Cupertino Community Project: Voices and Visions
The Cupertino Community dialogues, our flagship project, began in
March of 1996. Over a five-year period, community members became involved
in numerous processes to explore a wide spectrum of issues affecting
quality of life in the community. Phase I consisted of a series of
discussion groups to elicit concerns, visions, and ideas and to learn
what issues are important to community members. Phase II addressed
two city issues identified in Phase I-community safety and cultural
richness. This stage consisted of inter-generational interviews and
dialogue group meetings. It culminated with a creative Town Hall Meeting
designed to expand the dialogue, explore issues constructively, and
engage citizens and city officials in deliberations about future action.
In Phase III the City Council spent time discussing citizen concerns
and ideas and responded by hosting a 2-day city-wide leadership event.
Phase IV was designed to institutionalize many of the processes established
in the earlier stages of the project. A volunteer group of community
members called the Citizens of Cupertino Cross Cultural Consortium
(5Cs) now leads the dialogue process in the city.
Summary
of Diversity Forum Proposals: A Blueprint for Public Communication
Cupertino
Annual Town Meeting, November 10, 1999
Donna
Krey, "Cupertino Asks, "Can We Talk About Diversity?"
Western City, December, 1999
Moryt
Milo, "Group hopes to forge sense of connection"
| Shawn
Spano (2001), Public Dialogue and Participatory Democracy:
The Cupertino Project. Cresskill, N. J.: Hampton Press. |
|
Articles in
the local newspaper Cupertino Courier about the Cupertino Project:
November 6,
1996
Townhall Meeting Slated for Nov. 20
November 15,
1996
A Conversation with Cupertino
November 27,
1996
Residents Talk Safety, Diversity at Cupertino
Townhall Meeting
March 5, 1997
City Leaders Put Culture on the Table
October 15,
1997
Residents Put Heads Together on Diversity
August 19,
1998
Angus Steps Up to Community Officer Role
October 21,
1998
Forum
Helps Open Communication
