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January 31, 2024Local Leadership Organization Connects Political Leaders with Next-Gen Voters
The Dulye Leadership Experience (DLE), respected for its long legacy of professional development programs for emerging leaders, is carving out a new niche: generating a dialogue between politicians and its members.
The organization has begun hosting open, in-person exchanges–called Listening Sessions–to bring political leaders together with DLE Gen Z and Millennial members. The next session is set for Feb. 5. The goal is to facilitate an exchange that can help political leaders better understand the issues that are important to this key constituency.
The Listening Session program was hatched from a conversation last summer between DLE Founder and President Linda Dulye and Pittsfield Mayor Pete Marchetti, who at the time was a candidate for mayor. Marchetti wanted to broaden his outreach and hear from a critical group of citizens whose voices needed to be amplified–the under-40 residents, professionals and business owners of the city.
For this, he looked to the DLE, which has been building an extensive, diverse community of next-gen leaders through its free professional development and networking programs since 2008.
The debut DLE Listening Session, held July 24, 2023, resulted in an open, interactive learning experience for Marchetti, who praised the 15 participants for being “forward-thinking rather than focusing on the past.” He added, “If we are going to move forward, we must engage in more of these types of conversations.”
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier is the next political leader to headline a Listening Session. Farley-Bouvier, like Marchetti, contacted Dulye with a request to meet with DLE members to broaden her perspective on issues that matter to next-gen leaders in the Berkshires. The 85-minute exchange will be held Feb. 5.
“The first job of a legislator is to listen,” explains Farley-Bouvier. “I welcome the opportunity to hear from young professionals in Pittsfield about their experiences and how they think the commonwealth can be a better partner in making our community one in which everyone can thrive.”
As chief designer of the format and flow of the moderated Listening Session, Dulye set one overarching ground rule: “The sessions are strictly for education, not endorsement,” she emphasizes.
They are conducted without cost to the political leaders and participants, with Dulye underwriting all advance preparation and operational expenses. “As a crusader for conversations and building connections in our community, I am committed to making these educational experiences available to civic, business and government leaders who want to learn from the members of a talent pool that we must grow and fortify in the Berkshires. Next-gen leaders are a powerful engine for economic revitalization.”
Dulye’s commitment to civic engagement is evidenced by her leadership role on the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation Board and her active engagement in Downtown Pittsfield Inc. volunteer cleanup projects. Her management consulting and professional development firm–Dulye & Co.–operates out of a North Street office.
