Citizen Participation

Our work in the area of Citizen Participation involves engaging citizens of all ages and inspiring them to follow Senator Maddy’s example of active citizen participation.

  1. Maddy Associates: The Maddy Associates provide financial support the Institute and host luncheons featuring a diverse array of distinguished state and national speakers to discuss topics of importance to our region, state and nation. Modeled after the Commonwealth Club of California, the Maddy Associates program has been designed to be the key public affairs forum to for Central California – a place where community leaders and those concerned about our region can learn and debate issues of public concern.

Past Maddy Associates programs have included:

  • A Conversation with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
  • State of the Valley with Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.
  • California: Political Trends and Planning for a Better Future with Mark Baldassare President and CEO, Public Policy Institute of California
  • Immigration Reform with Nationally Syndicated Columnist Ruben Navarrette
  • California’s Congressional Delegation: A View from Washington with Michael Doyle, National Correspondent, McClatchy Newspapers
  • Mexifornia with Stanford University’s Hoover Institute Fellow Victor Davis Hanson
  • California State Government: A Review of 2012 and the Outlook for 2013 with Dan Walters, Political Columnist, Sacramento Bee
  • Money in Politics with Ann Ravel, Commission Chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission
  • US- Indian Relations:  The Honorable Ambassador Venkatesan Ashok, Consul General of India
  • How California Became a State of (Beautiful) Struggle:  Syndicated columnist Joe Mathews

2. Citizenship Academy: As part of the New Immigrant Network, we assist in the civic integration of new citizens, including hosting an annual naturalization ceremony.