The program sends bipartisan pairs of former Congress members to schools for two-day visits, is administered by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress and sponsored by the Stennis Center for Public Service and the Center for Democracy and Citizenship. RIC’s chapter of the American Democracy Project (ADP), in partnership with the New York Times, hosted four panel discussions featuring former U.S. Congressional Representatives Loretta Sanchez (D-CA 1997-2016) and Gil Gutknecht (R-MN 1994-2006), along with several local officials and reporters.
ADP at RIC Director Dr. Valerie Endress noted that “The former members of Congress offer an authentic and often unvarnished view of the inner workings of Washington. Their perspectives, combined with two days of forums with influential decision makers, key officeholders and members of media is an unbeatable combination for insight into the world of politics.”
The four programs were:
“Congress, Bipartisanship and Governing across the Divide”, a discussion of the increasingly bitter polarization between the two parties in Washington, featured U.S. Rep. James Langevin, along with Sanchez and Gutknecht. NBC10 political reporter Bill Rappleye moderated.
“Paradigm Shift? Millennials in Politics” featured a panel of Millennial officeholders who discussed their generation’s impact on the political landscape. RIC’s Interim Vice President of College Advancement and External Relations, Edwin Pacheco moderated a panel that included Smithfield Town Councilwoman Suzy Alba, Rhode Island State Senator Dawn Euer, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, New Hampshire State Rep. Amelia Keane and New York City Councilman Stephen Levin. The session began with keynote remarks from Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner and concluded with a response from Sanchez and Gutknecht.
“From Your House to the White House: Political Bullying in Our Daily Lives”, a discussion about the need to restore civility in politics, was moderated by Central Falls Schools Superintendent Victor Capellan. More than 300 high school students were expected to attend the panel to discuss the topic. The panel featured Sanchez and Gutknecht, along with Pawtucket City Councilwoman Sandra Cano, RIC Associate VP for Community, Equity and Diversity Anna Cano-Morales, Youth in Action Executive Director Pegah Rahmanian and Charon Rose, Director of Outreach for General Treasurer Magaziner.
“Hashtag Politics: The Dominance of Social Media”, moderated by GoLocalProv news editor Kate Nagle. This discussion of the ever-increasing use of social media and its influence on politics featured Sanchez, along with R.I. State Rep. Aaron Regunberg, NBC10 I-Team Digital Reporter Patricia Resende and Tim Staskiewicz, Director of Digital Media for CBS Radio in Boston.