ABSTRACT
In 2009, Mayor David Cicilline asked a friend in Providence to start an independent civic organization that would act as the citizens’ voice in city politics. Cicilline believed it was necessary to counter corruption, combat the “uncivil” discourses that plagued city politics, and create collaborative relationships beyond the “hyperlocalized, small, neighborhood association.” His friend invited a neighbor-someone engaged in community affairs-and together they started circulating the idea of getting more citizens to weigh in on community issues. After meeting with individuals all over the city, hosting a planning meeting at a local business, and talking late into the night with friends around kitchen tables, they formed the group Engage. Engage continues to operate around its founding goals, publicizing government meetings, organizing forums about high-profile public issues, and contributing to citywide dialogues about the future of Providence.
