Reclaiming democracy subject of lunch talk

Nancy Amidei, director of the Civic Engagement Project in Seattle, returns to Clallam County on Nov. 13 to speak at the Hot Topics noon luncheon at Sunland Country Club, hosted by the League of Women Voters.

She is well-known to people in the area through her civic engagement trainings and materials. Many will remember the advocacy workshop she gave in 2007, sponsored by the Community Coalition of Clallam County.

Her presentation is on "Reclaiming Democracy."

"It's common these days to hear people sound cynical, even discouraged, about the current state of our democracy," says Amidei. "Less often noted are the many good things under way, along with the many small ways that each of us can help reclaim what's best about our citizen democracy."

From 1992-2008, Amidei was on the faculty of the University of Washington School of Social Work. Today she continues to direct the Civic Engagement Project, which works with nonprofit organizations throughout the country. CEP offers advocacy training, speeches, workshops and resource materials for work at federal, state or local levels.

Amidei has been involved in social policy from inside and outside government.

She is a former director of the Food Research and Action Center (a national anti-hunger group). She also served in the Carter administration as a deputy assistant secretary in the federal department of Health, Education and Welfare (now DHHS), and in the early 1970s, she was on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs.

For many years she wrote Policy Watch, a weekly

e-mail bulletin that described the Washington state legislative process. Luncheon tickets are limited, cost $25 and are available from League members. Call Lounette Templeton at 504-2060 or visit www.lwvcla.org.