This course is for the bold and the brave, for the student who wants to examine effective communication methods that influence public opinion and public policy in today’s political environment and experientially test those methods. Students will leave this class smarter on how Congress works in a digital age and on theories of political representation, advocacy, legislative behavior, and the American voter. Additionally, students will learn strategies and tips from guest speakers and experts on Capitol Hill as well as those attempting to influence Capitol Hill; the applied component of the course will inevitably build public speaking and leadership skills aimed at influencing public policy.
About the Instructor: Dr. Menna Demessie is currently Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the global Task Force for Meaningful Change (TFMC) for Universal Music Group. During the last decade, Dr. Demessie worked on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Barbara Lee, as the Senior Vice President of Policy Analysis and Research at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) and as an adjunct professor at the University of California Washington Center. At CBCF, she led the foundation’s research and policy initiatives affecting African Americans and the global black community in education, criminal justice, economic opportunity, and voting rights among many others. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Dr. Demessie established the National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice at the CBCF in an effort to raise awareness and inform public policy on criminal justice reform and social justice issues writ large. She has spearheaded several partnerships with the White House, Congress, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and other nonprofit stakeholders to advance strategic efforts to influence and inform public policy. Prior to joining the CBCF, Dr. Demessie was one of five scholars in the United States to receive the prestigious American Political Science Congressional Fellowship. For the fellowship, she joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s team to work on federal unemployment legislation, antipoverty initiatives, and foreign affairs in the 112th Congress. In August 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, appointed her as Secretary of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council. As of August 2019, she has worked with her colleagues in raising $ 6.1 million dollars for socioeconomic development in Ethiopia. She was elected twice to serve on the Alumni Board for the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and is a proud Ohio native. She currently serves on the American Political Science Association Council and on Board of Trustees for her alma mater at Western Reserve Academy. She is a college basketball player and enjoys playing basketball and performing spoken word.
*For a copy of the syllabus to review or submit for academic credit, please email academics@ucdc.edu.