Civic Engagement with Christina Puentes: More Important to Learn and Engage Now than Ever

Class: Politics 101 Episode Summary: Christina Puentes is here to discuss her experiences with civic engagement; how important it is - especially now - and how to get involved in it. Christina’s Bio: Christina is the 29-year old daughter of immigrants from China and Colombia. As a former elementary and high school teacher, she advocates for equity and accountability in the K-12 education arena. She has a strong interest in the intersectionality of systems, especially those involving democratic processes. Christina is a proud alumna of The University of Texas at Austin, with both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the university. She is also a member of the inaugural cohort of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School. Committed to public service, Christina has served with AmeriCorps, has been active in community coalitions, and has volunteered with local organizations since college. She currently serves as the chair of Austin's Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and works as a policy analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Topics Discussed: Christina’s Introduction - [1:10] Why Civic Engagement? - [2:34] Christina’s Master Studies - [6:29] Civic Education Reform - [7:41] Civic Education Past, Present, and Future - [9:57] Critical Race Theory in Civics - [13:16] Why Engage in Civics? - [14:59] The Ukraine Situation - [16:42] How Many Countries Have a Democracy? - [18:21] The Benefits of a Democracy - [19:05] How to Engage in Civics - [22:18] Relationship Building in Civics - [26:09] Civic Values - [28:34] Focus on Local Politics - [30:04] A Life Lesson from Christina - [32:04] Where to Find Christina - [34:16] Christina’s LinkedIn: @christinaapuentes Articles about Austin redistricting work here and here Christina’s Research here and here Partners / Ads: Tiny Topanga - Tiny Topanga is a custom tiny home and van conversion builder based in Mexico and the United States, offering premium homes, with hand crafted artisan touches throughout each build. Knit Marketing Academy - In addition to hiring and training our own team, we love to help businesses grow their own youth teams. Whether you’re starting a summer internship program or hiring a social media manager, give us a call and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about youth employment. knitmarketing.com