The group selects a topic about an issue affecting the community — for example, an unexplained increase in property taxes, the continued loss of good teachers in schools, the lack of affordable childcare in the community, or the quality of government services.

The group can then choose to learn about the issue by inviting a public official or candidate to come and speak with the group, connecting with another salonette to share experiences about that issue, or discussing a few articles or video/podcast clips on the subject.

Salonette helps groups find and connect with officials and candidates in their community and provides shareable resources and discussion guides for a range of topics.

Having conversations about local politics with friends and neighbors - people you know and trust - facilitates respectful dialogue and deepens social relationships within your community.

Importantly, although communities often share some basic values, even the most homogeneous communities frequently disagree about how precisely to spend the town’s tax dollars and what government processes are necessary to ensure fairness. Distinct view points layered on top of shared values produces meaningful conversations about what a community’s laws and polices should look like.

Hosts are responsible for selecting the members of their individual salonette. At this time, Salonette does not connect interested participants with hosts in their area.

By shifting the conversation about what’s happening in town from social media to your living room, you are creating an environment where both public officials and constituents can speak more honestly, without fear of judgment and vitriol.

These conversations begin an ongoing dialogue between constituents and the entities and individuals that work for them. Creating and strengthening this connection between representatives and who they represent is necessary for democracy to work. It ensures that public officials hear, understand, and are accountable to the views and concerns of the people they represent.

Salonette proactively reaches out to public officials in areas where there are salonettes so that it can connect hosts with potential speakers as desired.