You may be asking, “What is the UNCommon Council?” The Council is an ongoing space for the community to connect, dialogue, & work together to create lasting solutions for the common good. It is a place to be heard & serves as a launching pad for ongoing citizen-led capacity building & problem solving using a citizen-centered approach to civic engagement. By citizen-centered, we mean YOUR “meaningful participation”: participation “of the people, by the people, & for the people.” The Council is “of the people”- it is inclusive & accessible to all. It encourages & facilitates broad community engagement around common issues. It is driven from the community up, not top down, & not by outsiders. Citizens decide, plan, & prioritize. The Council invites business, non-profits & government to the engagement table. As such, it supplements and does not supplant the democratic processes. The Council is “by the people”: the people, YOU, make decisions and affect outcomes. They “talk-the-talk” in that they dialogue and decided on the issues, but they also “walk-the-walk” in that they act on what they decide. The Council reaches out to the community; unites neighbors-the people, for ACTION to affect long-term change. Lastly, the Council is “for the people” in that it provides opportunities for building relationships through face-to-face contact, for connecting through programs, and for people with different motivations to come out and serve. It’s all about YOU!