Every fall, the DCI hosts a Semester Kickoff Party to welcome students back to campus and introduce them to the principles and practices of deliberation and dialogue. We continued this tradition this year on August 29th in the Union’s 900 Room, and it was a blast. We had a great turnout, with over 40 students, staff, and community members engaging in active discussions over pizza. A range of people both new to and familiar with the DCI were there to listen to each other and share their perspectives.
This year, in addition to being able to learn about upcoming DCI programs, participants also had a chance to practice their deliberative skills as they worked to “Build the Best Democracy…” using Legos! They discussed with each other what they thought are the most important aspects of a democracy and then built a Lego structure that reflected those democratic elements. They ended up creating some colorful objects that represented different combinations of economic rights, types of elections, executive authority, judicial power, legislative representation, and civil rights and liberties that they argued made for the most responsive, resilient, and effective democratic republic.
Attendees had a blast discussing some key questions in a low-key context, and then they got to vote – in good democratic fashion – which creations – first at their tables and then overall – were the best representations of democracy. The overall winner took home a grand prize and the honorable mentions all won some prizes as well!
The event was a wonderful kickoff to the school year, providing participants with a meaningful opportunity to connect in new and fun ways. It highlighted the DCI’s efforts to foster meaningful dialogue about important topics facing our society, one Lego piece at a time!
