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Democracy in Action: January Retrospective

Opinion

Democracy in Action: January Retrospective
January calendar

Welcome to the first edition of Democracy In Action, insights and discussion about some of the most talked-about topics of the previous month with Fulcrum collaborators.

Consistent with the Fulcrum's mission, this program strives to share many perspectives to widen our readers' viewpoints.


As if fireworks weren’t enough to welcome in the new year, the return of Donald Trump to the White House brought with it its own set of fireworks, beginning with a slew of executive orders.

We also saw tragedy in the form of terror in the attack in New Orleans and the plane crash in Washington, D.C.

There was also a ceasefire in Gaza as Israelis and Palestinians negotiated peace.

Joining me to discuss these topics and more were:

Lynn Schmidt, the columnist and editorial board member with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson, a spiritual entrepreneur, author, scholar-practioner whose leadership and strategies around social and racial justice issues are nationally recognized and applied.

Steven Hill, former policy director for the Center for Humane Technology, co-founder of FairVote, and political reform director at New America.

We began the conversation with President Trump’s first weeks back in office and the growing list of executive orders.

- YouTubeWelcome to Democracy in Action, insights and discussion about some of the most talked-about topics of the previous month with ...


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Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the parent organization of The Fulcrum. He is the publisher of the Latino News Network and a trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network.

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At just 17 years of age, Sophie Kim was motivated to start her organization, Bipartisan Bridges, to bring together people from both ends of the political spectrum. What started as just an idea during her freshman year of high school took off after Sophie placed in the Civics Unplugged pitch contest, hosted for alumni in Spring 2024. Since then, Sophie has continued to expand Bipartisan Bridges' impact, creating spaces that foster civil dialogue and facilitate meaningful connections across party lines.

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In a previous article, we argued that efforts to improve the political environment should reach Americans as media consumers, in addition to seeking public participation. Reaching Americans as media consumers uses media like film, TV, and social media to change what Americans see and hear about fellow Americans across the political spectrum. Participant-based efforts include dialogues and community-based activities that require active involvement.

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