Chatham-Carpenter Selected for Civility Leadership Institute
Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, chair of the Department of Applied Communication at UA Little Rock, has been selected as a member of the fourth cohort of the Civility Leadership Institute.
Chatham-Carpenter is one of 30 leaders from around the country who will make up the 2024-25 class and join a network of 120 alumni representing more than 35 states.
“Because of my background in applied communication, and the mission of my department to co-create better social worlds through positive communication, as well as my work with the Braver Angels organization, I have found myself involved in initiatives to work across the political divide,” Chatham-Carpenter said. “Being a part of the Civility Leadership Institute will allow me to improve my skills in helping to navigate conversations across the political divide in the classroom, as well as in professional and personal relationships.”
Created in 2021, the Civility Leadership Institute is an exclusive group of community leaders who come together for a year of learning, training, and networking with the mission to fight polarization and create civility. Since its inception, 120 people have gone through the program by participation with the flagship Renew America Together cohort, and additional satellite cohorts led by partner organizations.
The alumni network of the Civility Leadership Institute, along with board members and supporters, will join the new cohort in Little Rock this summer for the 3rd annual Civility Summit from July 24-26 to kick off a year of learning focused on civil dialogue, identifying misinformation, and bridging partisan divides.
“I am excited to bring all alumni and new participants together for the Civility Summit in Little Rock this summer,” said General (ret.) Wesley K. Clark, founder of Renew America Together. “These leaders come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, geographic locations, career paths, political beliefs, and industries. It’s encouraging to see these dynamic individuals acknowledging the need for improved communication and civic engagement.”
Following the in-person Civility Summit, participants will engage in monthly virtual learning. Each month, participants will work through an engaging curriculum, hear from nationally recognized speakers, and build strong relationships with the CLI network.
Graduates of the Civility Leadership Institute will earn certifications in SERVE: a framework for civility, TRUST: combatting disinformation, and TypeCoach Influence training. Upon completing the program, they will join a robust alumni network committed to supporting the organization’s mission through community involvement.
“As an educator, I believe in preparing the next generation of Arkansans and Americans to be civic-minded, with increased desires to communicate across our differences, to come up with solutions for the ‘wicked problems’ of our day,” Chatham-Carpenter said.
