Join live every Sunday, or watch the replay at your convenience.
Covid taught us one thing: we can talk to each other no matter where we are. Video chats are now comfortable things. While these video’s are raw, they are essential to our ongoing civics education.
The Civics Project holds a weekly discussion on aspects related to civics in general and Niagara Falls in specific. Please join us on Sundays at 9:30 AM by clicking the Button to the Right
Sunday Civics 12-19-21
Sunday Civics 12-5-21
Sunday Civics 11-28-21
Sunday Civics 11-21-21
Sunday Civics 11-14-21
Sunday Civics 11-07-21
Civics Sunday 10-31-21
Civics Sunday 10-24-21
Sunday Civics 10-17-21
This is the link for Kameron’s Go Fund Me page:
The petition Jim Shultz has developed is located on change.org. His newspaper column can be read here. And the NYS Comptroller’s Audit can be read here.
Sunday Civics 10-10-21
Sunday Civics 10-3-21
Sunday Civics 9-26-21
Sunday Civics 9-19-21
Sunday Civics 9-12-21
Sunday Civics 8-22-21
Demetrius Nix
Sunday Civics 8-15-21
John Simon, President and CEO of Stavatti Niagara Ltd, and a Director of Stavatti Aerospace
Sunday Civics 8-8-21
Sunday Civics 8-1-21
Sunday Civics 7-25-21
Sunday Civics 7-18-21
Sunday Civics 7-11-21
The popular Candidate Discussion series was the brain child of several block club leaders in Niagara Falls. In preparation for the second candidate discussion we brought in Ruth Cooper, Bob Pascoal and Sheila Zuni to critique the first discussion and ballpark expectations for the second discussion.
Sunday Civics 6-27-21
Dave Pfaff is a political professional with 40 years experience in government and politics throughout NYS. He’s also donating his time to The Civics Project relative topics related to participation. Enrollment, turnout, campaigns, candidates. This frank and open discussion is meant to give people a clear picture of what takes place in a civic participation mode.
Civics Sunday 6-20-21
John Restaino of Gorillaz, Inc. joined The Civics Project to discuss the various podcasts and media connections that exist in the city. John’s about as Niagara Falls as it gets, and his insights and perspectives are invaluable. Among the many podcasts he hosts is Citizens United, a topical Falls show with local issues and guests.
One thing: I vented my frustration on this show with the lack of one central online place where I could easily find information about Niagara Falls. All podcasts, news stories, history, restaurants, events etc. Because of this completely random and impulsive online conversation the Niagara Falls Dashboard is being created. Bravo!
Sunday Civics 6-13-21
Is it just a coincidence that The Civics Project interviewed Faniah Nabors about Juneteenth and the US Senate, Congress and President created a national holiday only days later?
Yes, of course it is! But still, we were prescient in getting an expert to tell us the significance of this national – not racial – historical event. Ms. Nabors, who has close ties to Niagara Falls, also pledged to work with The Civics Project to make Juneteenth deeply connected to Niagara Falls. We have one year – the clock is ticking. What do you suggest?
Sunday Civics 6-6-21
Ronald Piaseczny is President of Niagara Pride. June is Pride month of course, so it seemed a perfect time to learn more about the Pride presence in Niagara Falls. What a professional Ron is and it was a great conversation. We need Ron more involved in The Civics Project and helping us understand the issues surrounding Niagara Falls (not that he isn’t already!).
Sunday Civics 5-30-21
Niagara Falls Youth City Council is a High School level civics program. We talked with two of the students involved in civics.
Paul Wolf, founder of The Coalition for Open Government
The New York Coalition for Open Government, Inc. is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization comprised of journalists, activists, attorneys, educators, news media organizations, and other concerned citizens who value open government and freedom of information.
What that means to me, and why I wanted to have its founder, Paul Wolf, as a guest, is that government is increasingly unapproachable, and not open with documents or information. Paul’s expertise is the FOIL process. Even then it’s incredibly hard to get access so even simple information. Without information its hard to understand how the system works. We can’t be done talking with Paul or his organization. This is an ongoing concern.
Assemblyman Angelo Morinello is maybe the most accessible local elected official in Niagara County. He returns every call or email almost instantly. He joined The Civics Project to talk about Niagara Falls. He announced two things on this show: 1. that Niagara Falls is a small upstate city and we should accept that. 2. his preference for the tenant of Rainbow Mall rehabilitation is the Niagara Aerospace Museum.
S1E8 Sunday Civics 5-9-21
Tom Sisco moved to the city of Niagara Falls in 1990 from Ohio. He didn’t immediately take to community involvement and kept to himself. That changed a few years ago and as a member of The Peacemakers and the Niagara Falls Human Rights Commission he’s doing what he has always dreamed of doing – being involved.
What happened after this show? Tom loved the idea of education, and he loves the idea of civics. He’s agreed to become the Chair of the “People” segment of The Civics Project. We can’t wait to help him develop this section for us!
S1E7: Sunday Civics from 5-2-21
Evelyn Harris is a lifelong community advocate who is a patient care assistant at Memorial Medical Center. An active SEIU union member and co-char and community liaison of Create a Healthy Niagara Falls Collaborative.
S1E6: Sunday Civics from 4-25-21
Trent Hamilton is President of the Entrepreneur School of Thought, located at 1110 19th Street in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Officially, it’s a Community resource center for adults that is promoting unity thru economic empowerment & advancement. But that’s only part of the story. They’ve got plans to become so much more to the community and, like anything, the sum of its parts is more important than any individual member.
Visit them online, but it’s in-person that action happens. Trent and co-founders Demetrius Nix and Antoine White would love to hear from you and start a dialog.
S1E5: Sunday Civics from 4-18-21
Paul was instrumental in leading the awareness campaign against siting an asphalt plant in the Town of Niagara industrial park.
S1E4: Civics Sunday 4-11-21
Block Clubs are vital to most cities. We talked with the leaders of three Niagara Falls Block Clubs – Sheila Zuni, Robert Pascoal and Ruth Cooper.
S1E3: Civics Sunday for 3-28-21
Current City Councilman John Spanbauer gave us an hour of his time to discuss civics.
S1E2: Sunday Civics for 3-21-21
Gaelan Baillie is an entrepreneur operating within Niagara Falls and owns a bike/mobility rental store on 3rd Street. Most memorable learning experience: The City of Niagara Falls has never declared tourism to be the #1 industry.
Gaelan can be reached at niagarabikerental@gmail.com
S1E1: Sunday Civics for 3-14-21
Mark Scheer, Journalist, Investigative Post
Mark is a former editor of the local newspaper chain (Niagara Gazette, Lockport Journal) and is now doing in-depth reporting for Investigative Post, an amazing organization. If you don’t follow Jim Heaney and Investigative Post you need to start. Specifically, Mark’s work on the STAMP project and economic development in a place called Alabama Swamp is stunning.
Local Journalism is essential to civics. A free society is not no-cost, and local journalism is worth it. Consider donating to this or any news organization.