Local Voices Speak Up to Share Personal Stories Around Fossil Fuels Transformation

Conversations about Jobs, Economy & Life in the KC Region

KC Digital Drive is excited to announce a first-ever recorded conversations initiative that seeks to better understand the life experiences of those in communities reliant on fossil fuel jobs. More than 1.7 million people in the United States work in fossil fuel sectors including oil, gas, and coal operations. With the local economy moving to focus on renewable energy, significant numbers of existing jobs will be threatened or radically transformed during the transition. 

How do we make this workforce transition work for all? With the help of Cortico and Deloitte, using innovative tools from MIT Center for Constructive Communication (MIT CCC), we want to hear about experiences affecting people in the KC region. 

“Civic life can be revitalized when we hold space for conversation, recognizing that traditionally underheard voices and marginal experiences can yield improved understanding and communication across boundaries” – Cortico 

This community-driven conversation process provides the local community a platform to share their fears, hopes, opportunities, and barriers amid the current and potential fossil fuel workforce shifts via recorded small group conversations. 

These inputs, and personal experiences and stories will inform insights and help to recommend solutions that might improve the future of our local economies and will be amplified and shared on a searchable, interactive site where you’ll be able to hear from voices across the country.

About the conversation sessions: 

  • Conversations are led by our trained facilitators 
  • All participants who register for and attend a conversation will receive a $40 gift card.
  • If you’re interested in attending a conversation, fill out the interest form here
  • There will be multiple opportunities to join a conversation. A schedule of sessions will be posted soon.

All sessions are virtual and last 90 minutes.  

If you’re interested in co-hosting a conversation with a small group of your clients/constituents, contact Kari Keefe at kkeefe at kcdigitaldrive dot org for more information.

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