clinicians Need To Believe And Respect Patients (Health Affairs, April 29, 2021)
Strengthening democracy starts with better monitoring of our civic health (The Fulcrum, April 27, 2021)
We disagree on a lot but overwhelmingly agree that we need to find common ground. Let's start together, here (USA TODAY, April 27, 2021)
Hidden Common Ground: Why Americans aren't as divided on issues as we appear to be (USA TODAY, April 27, 2021)
Hidden Common Ground poll: Americans want compromise, but think political gridlock will worsen (USA TODAY, April 27, 2021)
The search for unity: 4 ways Americans can bridge our racial and political divisions (USA TODAY, April 27, 2021)
Giving teachers more decision-making power would bring democracy to life at school (The Fulcrum, March 24, 2021)
Police trials as benchmarks for racial justice (The Christian Science Monitor, March 8, 2021)
Time to apply ample lessons from abroad to improve democracy here (The Fulcrum, February 24, 2021)
How Do Patients Feel About Social Risk Screening? (Healthcare Innovation, February 22, 2021)
Universal Child Care: A Bad Deal for Kids? (Institute for Family Studies, February 1, 2021)
McDonald's CEO: Chain will do 'just fine' with higher wages (Restaurant Dive, January 29, 2021)
Survey: Parents and Teachers Grapple with In-Person Learning (WOSU Public Media, January 28, 2021)
As support for $15 minimum wage gains momentum, Main Street fears it's not the right time (CNBC, January 25, 2021)
Democrats Hope Biz Tax Incentives Can Sell Wage Increase (Law360, November 17, 2020)
Bernie Sanders aceptaría integrarse a gabinete de Biden y apoya aumento de $15 dólares la hora a nivel nacional (El Diario, November 16, 2020)
Bernie Sanders claims majority of Americans support a ‘far-left agenda’ that includes raising minimum wage to $15 as he says he’d accept a position in President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet (Daily Mail, November 16, 2020)
Even a divided America agrees on raising the minimum wage (Brookings, November 13, 2020)
Irv Randolph: The growing demand for police reform (The Philadelphia Tribune, November 13, 2020)
As a deeply divided nation processes the election results, what DO we actually agree on? More than you’d think (MarketWatch, November 6, 2020)
Ways Republicans and Democrats have found common ground during contentious 2020 election (MSN, October 26, 2020)
Hidden Common Ground: We found that Americans are more united than it appears (USA TODAY, October 20, 2020)
Queens' 14 council districts may lose participatory budgeting for second year in a row (Queens Daily Eagle, October 19, 2020)
How Do Social Determinants of Health Affect Patient Wellness? (PatientEngagementHIT, October 9, 2020)
Poll: More Americans on both sides of the political spectrum want a higher minimum wage (WITF, September 30, 2020)
COVID-19 has narrowed the divide between GOP, Democratic voters on ways to support workers from pay to child care (USA TODAY, September 24, 2020)
David Bange: Turn climate anxiety into climate action (La Crosse Tribune, September 20, 2020)
Americans Share Common Ground, Misperceptions About Immigration, Poll Finds (KUNR Public Radio, August 14, 2020)
Americans’ confidence in police falls to historic low, Gallup poll shows (USA TODAY, August 12, 2020)
Poll shows growing disconnect over Trump's hard-line immigration policies (USA TODAY, August 12, 2020)
A 'huge moment' for police reform that could reshape Black communities for generations (USA TODAY, July 18, 2020)
There's Still More To Do But Black Lives Matter Protests Have Resulted In These Major Police Reforms (mitú, July 2, 2020)
USA TODAY poll: Americans want major police reform, more focus on serious crime (USA TODAY, June 29, 2020)
Broad Support for Most Police Reforms in New Survey (The Crime Report, June 29, 2020)
Breaking News - USA TODAY poll: Americans want major police reform, more focus on serious crime (US Latest News, June 29, 2020)
The Cost of Being a College Dropout (Coastline College Blog, June 20, 2020)
Will Americans follow social distancing measures? (Medium, June 5, 2020)
One Thing About Reopening That Most Democrats and Republicans Agree On (MSN, June 4, 2020)
Smart Talk Tuesday: Lancaster protests; Philadelphia reporter arrested at protest; Poll shows public supports COVID-19 response; Counties want mental health funding (WITF, June 2, 2020)
Coronavirus live updates: Health a bigger worry than finances, poll finds; SCOTUS won't rush church reopenings; United announces cuts (Oshkosh Northwestern, May 30, 2020)
Partisan divide over economy grows, but Americans more worried about their health: Exclusive poll (Detroit Free Press, May 29, 2020)
Think Americans Are Polarized Over Reopening, Face Masks? Survey Says Think Again (WOSU Public Media, May 29, 2020)
Health outweighs economy in poll (USA TODAY, May 29, 2020)
Monthly Civic Tech must-reads #6 (CitizenLab, April 27, 2020)
How to give back to your community during the pandemic (Rice University News and Media Relations, April 24, 2020)
New Vision Council Report Reveals Consumer Attitudes and Industry Insights About COVID-19 Crisis (Vision Monday, April 20, 2020)
Faced with a pandemic, good public health requires stronger democracy (The Hill, April 18, 2020)
Bloomington Health Foundation, CJAM receive $600,000 for Community Voices in Health project (Hoosier Times, April 15, 2020)
Colorado groups to receive health advocacy grant (Colorado Politics, April 15, 2020)
