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L.O.C.A.L. Summits are a project of SIMPLER Leadership LLC, a social enterprise by Kai Degner.
Each summit is designed to:
Strengthen Local Civic Leadership Capacity – Equip individuals and groups with strategies, knowledge, and connections to strengthen democracy and support vulnerable neighbors in their communities.
Build Collaboration Across Projects and Teams – Foster collaboration among leaders, advocates, and organizers working on issues related to democracy, equity, and social justice.
Generate Practical Next Steps – Ensure that every participant walks away with clear actions, new relationships, and shared resources to apply in their own work.
This L.O.C.A.L. Summit Series provides a space for those committed to multicultural democracy, civil society, social safety nets, equity, inclusion, and justice to organize, strategize, and support one another's work and resilience.
While national-level action is vital, we must connect with each other at the community level to build working relationships that can inform ongoing, emergent action and strategy.
Each L.O.C.A.L. Summit is a self-organizing community event where attendees set the agenda and engage in the discussions that matter most to them. The events are an opportunity to come together— to talk, to listen, and to build the future we want to see.
The L.O.C.A.L. Summit Series is comprised of regional/local gatherings that bring together change-makers, volunteers, and leaders committed to strengthen democracy, strengthen our communities, support those most vulnerable.
Every summit is a standalone event, meaning there is no ongoing organization formed other than to support the minimal infrastructure needed to convene and facilitate the events (with snacks).
Summit Organizing Theory: Responses to complexity, disruption, and change require community and civic stakeholders to creatively work together. There is room for all of us - but we need to get in the same room! L.O.C.A.L. Summits provide the room(s).
You are invited if you plan to be a constructive participant and you are committed to constitutional multicultural democracy, civil society, social safety nets, and human dignity.
Sign up here to receive invitations.
At the beginning of each summit, participants will be invited to create breakout sessions on topics of interest to them.
Each Summit will have multiple breakout sessions about a range of different topics. This way, the summits accommodate a range of interests, concerns, and actions around the overall shared goals and values.
If you are already exercising leadership in any topic area, please attend and share what you are up to! You may share your own or your organization's work in these areas, provide micro-trainings, recruit and share invitations to participate, brainstorm actions, and find strategic partners.
If you are newly motivated to engage, you are welcome.
Example breakout session topics include:
I/we need help with _______.
I'd like to provide a micro-training on _______.
I'd like to spend our time calling our federal representatives about issue X. I have their phone numbers with me.
Our team is coordinating voter registration. We'd like to connect with others doing this work.
I'm from [insert group / organization] and I like to share are mission and current projects.
We'd like to raise awareness about X topic
I'm thinking about running for office and would like to learn more about it
Who is working on X issue(s)?
We are recruiting board members for [insert organization]
I have an idea about ____ and would like some input from others.
How do we get more people to these summits?
I'd like to learn/teach about how to use [insert technology, e.g., Signal]
etc
See all scheduled events here.
To register interest in hosting a L.O.C.A.L. Summit in your community, fill out this form.
📅 Dates & Times: The L.O.C.A.L. Summits Series will be held at various times and locations to accommodate different schedules and maximize participation. Each summit is a standalone event, and attendees are encouraged to join the one that best fits their availability. Expect events to last between 4-5 hours.
📍 Location: Each summit will take place in a venue selected for safety, accessibility, and community connection.
👥 Attendance is limited to [100-300] participants per event to ensure meaningful engagement.
Sign up here to receive invitations, resources, and to RSVP to specific events.
At the L.O.C.A.L. Summits Series, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to participation. We are committed to ensuring that all invited individuals can attend, regardless of their financial situation.
The L.O.C.A.L. Summits are free to attend and supported by donations. No one should feel obligated to pay to participate. If you’re showing up, engaging, and contributing in any way—that’s already valuable. You are welcome, with or without a financial contribution.
The events are free. Donations are accepted, but not required.
Read about how to Tip/Donate, set up a table exhibit, or sponsor - or just Venmo @simpler-leadership!
Funds go to Kai Degner's SIMPLER Leadership LLC.
During each summit, we will share a suggested donation amount ranging from $15 to $25, based on the number of attendees and the specific costs incurred for hosting the event/series. These costs may include: coffee (and water), venue rental or contribution, snacks and refreshments, insurance, facilitation materials, and perhaps child care (not guaranteed - we will be explicit if that is an option. Be in touch with ideas or resources.). Donations are not tax deducitble. Donation information is shared in the event invitations. For more information on sponsorship or to discuss underwriting opportunities, please contact the event organizers directly.
Again: Our goal is to create an inclusive and accessible environment for all participants. While contributions are appreciated, they are entirely voluntary, and no one should feel obligated to donate.
