Democracy Summit

Democracy Summit, March 9-11, 2026

The Democracy Summit began in 2024 as part of CSU’s thematic year of democracy. Organized by the College of Liberal Arts, this event brings together students, scholars, and community partners to explore, celebrate, and strengthen the many ways we engage with democracy—through teaching, research, and meaningful collaboration.

This year’s Summit explores “Democracy at the Crossroads: 250 Years as a Nation, 150 Years of the Centennial State.” Inspired by the America 250/Colorado 150 project, the theme invites our community to reflect on our shared history while envisioning the democratic future we aspire to create.

All events are free and open to the public.

March 9

March 10

March 11

March 9, 2026

Ramplify: Civic Engagement Fair

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Lory Student Center University Ballroom

Discover ways to make a difference in your community. Explore opportunities with local and national organizations, learn how to get involved, and engage in conversations that empower you to become an informed and active participant in civic life.

Colorado state University hosts the Democracy Expo as part of the Thematic Year of Democracy, April 12, 2024

Principles and Priorities: Federal Budget Exercise presented by The Concord Coalition

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Lory Student Center Room 390

Ever wondered how hard it really is to balance the federal budget?
In this interactive exercise, you’ll step into the role of a policymaker, work with others to review taxes and spending, debate national priorities, and see how your values shape real policy choices. Ready to take on the challenge?

History Colorado Panel

Doors open at 12 p.m., Program begins at 12:30 p.m.
Lory Student Center Ballroom A

Moderator:

Jason Hanson

Jason Hanson is the Chief Creative Officer at History Colorado, where he has written widely about Colorado and Western history and led the development of numerous exhibitions. He also works closely with Colorado’s State Historian's Council as the Deputy State Historian, and he is a member of the state’s America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission. Prior to joining the state historical organization in 2016, he was a member of the research faculty at the Center of the American West at CU Boulder. His most recent book, Brewed at Altitude: A Beer Lover's History of Colorado, with Sam Bock, was recently published to mark 150 years as the Centennial State.

Panelists:

Claire Oberon Garcia

Nick Saenz

William Wei

Dr. William Wei is a professor of history at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has served as Colorado State Historian for 2019–2020 and again for 2024–2025. He is a former member of the Colorado State Historian’s Council and the founding editor-in-chief of the Colorado Encyclopedia.

He specializes in modern Chinese history, Asian American studies, and Colorado history. His book Asians in Colorado: A History of Persecution and Perseverance (University of Washington Press, 2016) was a finalist for the 2017 Colorado Authors’ League Award for General Non-Fiction and was named by the Colorado Sun as one of 50 essential books on the American West. His most recent book is Becoming Colorado: The Centennial State in 100 Objects (University Press of Colorado, 2022). He is currently working on a book-length study titled "Hong Kong since the Handover: A History of Protests."

What Did 2025 Teach Us About American Democracy?

Keynote Conversation with Jake Grumbach

2:30 - 4 p.m.
Lory Student Center Ballroom B

Jake Grumbach is an associate professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. Grumbach studies the political economy of the United States, with a focus on democracy and statistical methods. Grumbach's book, Laboratories Against Democracy, shows how state governments over the past generation moved from the periphery to the center of American politics and policymaking, with profound consequences for democracy.

March 10, 2026

Research Presentation Sessions

9:30 - 10:45 a.m.

- Place-based Democracy (Room 390)
  - Katie Knobloch, Associate Professor and Associate Director, Center for Public Deliberation (CPD); Sabrina Slagowski-Tipton, Managing Director, CPD; Lisa Auer, Community Engagement Specialist, Office of Engagement and Extension; Tamanda Chabvuta, Postdoctoral Fellow, CPD; Liliana Carredo, M.A. Student, Communication Studies; Lali Suarez, Undergraduate Student, Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Emily Gross, Doctoral Student, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
- Building Communities (Room 376-378)
  - Ann M. Little, Professor, History

11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

- Democratic Governance (Room 390)
  - Katie Gibson, Professor, Communication Studies; Alexis R. Kennedy, Assistant Professor, MPPA; Kelli Davison, MPPA Candidate; Nada Abdulaziz, M.A. student
- Everyday Democracy (Room 376-378)
  - Doug Cloud, Associate Professor, English; Evan Stackpole, M.A. student; Rachel Owen, M.A. student

Colorado Politics Keynote Conversation (TBA)

12:15 - 2:30 p.m.

