At a moment when Tucson is grappling with rising housing pressures, deepening mistrust in public institutions and an urgent need to bring younger voices into civic life, the city is preparing to host its first-ever Democracy Forum.

The Dec. 5 gathering is designed to put residents — especially young people — at the center of conversations shaping Tucson’s future. The event is a collaboration between the Southern Arizona Education Council and Tucson Young Professionals.

The forum will feature City of Tucson Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, Pima County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Jennifer Allen, Arizona state Rep. Nancy Guttiérrez, and Southern Arizona Education Council CEO and President and outgoing Ward 5 City Councilman Rocque Perez.

Over the course of the evening, participants will engage directly with local agencies and elected officials across four key topics: corporate influence and public accountability, housing and transportation justice, the future of public schools, and community safety and health.

The event is open to young professionals, neighborhood advocates, educators, public officials and community members interested in confronting some of the region’s most pressing civic challenges.

For Perez, the forum is the result of years of local events and a growing belief that young people deserve a larger role in civic decision-making.

“We’ve had a historical amount of programming this year, including our ‘20 Under 20’ initiative,” Perez said. “Putting both my hats together, education and civic leadership, it felt like the right time to create something that brought these communities into the same room.”

Perez said these topics reflect the questions Tucsonans are asking every day, many of which have direct implications for young people who are shaping the city’s future.

“We’re seeing increasingly higher levels of civic engagement among younger voters,” he said. “This forum is about recognizing that and giving young people a real place in conversations that impact their daily lives.”

Housing insecurity, corporate influence in public institutions and declining trust in public systems have become defining concerns for residents. Perez said one of the most urgent challenges is the state of Southern Arizona’s public schools.

“Southern Arizona has experienced significant disinvestment,” he said. “We’re still not back to pre-pandemic funding levels. That’s why events like this matter, because too many education decisions are made in a vacuum. In Arizona we’re lucky to have legislators who are educators and public school supporters, but the public still has to be mobilized.”

Beyond policy discussion, the event aims to help local leaders understand how young residents see the city’s future. Perez said he hopes to hear about the issues that matter to them not just as students, but as workers, renters and emerging leaders.

“Young people bring a perspective that’s both honest and urgently needed,” he said. “They’re living the consequences of these systems in real time.”

Organizers hope the forum becomes an annual event and inspires similar civic models across the city.

“What comes out of this should be more than a conversation,” Perez said. “I want us to start talking seriously about public power, public accountability and what it means for Tucson to build systems that reflect its values.”

The event will take place at the Pima County Historic Courthouse at 115 N. Church Ave. from 5:15 to 8 p.m. Attendees must request a seat ahead of time here.

“Tucson is feeling a lot of change, growth, pressure, hope,” he said. “And our community deserves spaces that let them be part of shaping what comes next.”

McKenna Manzo is a graduate student at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at mckennamanzo@arizona.edu.

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation.