
Registration open! Civics 101: The People’s Guide to Local Government
Led and facilitated by Rebecca Martin, co-founder of KingstonCitizens.org
KingstonCitizens.org is offering a free, quarterly online civics training series, open to all Kingston residents—and to anyone interested in applying this knowledge to their own local community.
The program is designed to help City of Kingston residents:
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Explore the City of Kingston’s website to understand how local government works for residents. We’ll land in the area where our special guests will dive into their topic and later, answer your questions
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Gain tools and strategies for effective local civic engagement
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Build confidence to participate in public life
Each session includes a topic-focused presentation followed by a deeper group discussion. All sessions are free and held via the Zoom webinar platform.
For more information, visit KingstonCitizens.org or contact ou*********@***il.com
2026 Sessions
REGISTER: Tuesday, January 13, 6-8pm
Second hour: Discussion on City of Kingston school and property tax
With special Guest: TBA
REGISTER: Monday, April 13, 6-8pm
Second hour: Discussion on City of Kingston’s planning and zoning
With special Guests: KingstonCitizens.org’s Tanya Garment and Jennifer O’Donnell
REGISTER: Tuesday, July 14, 6-8pm
Second hour: Discussion on City of Kingston’s Payments-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs)
With special Guest: City of Kingston Assessor Daniel P. Baker
REGISTER: Tuesday, October 13, 6-8pm
Second hour: Discussion on City of Kingston’s Boards, Committees and Commissions
With special Guest: City of Kingston Mayor Steve Noble
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About Rebecca Martin: Rebecca is a seasoned organizer and advocate with over 20 years of experience in coalition-building, strategic communications, and civic engagement. Originally from Maine, she has lived in the Hudson Valley since 2000, where she has worked to empower communities and promote government transparency. In Kingston, NY, she co-founded KingstonCitizens.org, leading initiatives such as the successful campaign to stop Niagara Bottling from purchasing the city’s municipal water supply and a Water Powers Referendum to secure public oversight of future water sales. As the first Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust, she launched nationally recognized programs in urban agriculture, rail trail development, and the protection of African-American heritage sites. At Riverkeeper, she served as Campaign Manager and Director of Community Partnerships, where she helped establish the Hudson 7, and co-founded the Water Justice Lab in Troy, NY. She currently coordinates Source Water Protection for the Hudson 7 and managed a major report on the threat of landfill leachate to drinking water. In 2025, she joined Beyond Plastics as Director of Community Partnerships and Training, where she is building a Community Partnerships Program and leading grassroots advocacy and speaker trainings in the fight against plastic pollution.
Thanks to local artist Anna Gilmore for her work in designing our civics logo.












