Democracy in Action: Inside Fort Collins' First Civic Assembly

This event occurred on:  Join us for a compelling conversation about Fort Collins, Colorado's inaugural Civic Assembly. This resident-centered initiative, which convened 20 randomly selected citizens in Spring 2025 to deliberate on the future of the former Hughes Stadium site, functioned as a "civic jury" to develop community-driven recommendations. Hear directly from Assistant City Manager Rupa Venkatesh on the design and early lessons of their first civic assembly. 

Here's what we'll discuss:

• How Fort Collins initiated its distinctive Civic Assembly.
• Insights into the assembly's design, challenges, and results.
• The power of cross-sector collaboration in fostering legitimacy.
• Applying lessons for other cities and leaders and actionable advice for piloting similar initiatives.

This event is co-sponsored by project collaborators from Healthy Democracy, American Public Trust, Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation (CPD), FIDE North America, and the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities.

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You can read more about the assembly in a recently published opinion piece, “Fort Collins tried a new kind of democracy — and it worked,” by Rahmin Sarabi of the American Public Trust in the Colorado Sun. Click here to read the editorial. And please join us for the conversation!