Civic hacking is taking off

The open government movement has become super-charged over the last year. Largely in part to the people and organizations on the front lines. At the 2013 Code for America Summit held in San Francisco, California, I got a chance to speak with some of the people who are volunteering their time, finding better ways to make government work for us, and bridging the gap for citizens to access and participate in their government.

I asked them some questions to gather insight into why we’re experiencing more interest in civic hacking and civic participation. I also wanted to hear from Code for America brigade captains and fellows as well as civic community leaders to get a better understanding of what makes a great Code for America project.

Next, I focused on how these folks strive to create a culture of innovation in government both great and small. They shared some excellent wisdom with me. Like, Chase Wilson, from Code for Kansas City: he says the three keys to successful government innovation are hunger, awareness, and permission. Or, like, Abhi Nemani, from Code for America, who advises citizens to just keep asking questions. Continue>>>
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