REJECTION OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY
The L.O.C.A.L. Summits support democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties and explicitly reject all illegal activities associated with militaristic organizations designated as "Antifa" or "domestic terrorist threats" as defined in the White House executive order signed 9/22/25 and subsequent 9/25/25 Presidential Memoranda:
Overthrow & Coercion: We do not support or engage in: The overthrow of the United States government or legal system. We prohibit any planning or discussion of organized riots, armed standoffs, violent assaults, or the use of coercion or illegal means to achieve policy objectives.
Definition of Action: We define 'Direct Action' as strictly confined to: Peaceful, legal, and democratic methods, such as lobbying, voter registration, legal rallies, and contacting elected officials.
Resistance: Resistance at summits is directed at: Strengthening democratic institutions and civic participation, NOT obstructing the rule of law or promoting anarchy.
Prohibition of Intimidation: We prohibit any planning, coordination, or discussion of politically motivated terrorist acts, including organized doxing campaigns, swatting, threats of violence, or any activity designed to aid and abet criminal activity or obstruct the operation of the Federal Government or law enforcement.
Financial Liability: The Summits are a project of SIMPLER Leadership LLC, a commercial entity. We do not provide direct or indirect funding, material support, or financial assistance to any external entity engaging in political violence, domestic terrorism, or illegal acts [8(c)(i), 13].
Recruitment: The purpose of this space is to develop civic leaders through non-violent, legal, and democratic methods. We prohibit the use of this space for recruiting or radicalizing individuals for the purpose of political violence, terrorism, or the violent deprivation of any citizen’s rights [8(b)].
To acheive the goals of the L.O.C.A.L. Summits Series, safety and trust are paramount.
We ask all attendees be authentically committed to the goals for the events, and that no one in attendance is associated with efforts to target, surveil, or harm vulnerable community members.
We explicitly prohibit coordinating violent
That said, no space is entirely immune to infiltration by bad or disruptive actors. While we make every effort to verify attendees and foster a safe environment, we strongly encourage caution—particularly for undocumented individuals and other vulnerable groups—when deciding whether to attend and how much personal information to share with other attendees.
We recognize that no system is perfect, and past and ongoing conflicts or disagreements should not automatically disqualify someone from participation. However, we will use our discretion to ensure these events include those who seek to work together in good faith, uplift one another, tolerate differing theories of change, and build a stronger, more resilient community.
If you have any concerns or need additional guidance on attending safely, please reach out to the event organizer.
To ensure clarity of purpose, it is important to note that these summits are:
✖ NOT a space for violence or criminal activity. The summits are focused on peaceful, democratic, and direct action to strengthen our communities.
✖ NOT intended to create a new stand-alone organization. These summits serve as a platform for collaboration but do not form a new coalition or group.
✖ NOT just another networking event. This is an action-oriented space where people come to share, strategize, and move forward with real-world impact.
✖ NOT a public rally or protest. The summits are invite-only, focused discussions designed for engaged and active participants working toward change. Participants may share and plan intended events at the summit.
A group of local community members is extending invitations to upcoming summits.
The trusted group of local community members invite individuals in their social networks.
Kai Degner - as part of his SIMPLER Leadership LLC social enterprise - is organizing the series. Kai (he/him) served on Harrisonburg City Council 2009-16, and served as mayor 2009-10. He ran for state delegate in 2009 and congress in 2016. Prior to being involved in politics, he worked with friends to coordinate over 300 community dialogues, which motivated him to learn about various meeting methods and facilitation strategies. He used Open Space Technology - the method for the L.O.C.A.L. Summits - in over a dozen community summits while elected. He's pursuing a PhD in strategic leadership and is a certified leadership coach.
We respect the privacy and security of all participants. To ensure a safe and trustworthy environment, attendee contact lists will be kept solely by the event organizer and will not be shared with or sold to other attendees, external groups, or third parties.
We encourage participants to connect and collaborate during the summits, but any exchange of personal contact information should be done at each attendee’s discretion.
If you have concerns about privacy or security, please reach out to the organizers for more information.
✔ RSVP Required – Attendance is restricted to those who RSVP and confirm general alignment with values of democracy, inclusion, and justice. One-on-one invitations are extended through trusted networks to reduce risks of infiltration.
✔ Varying Days, Times, and Locations – The day and time for the next event(s) will be shared via email to the full invite list. Those who choose to attend will register and receive the (local) location. The days, times, and locations will vary.
✔ Zero Tolerance for Harmful Agendas – Anyone found to be attending in bad faith, supporting illegal action, violating community trust, or engaging in harmful behavior will not be invited to future summits. Participants should raise concerns to the organizer.
Kai [at] SIMPLERleadership [dot] com
L.O.C.A.L. Summits is a project from Kai Degner and SIMPLER Leadership LLC.