My partners (Wendy and Doug) and I concluded a while ago that the best, most effective community engagement is happening at the local level. It stands to reason that the closer those who govern are to those who are governed, the greater the chance for real, authentic public participation. Consider the thoughts of one who has governed.But, it’s not all sunshine and unicorns. The fact is, it’s going in precisely the opposite direction in a lot of communities. We’re at an inflection point; the present is often ugly, the future isn’t obvious and democracy can’t just be a spectator sport. I want to believe Dr. Martin Luther King’s quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” The just have to be engaged.