Lory Student Center University Ballroom

Courts in the Community

3 - 5 p.m.
Lory Student Center Theatre

Courts in the Community brings the Colorado Court of Appeals to CSU for a rare, firsthand look at the judicial system in action. As part of this long-running educational outreach program, the court will hear two real oral arguments from active cases—not mock trials—open to students and the public. Each argument is followed by a Q&A with the attorneys, and judges join the discussion at the conclusion of the session. This unique experience offers insight into how courts resolve disputes and uphold democratic principles in Colorado.

CSU alumni Chief Judge Gilbert Román and Judge Craig Welling are among the three judges presiding over the oral arguments, alongside Judge Stephanie Dunn.

Actress Jane Fonda Talks with Colorado State University President Amy Parsons at “A Presidential Conversation with Jane Fonda” part of CSU’s thematic Year of Democracy. February 2, 2024

March 11, 2026

Research Presentation Sessions

9 - 9:50 a.m.

- Public Scholarship and Democracy: A Humanities Approach (Room 390)
  - Thomas Dunn, Associate Professor, Communication Studies and Interim Director, Joe Blake Center for Engaged Humanities; Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor, Communication Studies and Co-Director of the CDAPC; Nick Marx, Professor, Communication Studies; Ernesto Sagas, Professor, Race, Gender, and Ethnic Studies; Michael Childers, Associate Professor, History; Leisl Carr Childers, Associate Professor, History; Elizabeth Steinway, Assistant Teaching Professor, English

10 - 10:50 a.m.

- Introducing the Center for Democracy, Art, and Popular Culture: Promoting Healthy Democracy through Cultural Engagement (Room 386)
  - Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor, Communication Studies and Co-Director of the CDAPC

11 - 11:50 a.m.

- Community Voices at the Crossroads: How FLTI Alumni and Coordinators Shape Local Democracy Across Colorado (Room 390)
  - Jonathan Cable, Office of Engagement and Extension; Aliria Bello Curiel, Community Engagement Specialist & FLTI Coordinator, Office of Engagement & Extension; Ariackna Gonzalez, Youth Program Director, Lifespan Local; Candance Bailey, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative; Glenda Wentworth, County Director, Eagle County Extension; Marcelino Casias, Community Engagement Specialist, Denver County Extension

12 - 12:50 p.m.

- Challenges to Democracy and Finding Hope: A Sociological Mini Teach-In (Room 386)
  - Stephanie A. Malin, Professor, Sociology; Josh Sbicca, Associate Professor, Sociology & Director, Prison Agriculture Lab; Erin O’Callaghan, Assistant Professor, Sociology; KuoRay Mao, Associate Professor, Sociology; Carrie Chennault, Assistant Professor, Anthropology & Geography

1 - 1:50 p.m.

- Revitalizing Democracy in News Deserts: Prototyping a Model of Local Journalism (Room 390)
  - Ashley Anderson, Professor, Journalism and Media Communication (JMC); Jenny Fischer, Instructor, JMC; David Wolfgang, Associate Professor, JMC; Rebekkah Dailey, Town Trustee, Town of Wellington

Careers with Impact: An Alumni Roundtable on Local Politics & Public Service

2:30 - 3:45 p.m.

LSC Room 386

Messaging a Movement: Lessons from the Mamdani Campaign on Gen Z Politics and Disenfranchised Voters

Closing Keynote Conversation with Andrew Bard Epstein

4-5 p.m.

Lory Student Center Never No Summer

Andrew Epstein is a communications consultant and political advisor to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani. He served as Communications Director, Chief Spokesperson, and later Creative Director on Mamdani’s successful primary and general election campaigns, helping shape a message that mobilized new and historically disenfranchised voters.

He was previously a Chief of Staff in the New York State Assembly, helping pass landmark climate and corporate transparency legislation, managed multiple campaigns for elected office, and worked in communications and development for nonprofit news organizations, documentary filmmakers and labor unions. In a previous life, he pursued a doctorate in the history of New York City and holds a Masters in the field.