Title:

Elevating Lived Expertise in NH Policy

New Hampshire’s “citizen legislature” was built on the idea that lived experience should shape policy. Today, public input often fails to influence outcomes, even when engagement is strong. This poster examines that gap through disability policy examples and shows what it takes for participation to matter. In systems where hierarchical structures limit whose voices carry weight, participation alone is not enough—it must challenge the power structures that determine whose input shapes outcomes. This requires treating lived experience as expertise that informs decision-making. A pilot unconference shows how this can work in practice. By centering lived experience and allowing participants to set the agenda, it produced innovative, actionable, and community-driven solutions that reflect the priorities of those most affected. Reclaiming a citizen legislature requires embedding these principles into policymaking so public input directly drives decisions.

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