The coronavirus on Smart Talk Monday: End of life decisions and survey finds Americans on 'common ground' (WITF, April 13, 2020)
Like Jesus on Easter, we too will rise. After we beat the coronavirus. (USA TODAY Opinion, April 10, 2020)
Surveys on Coronavirus Impact Underscore Near-Term Challenges (SGB Media, April 7, 2020)
Bishops can do more to provide sacraments despite coronavirus fears, open letter claims (Catholic News Agency, April 7, 2020)
COVID-19 Bringing Communities Together (The 21st Show, April 6, 2020)
Survey: COVID-19 Brings U.S. Communities Together (Iowa Public Radio, April 6, 2020)
Poll: Americans choose saving lives over saving US economy (Rolla Daily News, April 4, 2020)
Coronavirus poll: Americans support drastic efforts to stop coronavirus, expect crisis to last for months in Public Agenda/USA TODAY/Ipsos poll (USA TODAY, April 3, 2020)
Despite Hardships, Americans See COVID-19 Bringing Communities Together, Survey Shows (Side Effects, April 3, 2020)
Poll: Halting Virus Is Bigger Priority Than Saving Economy (Newsmax, April 3, 2020)
Most believe stopping virus is larger priority than saving economy: poll (The Hill, April 3, 2020)
Poll: Americans Choose Saving Lives Over US Economy (Media Confidential, April 3, 2020)
Democratic, Republican voters actually agree on how to juice the economy. What's in the way? Politics. (USA TODAY, March 6, 2020)
4 science-based strategies to tame angry political debate and encourage tolerance (The Conversation, February 27, 2020)
How Social Determinants of Health Impact Pediatric No-Show Rates (Patient Engagement Hit, February 25, 2020)
Philanthropy's Role in Scaling Sounder Public Judgement (Medium, February 24, 2020)
Red and Blue America see eye-to-eye on one issue: the nation's health care system needs fixing (USA TODAY, February 7, 2020)
Americans Agree Health Care System Needs Fixing, New Survey Funds (WBUR, February 13, 2020)
Survey: Americans Agree Health Care System Needs Fixing (Side Effects, February 6, 2020)
Where Are All The Iowa Polls This Year? (FiveThirtyEight, January 31st, 2020)
Commentary: How to help New Yorkers compare health care options (New Canaan Advertiser, January 28th, 2020)
Republican and Democratic voters actually agree on many climate change fixes. So why no action? (USA TODAY, January 24, 2020)
Five myths about bipartisanship (The Washington Post, January 17, 2020)
Will Friedman: There is more common ground in America than you think (NewsRadio KTRH 740 AM, December 9, 2019)
Divided we fall? Americans see our angry political debate as 'a big problem' (USA TODAY, December 9, 2019)
Op-Ed: A Challenge to College Presidents (NJ Spotlight, November 19th, 2019)
Ethical College Admissions: Counseling vs. Coaching (Inside Higher Ed, November 11th, 2019)
USA TODAY NETWORK and Public Agenda to Explore the ‘Hidden Common Ground’ Among Citizens Leading to the 2020 Election (Yahoo!, November 11th, 2019)
Solving Higher Education’s Crisis Of Governance Means Changing How We Choose Governors (Forbes, November 15th, 2019)
Americans are ready for more meaningful democracy (Jefferson Center, August 26th, 2019)
The case for using polling data more regularly (The Grade, August 7th, 2019)
3 Provider Communication Strategies for Creating Patient Trust (Patient Engagement HIT, August 6th, 2019)
Patient Trust, Relationships Key in Pediatric SDOH Screenings (Patient Engagement HIT, August 5th, 2019)
Pediatric social determinants screening (Drivers of Health, August 5th, 2019)
Screening For Social Needs: What Do Parents Think? (Health Affairs, July 30th, 2019)
Residents Test Their Knowledge At Jamaica Bay Jeopardy (Canarsie Courier, July 30th, 2019)
Parents Talk About Social Needs Screening:Identify Trust as a Major Issue (Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, July 24th, 2019)
President Issues Executive Order Calling for Health Care Price Transparency (Society for Human Resource Management, June 26th, 2019)
Democrats' views on charters diverge by race as 2020 elections loom (Brookings, May 21st, 2019)
Quick Fix - Housing Affordability Panel (Politico, May 14th, 2019)
The Week Ahead in New York Politics, May 13 (Gotham Gazette, May 13th, 2019)
Price transparency is key to a functional health-care market (The Hill, April 17th, 2019)
New Visions: Subconscious tech vs conscious engagement; benefit apps that talk back; Zuck's conversion; and more. (Civic Hall, March 7th, 2019)
A human rights approach to the health implications of food and nutrition insecurity (Thrive Global, January 22nd, 2019)
A human rights approach to the health implications of food and nutrition insecurity (Thrive Global, January 22nd, 2019)
Why are so many college students returning home? (GreatSchools.org, January 9th, 2019)
How providers, patients could benefit from CMS' newly instated price transparency rule (Fierce Healthcare, January 4th, 2019)
Friedman: Is polling good for democracy? (Statesman News Network, September 4, 2016)
Across the political spectrum, Americans think our democracy is in trouble, expect the government to guarantee both secure and accessible voting, and want “ordinary people” to have more of a voice in policy. Differences persist along partisan lines on racism’s impact on democracy and the need for systemic change to…
Seligsohn’s leadership in civic engagement, higher education to advance Public Agenda’s mission to strengthen democracy and expand opportunity for all Americans.
