Workshops & Events
PIN PANELS AT NETROOTS NATION
Barry Kendall, Executive Director of the Progressive Ideas Network, will moderate two panels at this year's Netroots Nation convention in Las Vegas.
Leveling the Playing Field: Improving How We Communicate about Inequality
Current levels of economic inequality are not only immoral, they're hastening the demise of our economy. Gains to the wealthiest one percent have come at the expense of the working and now unemployed poor. But our arguments about the dangers of inequality have fallen largely on deaf ears, subject always to the supremacy of the market and the grand mythology of self-made millionaires. In this session, we'll present research initiated and sponsored by the Progressive Ideas Network into the language of inequality—what's working and not in our discourse—and how to put forth compelling arguments for policies that halt and minimize economic inequality. We will reveal how people come to judgments about inequality, suggesting both overarching frameworks and immediate language fixes to make our case loudly and persuasively that this is a man-made problem we can and must address.
Panelists: Anat Shenker-Osorio, Chuck Collins, Barry Kendall (moderator)
Think Tanks and Netroots: Best Practices for Working Together
FRIDAY, JULY 23RD 4:30 PM - 5:45 PM
How can bloggers become more engaged in the policy development process at progressive think tanks? How should think tanks reach out to bloggers and package their materials for maximum impact? This session will address these questions and more about how think tanks and bloggers are already working well together and ways we can continue to build pipelines for progressive ideas, policies and messages.
Panelists: Bill Scher, Alan Rosenblatt, Lynn Parramore, Murshed Zaheed, Barry Kendall (moderator)
WORKSHOP
"Closing the Gap, Leveling the Field":
A Workshop on Talking Effectively about Inequality
May 14, Washington, DC
On Friday, May 14, the PIN member organizations collaborating on the Messaging Wealth Inequality and the Economic Crisis project will present their findings at "Closing the Gap, Leveling the Field": A Workshop on Talking Effectively about Inequality.
For almost a year, a group of policy researchers, activists and communicators have been exploring how to talk about economic inequality and its relationship to the current economic crisis. At this workshop, our lead researcher Anat Shenker-Osorio will present our findings on the language of inequality -- what's working and not in our discourse -- and
how to put forth compelling arguments for policies that halt and minimize economic inequality.
Participants will not only learn which messages are working and which to ditch, they will assess and improve their own communication about economic issues. We will also explore what this research into how people understand inequality means for economic policy making.
This session is intended for a wide range of communicators: organization and/or policy directors, communication staff members, members of the progressive press, policy experts -- everyone will benefit from exploring how to convey what they mean to the widest possible audience. Everything presented will be off the record to allow for open and mutually beneficial exchange.
Convened by the Progressive Ideas Network, with leadership from the Institute for Policy Studies: Program on Inequality and the Common Good, Neighborhood Community Reinvestment Coalition, Progressive States Network and Opportunity Agenda.
There is no cost to attend this workshop, and a light lunch will be provided. Advance registration is required; please send us a message via our Contact form if you are interested in attending or learning more.
