Citizen Network North America

Citizen Network North America is a community of citizens, groups and networks working together to achieve citizenship for all. If you are based in North America you are welcome to join us.

Carol Blessing is the coordinator of Citizen Network North America. Carol has over 30 years’ experience in the field of disability services and is passionate about integrating the ideals of citizenship into all aspects of her life’s work. Carol is also the author of several publications, including co-editing Conversations on Citizenship and Person-Centered Work (2011) with John O’Brien.

Members of Citizen Network North America have been meeting up to chat online every month sharing and developing ideas together. Carol explains more:

The idea is to hold space for a discussion on a particular topic of interest, theme or concern each month. These can be questions folks have around an issue or topic, listening to others who have shared concerns and experiences. These conversations may lead to spin off speaker series topics or hubs of network members choosing to gather around a particular topic. For example: “What does it mean to ‘self-determined’ from multiple cultural perspectives? What can we learn from these perspectives?”

If you have a question or a topic you'd like to explore with others, please send me your thoughts and we will get them on the calendar!

Building on a series of papers published by Citizen Network Research, Citizen Network North America hosted a webinar series - The Need for Roots - with invited guest speakers and time for Q&A.

The Need for Roots series is intended to engage people in sharing ideas and gifts, focusing our energy and broadening our reach within the context of building inclusive communities. We recognize that the work of authentic inclusion is rooted by embracing and celebrating our shared humanity – the source of which grounds us soulfully in love, acceptance and mutual respect.

One important, overarching theme for our series is to highlight ideas, approaches and practices that intentionally seek to co-create a world where everyone matters. We work to shift the balance of power so that it sits with its rightful owner.

Contributing, listening and participating in the speaker series allows us to learn from one another, to seek out and elevate the voices of people telling their own stories of change, resilience or resistance.

We are committed to disrupting the complacency that maintains structural oppression and renders people invisible or invalid. We co-create strength and courage to keep moving against the forces of discrimination, segregation, oppression and opposition.

Each session is recorded and shared, you can catch up here and sessions are also shared on Citizen Network TV.