Articles

Metro Voices, Metro Choices: Reconnecting Citizens
and Policymakers to Serve Community

Faith And The City e.Letter
March 11, 2005

Research indicates that our nation’s citizens are growing less involved with their elected leaders and less committed to their civic responsibilities as members of a democratic society. At the same time, public issues are growing more complex and more pressing.

Now a bold new initiative aims to reconnect ordinary citizens with policymakers throughout the Atlanta metro area with the goal of tackling critical issues confronting the community. This spring, Metro Voices, Metro Choices will invite citizens to share their views on a range of issues through three vehicles: an online web-based survey that will seek 100,000 participants, a random telephone survey of 2,500 people, and town hall meetings and community change summits.

The key objectives of Metro Voices, Metro Choices are to:
• Gain a greater understanding of social issues at the community level
• Empower the public to become actively involved and invested in local policy issues
• Foster dialogue between citizens, elected officials, and other community leaders
• Help communities to better address their social needs
• Train community leaders to become agents of change.

Metro Voices, Metro Choices is a partnership that includes the Ad Council, Community Foundation, Faith And The City, Regional Leadership Forum, Atlanta Regional Commission, and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.

The Atlanta region was chosen as a pilot project for Metro Voices, Metro Choices because it enjoys a strong network of local government, businesses, and nonprofit groups committed to progressive community change. Metro Atlanta also represents one of many booming economic regions in the country, with the range of positive and negative issues typically associated with such growth.

For more information about Metro Voices, Metro Choices, contact Reina Jones Bussell at 404-527-3561 or rjones@unitedwayatlanta.org.