Civic Trust in Action: Cities, Research, and the Next Generation

A Civic Forum with Mayor Todd Gloria and Mayor David Holt

At a time of increasing polarization, social fragmentation, and declining confidence in public institutions, communities across the nation are searching for new ways to build trust, strengthen civic and community engagement, promote safety, and create a more resilient and connected democratic future.

Civic Trust in Action brings together nationally recognized civic leaders, researchers, students, and community voices for a timely conversation about the American democratic experiment and what it takes to sustain it. The forum will explore how trust is built, how people engage across differences and within their communities, how communities navigate disagreement, and how civic institutions can remain effective, responsive, and connected to the people they serve.

Presented by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies in partnership with the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) and the Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA), the forum features Mayor Todd Gloria of San Diego and Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City, two nationally recognized municipal leaders who have each served as President of the United States Conference of Mayors.

The conversation will also draw on findings from the OneSD Baseline Report, developed by the Burnham Center for Community Advancement to examine trust, connection, civic engagement, and the strength of our region’s community fabric. The report provides a shared starting point for assessing where San Diego stands today and tracking progress over time.

The program will open with research insights from Thad Kousser, a political scientist and leading researcher on American democracy, civic engagement, and trust in elections, examining the current landscape of civic trust, democratic participation, and public confidence in elections.