Keystone Policy Center shepherds shared-goal partners to find mutually agreeable solutions in energy, environment, education, health, agriculture, emerging genetic technologies, land management, and tribal communities. Our work continues and we have adapted to virtual and hybrid meeting models in 2020 that still allow us to create dynamic and impactful advances in our ongoing work and launch new projects. We wanted to share with you a few of our stories from this year.
Keystone has developed a diverse and well-informed network of policymakers, current and former elected officials, and other key policy influencers that provide us with the latest insight on issues impacting the world. We launched the Key Conversations series this year to share that insight with our audience, partners, and general public. We have already conducted discussions on climate change policy, the relationship of law enforcement and communities of color, and U.S.-Middle East policy.
COVID-19 Response for American Indian Communities
American Indian Tribes were already navigating stressed systems – from education to infrastructure to health care – that were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keystone Policy Center turned to our longstanding partnerships with tribal leaders in Colorado this year to create a pandemic response effort that centered on food security, expanding broadband access, expanding mental health care support, and securing voting access.
Keystone Values for Virtual Engagement
While Keystone has shifted to virtual and hybrid meeting options to continue our work in this era of physical distancing, we still root our engagement in a set of organizational values.
Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness and Response
Keystone has partnered with government agencies, communities, and stakeholders for over 15 years to develop planning and response strategies for disruptive events like natural disasters and pandemics. Our expertise continues to be called upon to help develop emergency response strategies on a local and national level.
Increasing Teacher Support and Education System Resiliency
In July, Keystone launched the Education System Resiliency and Innovation Initiative. The initiative assembles education system leaders, educators, government officials, and stakeholders from within and outside the education system to develop new approaches that will improve support for the teaching workforce, deliver instruction that better prepares all students for the challenges of an ever-evolving world, and address issues within the education system that perpetuate inequities and achievement gaps that are only exacerbated during disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virtual Conferences for a Worldwide Audience
Even in the era of Coronavirus, Keystone continues to thoughtfully manage multi-stakeholder coalitions that bring together key thought leaders, decision-makers, and influencers who forge alliances, make decisions, resolve conflicts, or simply gather for diverse and informative dialogue on complex issues. This year we adapted our annual CRISPRcon conference on gene editing into a virtual setting. Audiences from across the world have tuned in to hear from stakeholders and experts on issues related to gene editing and its impact.
