Building Community Power: Civic Engagement Beyond the Ballot

Led by TODEC Legal Center, this interactive and nonpartisan workshop will introduce UCR students to meaningful ways of participating in civic life beyond voting. Drawing on TODEC’s decades of experience in community organizing, youth leadership development, advocacy, and civic engagement in the Inland Empire, students will explore how everyday people can identify issues they care about, understand local systems of power and decision-making, build community relationships, and organize collective action for positive change. Rooted in TODEC’s mission to empower communities through education, advocacy, and civic participation, the workshop will help students develop practical tools to use their voices, strengthen their communities, and become engaged civic leaders in the Inland Empire.