The peaceful transfer of power is a cornerstone of our system of government. By any measure, the riot that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was unacceptable. Using violence and intimidation to achieve political goals is abhorrent and illegal. Through our votes, we choose the leaders whose…
Public Agenda, a non-partisan research and public engagement organization based in New York City, has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for “Healthier Democracies,” an initiative that will explore practical lessons from other countries that could help Americans improve their democratic systems and restore trust in government.…
This January marks my tenth year as president of Public Agenda, an organization I’ve had the privilege of serving and growing with for a quarter of a century. Along that journey, Public Agenda has offered me countless opportunities, and I’m deeply grateful for them all.
Like so many Americans, recent events have battered the Public Agenda team with anger, sadness and anxiety and we are asking ourselves how to respond. We are thinking about a phrase we use to convey the spirit of our work: Let’s build a democracy that works for everyone. By this…
New research from the inaugural Public Agenda/USA TODAY/Ipsos Hidden Common GroundTM survey reveals a significant number of Republicans and Democrats would consider crossing party lines for a more unifying candidate
First phase of Public Agenda/USA Today’s Election-Year Hidden Common Ground Initiative™ to explore America’s collaborative divide and how it can be bridged New York City – A self-defeating narrative is taking hold in America of a people who are so profoundly divided that we cannot possibly understand each other, let…
New report finds New York State residents worry about health care quality, and want state government to hold providers accountable New York City – New York State residents think the state government should monitor doctors’ and hospitals’ quality; provide information about the quality of doctors’ and hospitals’ care; and hold…
Sounder Public Judgment Initiative Brings Fresh Thinking to a Fundamental Challenge Facing Democracy
A new series of Working Papers from Public Agenda offers insights into how to help the public come to terms with tough issues in today’s world New York, NY — Public Agenda, the nonpartisan research and public engagement organization, is releasing a series of papers on the challenge of fostering…
The coronavirus pandemic has posed huge challenges for many organizations, including nonprofits, grassroots groups, community organizing initiatives, and government agencies. When the crisis hit earlier this year, organizations that relied on face-to-face relationships to engage their constituents, or even to work together within the office, suddenly had to adapt.
As COVID-19 swept across the country, one of the hardest hit areas were the lands of the Navajo Nation and nearby Native American communities in Northwestern New Mexico. Throughout the spring and summer, the pandemic emerged as a severe test of New Mexico’s county and tribal health councils, which were…
Beneath the endless and alarming headlines about divisive politics, racial injustice, surges of COVID-19, and a faltering economy, the crises and conflicts of 2020 have a deeper meaning. They illustrate the flaws, limitations, and outdated components of democracy in our country. Our system is not producing the public trust, coordinated…
Bambie Hayes-Brown has always known three Georgias. “There was “Atlanta,” “Most of Georgia,” and then there was “Southwest Georgia,” she writes in the blog for her organization, Georgia ACT, a statewide membership organization of nonprofit housing and community development organizations. A lifelong resident of Southwest Georgia, Hayes-Brown has borne witness…
In early October, Public Agenda partnered with the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (EPI Center) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) for a webinar to help city officials and other policymakers make informed, evidence-based decisions about policing and public safety.…
Our systems for engagement are failing to support effective decision-making and problem-solving, and trust between citizens and government is at an all-time low. This is partly because the legal framework for public engagement is badly outdated – it consists largely of laws that were passed before the Internet was invented,…
“You have to have the right people asking the questions,” said Eric Moore of the Center for African American Health (CAA Health). This is one of the central tenets of the BeHeard Mile High survey panel, an initiative that highlights the importance of trust to successful community-engaged research in ways…
Engagement matters. Strong, consistent connections between residents, robust relationships between people and public institutions, and positive attachments between citizens and the places they live are highly correlated with a range of positive outcomes, from increased public health to greater K-12 student success to resilience in the face of natural disasters.…
In early June, Public Agenda began offering a series of digital engagement webinars to city agencies, non-profits, and partners working in public engagement in the time of COVID-19. Our goal was to support these organizations and their staff as much as we could by sharing our knowledge of digital tools…
To meet the engagement challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Public Agenda teamed up with Polis to build a two-pronged digital engagement strategy.
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