The Drum Newspaper
The Middleburg Institute’s Policy Simulation and Grassroots Soiree is a daylong event of live role-playing that trains participants on policy, organizing, and advocacy. Organizers are inviting Louisiana advocates, residents, and policymakers to Baton Rouge for the April 12 event.
The simulation is an immersive in-person training on the most effective advocacy strategies and how to communicate top economic priorities to elected officials. Participants will learn about the economic impact and benefits families receive through the Child Tax Credit legislative policy.
This in-depth and exciting policy simulation is designed for advocates, policymakers, and residents interested in participating in a movement to remove barriers to economic security.
Elisabeth Gerber, Ph.D., founder of The ViewPoint simulation software, will facilitate the interactive live model simulation, which examines Louisiana’s tax policies.
“In this role-playing simulation, participants adopt the personas of fictitious decision-makers and stakeholders whose perspectives might be very different from their own. The ultimate goal is to help each group of participants better understand the viewpoints of the others, to learn from one another, and to think creatively about opportunities for positive change,” said Joyce James, founder of the Middleburg Institute.
For two years, the organization has championed the people’s desire to maintain the child tax credit in Louisiana. The Middleburg Institute was one of ten organizations
Elisabeth Gerber, Ph.D., founder of The ViewPoint simulation software,
across the nation selected to collaborate with Share Our Strength, Code for America, and GET CTC to help promote the outreach and engagement in low-income communities to receive this credit. As a result, residents across southern Louisiana have been engaged in small group trainings and awareness campaigns hosted by the Middleburg Institute.
Middleburg focuses on influencing policies and behaviors that build lifelong economic security for moderate—and low-income people. Every day, thousands of Louisianans are impacted by financial insecurities. This crisis significantly affects every community’s health, education, and safety. Strong federal, state, and local policy solutions are essential, including campaigns around state-level credit programs, said James.
With this focus, the simulation will also explore and explain the challenges and opportunities legislators face, strategies for passing a child tax credit bill, and solutions to helping families begin savings and banking relationships.
Panels of advocates, elected officials, and community leaders will discuss an overall strategy for advocating. Following the simulator, participants will join in a grassroot soiree and celebrate progress in establishing a network of residents who actively advocate for themselves. To participate, register at http://www.themiddleburg.org or call (225) 241-0984. The Middleburg Institute is a nonpartisan IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable nonprofit organization.
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