Elmhurst residents can hear student interns present original research on voting rights, surveillance technology, and government accountability at a free public event on Wednesday, July 29, at Wilder Mansion.
The Citizen Advocacy Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit based in Elmhurst, will host Democracy Night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the mansion, 211 S. Prospect Ave. No registration is required, and light refreshments will be served.
What attendees will see
This year's presentations will cover voting rights, media literacy, government accountability, and emerging surveillance technology, according to the CAC's event announcement. The topics reflect the organization's nonpartisan stance: Democracy Night does not advocate for any political party, candidate, or policy position.
"Democracy works best when people understand the issues, ask thoughtful questions, and feel empowered to participate," said Sheilah O'Grady-Krajniak, executive director of the Citizen Advocacy Center.
The internship behind the presentations
Each summer, the CAC pairs students from high school through law school with attorneys and civic leaders. Interns spend weeks researching public policy questions and engaging with communities across northern Illinois. Their findings become the presentations that anchor Democracy Night.
The organization's community lawyers mentor the interns and supervise their projects. The event ran in 2025, when interns presented on the state of constitutional democracy, according to the CAC's Facebook page. The internship program itself dates to at least 2008, when first-year law student Aya Barnea joined after finding the organization at a job fair and went on to make public comments at village board meetings during her time with the CAC.
How to get involved
Democracy Night is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Cathi Koch at 630-833-4080 or [email protected], or visit citizenadvocacycenter.org.
The Citizen Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 188 Industrial Dr., Suite 106, in Elmhurst. It provides free community legal services and civic education programming throughout northern Illinois.
