From the Executive Manager - Erin Zimmermann

Greetings!

It was such an honor to see many of you in person at the North American Conference. More than 350 members of our P2 community come together, at the base of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain in Banff, Alberta to learn, connect, and reflect. I was struck by how artfully culture, connection, and equity was woven into the event. From the  the raising and lowering of the tipi from Travis Jimmy John and Ronine Ryder of Nakota Itipi n Ryder Style Craft, to the outside the box session about the IAP2 spectrum by  Isabella GiaVulva (Jack Brooks) that brought vulnerability and humor together in a thought provoking way, it was an exciting opportunity to really be present with other colleagues. For those unable to attend, you can purchase the Digital Experience available in mid-October. 

One message that resonated was the importance of connection before content. Connection very much is at the heart of P2. My favorite part of the conference was being able to connect with so many of you. Though the in-person event is done and we are back to business, I would love to keep building connections throughout our association. Let us know how you want to build or strengthen connections throughout our IAP2 network. Feel free to drop me a line at erin@iap2usa.org .

Erin Zimmermann, 

Executive Manager

IAP2 USA

Congratulations  IAP2 USA 2022 Core Value Awards Winners

Each year, IAP2 Affiliates around the world celebrate excellence in the profession through the IAP2 Core Values Awards. The awards go to projects and organizations which best demonstrate IAP2's Core Values and help to raise the bar in the field of public engagement by sharing best practices and inspiring the P2 community to learn from one another. As a friendly competition, the Core Values Awards encourage new approaches and innovative uses of existing ones. Consider entering your project in 2023.

The 2022 CVA winners of the "national" awards go on to compete against winners from other IAP2 affiliates from around the world. Winners were honored at the 2022 North American Conference held in Banff, Canada.

Thank you to our judges who give their time and talent. This program would not succeed without their efforts and expertise: Cheryl Hilvert, Lewis Michaelson, Dr. Marty Rozelle, Doug Sarno and Sarah Dechter.

Project Connect - Austin Transit Partnership

IAP2 USA awarded Austin Transit Partnership, Austin, TX the 2021 IAP2 USA Core Values Award in the General Project Category for Project Connect-Austin Transit Partnership.

Project Connect is the transformative, voter-approved investment in new transit services for the Austin, TX area. Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) was created by the City of Austin and the Capital Metro Transportation Authority as the independent entity, accountable and responsible for the financing, design, construction, and overall implementation of the new transit service.  ATP’s charge is to deliver on the Austin voters’ transit vision in partnership with the community – and in a way that embeds equity, sustainability, and transparency as overarching priorities.  

As a result of their efforts, the team did a good job of meeting people where they “are”, identifying the communities that needed to be heard, and tailoring the techniques to the different audiences. Additionally, it is evident that they truly listened and reacted to community concerns by going back to the drawing board and changing some of the initial plans and designs. ATP’s inclusive, whole-community approach sets a standard for 21st Century public participation.

Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan 

IAP2 USA awarded the City of Charlotte, NC the 2022 IAP2 USA Core Values Award in the Creativity and Innovation Category. Also named IAP2 USA project of the year, it moves forward to the IAP2 International competition for judging at the international level.

The project, Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, innovated how communities grapple with the legacy of redlining, urban renewal, race-based policies, and exclusion of minority groups in planning for their future. The synergy of unique participation techniques, groundbreaking equity analyses, and carefully constructed conversations on the lived experiences of minority voices, created a vision of help and hope for Charlotteans. 

Public participation helped guide the plan’s Equitable Growth Framework that represented the community’s diverse lived experiences and showcased the creativity and resiliency of the City’s public engagement strategies. Good metrics were used to evaluate the participation effort and to make changes. 

Honorable Mention

Grand Marais Reconstruction Project, Minnesota Department of Transportation

The Highway 61 corridor along the North Shore of Lake Superior is the lifeblood of the communities it serves, stretching 150 miles from Duluth, Minn., to the Canadian border. It provides the only regional access for goods and services for much of the area and is a safe, efficient route for the tourism-based economy. 

The community of Grand Marais identified the highway corridor as both a vital connection and a top barrier to physical activity and community connections within the city. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) worked closely with the Grand Marais community to identify goals for pedestrian mobility improvements, reduced traffic speeds, improving roadside features and improved drainage. Some challenges were met early on with differing views on how the corridor vision would be implemented through the design, but through honest discussions about feasibility, the partners were able to move forward.

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