CADA

Citizens' Assemblies and Deliberation Allies 

About CADA

Since September 2023, CADA has connected citizens interested in learning about and increasing the practice of citizen assemblies and deliberative democracy across the United States. Most of our shared learning focuses on democratic innovations that utilize lottery methods to engage highly representative groups of everyday people in solving problems together, finding common ground, and shaping the decisions of their government at local, regional, or national levels.

CADA uses the metaphor of being “a watering hole” and a welcoming community for those motivated to share, learn about, and advance democratic experiences that are respectful, information-rich, and typically lead to thoughtful recommendations supported by 70% or more of the people who participate in them. 

We meet by Zoom roughly every 60 days.  Each meeting has a newly curated learning agenda.  There are also opportunities for members to engage with each other.

You are welcome to join us!

CADA History

Michael Gallagher, Leadership Now Project member, and Kristin Hansen, Executive Director, Civic Health Project, and 45 colleagues created CADA on the sidelines of the American Democracy Summit in September, 2023.  Since then, the CADA community has grown to 250 members who meet every 60 days.  Content is largely about:  New citizen assembly examples in the US such as Montrose, CO, Deschutes, OR, New Hampshire statewide, technology platforms and tools, etc.  

US Civic Assemblies: Upcoming & Recent 

(Airtable maintained by CADA member Caroline Fry)