Mayor Andy Berke on Thursday announced that the city of Chattanooga is partnering with the award-winning civic engagement platform Civic Dinners for conversations that challenge citizens to closely examine the factors that affect economic mobility and quality of life in the community.
As part of the Chattanooga Dream initiative that was launched in late 2019, Mayor Berke is inviting all Chattanooga residents, business leaders and organizations to the dinner table over the coming months, to engage in civil dialogue around issues on quality of life and critical factors that contribute to stalled economic mobility in Chattanooga. Dinners will be held in people’s homes and in restaurants or cafes across the city.
“These dinners will let residents engage with people throughout our city and share ideas with each other -- and with us -- in a way that builds community,” Mayor Berke said.
The Civic Dinners platform makes it easy for anyone to sign-up to either host or attend a dinner. The concept is simple: each host can invite six to 10 guests to dinner in their home or a restaurant, the host then leads a conversation with three main questions, with each guest having equal time to share. Comments, ideas, and feedback gathered over the course of the dinners will be incorporated into the Chattanooga Dream project plan to improve economic mobility for everyone in the city.
The two conversations on the table are:
Quality of Life: A conversation that looks at the questions: what makes a good life and how can we come together as a community to ensure all residents of Chattanooga have access to the resources and opportunities needed not just to survive, but to thrive.
Economic Mobility: A conversation about the unique and sometimes systemic barriers people in the city face and how to can work together to create real economic opportunity for all.
For more information on the Chattanooga Dream Civic Dinners, including how to become a host or attend, please visit the Civic Dinners website or email support@civicdinners.com. For more information about Chattanooga Dream visit connect.chattanooga.gov/chattanoogadream/.