Fresno Pachamama Community

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION IN THE HEARTLAND OF CALIFORNIA: SERVICE LEARNING

An ancient Chinese proverb states, “Tell me and I will forget; show me and I will remember; involve me and I will understand.” The Civic Education Center (CEC) in Fresno, supported by the local Pachamama Alliance community, implements this wisdom with its service learning projects in grades 5, 8 and 11 in 4 Fresno County school districts.

Service learning allows students to practice in the community the civic values and democratic principles they are learning in their social studies classroom.

Issues such as racism, poverty, drug addiction, mental health problems and pollution are chosen by the students who then research causes and potential solutions. Students are guided through collaborative problem solving by their instructors. Community mentors add support to the process. Finally, students showcase their projects in a public forum.

Service learning prepares students to become engaged citizens which is foundational for a healthy democracy.

For more information on service learning and CEC, go to www.civicedcenter.org
or contact John Minkler (john@civicedcenter.org)

Here are 2 groups of students giving presentations on programs they want to implement.

Democracy in Action in the Heartland of California

The process of democracy is foundational for building a just and sustainable world, a world that works for all people. This is why the Fresno/Visalia Pachamama Alliance Community is so excited to be partnering with the Civic Education Center (CEC) in Fresno, CA.

The CEC and our local Pachamama Alliance community share a common viewpoint. We maintain that our relationships to our environment, to one another, and to ourselves are the very fabric from which we create a domain of governance. A democracy holds the necessary relationship thread for the will of the people to be heard– that of respect.

Individuals do not automatically become respectful, responsible, and engaged citizens but must be educated for citizenship. The CEC creates an environment in which relationship-building is modeled and practiced. Through the CEC, students engage with their community, collaborate with fellow students and community mentors and experience the sense of empowerment that comes from making a difference.

Since 2015, the CEC has guided history teachers to teach and use civil dialogue, inquiry and civic service projects in grades 5, 8, and 11. Twenty-nine teachers and 1,600 students were served in this last school year.

We are excited here in the heartland of California. Our partnership with CEC inspires our local Pachamama Alliance community to learn about democracy
as a fundamental process for moving society forward.

Check out the Civic Education Center website (www.civicedcenter.org) and stay tuned for further information on the Global Commons. Questions are welcomed.

John Minkler, john@civicedcenter.org

Fresno PA Community meeting will be Tuesday, 10/1, at Pat's house.
The next Core meeting is Tuesday, 9/10.
Thanks to Robert Mertens for the wonderful image!

I took part in the Awaken The Dreamer on March 8th at the Powur National Convention. This was my secondd time. I’m also currently enrolled in the Game Changer Intensive and excited to get more involved with this group.