Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Selma can lead us across the bridge again today

Bridge over a river

The Edmond Pettus Bridge is a symbol of the civil right movement, and it can be a symbol for rebuilding our divide.

Visions of America/Joe Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Harwood is president and founder of The Harwood Institute. This is the latest entry in his series based on the "Enough. Time to Build.” campaign, which calls on community leaders and active citizens to step forward and build together.

Just recently, I was in Selma, Ala., giving a keynote address at the local NAACP’s annual banquet in honor of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Selma and the Edmund Pettus Bridge are iconic in American history.

The Voting Rights Act, whose seeds were firmly planted in Selma, remains one of the most important pieces of legislation in our history. It’s a declaration that community is for all of us, not just some of us. That when we vote, we all get an equal say. That we are on a journey together.


Back in 1965, Selma led us across the bridge and showed us a better future. From that time forward, whatever happens in Selma will always be played out on a national stage, with people everywhere watching. Now, nearly 60 years later, I believe Selma can lead us across the bridge and show us the way forward again.

In fact, I am counting on Selma.

Still, the reality is most people throughout our country see Selma in just one of two ways. The bridge and that iconic moment from the past, with many Americans now making yearly pilgrimages there. Or its modern disrepair, with empty storefronts, dilapidated homes and pothole-filled roads.

Yet if you really look at Selma — if you are willing to see all of it — you will see the people of Selma and that Selma’s can-do spirit is alive and well. Residents there are proud to call the community home. And new examples of building are happening all over the community.

But here’s what I told people at the NAACP banque:. Physical buildings are important; people are more important. If Selma is going to lead us over the bridge again today, they need to build community first and foremost.

The good news is that if you really look at Selma, you will see that it is not stuck in the past. People there want to lift each other up and rebuild their community. Selma is poised to lead us forward. To focus on building community in a way that renews hope, I asked those at the NAACP banquet to wrestle with four questions that people throughout the community have continually asked me. They are just as critical for the country to wrestle with.

  1. How can we start moving forward? Our programs and strategies are important, but they are not sufficient. In my experience, the No. 1 predictor of whether or not a community moves forward is the health of its civic culture. From how we work together to whether leaders are in tune with what matters to people, to the presence of organizations that bring people together across divides and spark shared action. Moving forward requires giving our frayed civic culture renewed attention. Ignoring it only exacerbates the prevailing negative conditions in society.
  2. How can we activate more allies? We have to get real that in America today, most people have been driven out of the public square and are hunkered down; in communities like Selma, many are suffering from acute or chronic trauma. To bring them back requires patience, an open door, time and a declaration of what we are for instead of battle cries about what we’re against. Perhaps most of all, we must demonstrate proof that what we do together will make a difference in people’s daily lives. We must make the community a common enterprise. This is the path forward.
  3. How can we accelerate and deepen change? We too often write off anything that isn’t comprehensive, complex, new and shiny, even costly. But we’ve all seen large efforts start with fanfare only to fade away. Or we want to take on everything at once and be all things to all people. But that’s a recipe for being nothing to no one. Let’s rethink how we create change from “bigger is better” to “start small to go big.” And in doing so, we must commit to shifting from just “getting together” to actually “working together.”
  4. How can we create more belief? Creating change is a journey. Belief is the fuel for that journey. Thus, on our common journey, we must lift up positive stories of change in our communities. That’s how we get people to reimagine themselves as builders, doers and contributors. In short, we must make the invisible visible to inspire ourselves and others to believe again.

It was clear from my time in Selma that people there have what it takes to answer these questions. In fact, Selma’s fighting spirit is something we’d do well to tap into as a nation.

The eyes of America are on Selma. We needed the community back in 1965 to show us the way forward. We need Selma again today at yet another critical moment in American history. I believe they can take us across that bridge once more and into a brighter future.

Read More

Faith, Democracy, and the Catholic Duty To Stay Involved

Christian cross necklace on American flag.

Getty Images/Stock Photo

Faith, Democracy, and the Catholic Duty To Stay Involved

The Fulcrum is committed to nurturing the next generation of journalists. To learn about the many NextGen initiatives we are leading, click HERE.

We asked Angeles Ponpa, a graduate student at Northwestern Medill in the Politics, Policy, and Foreign Affairs specialization, and a Fulcrum summer intern, to share her thoughts on what democracy means to her and her perspective on its current health.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two people shaking hands.

If President Trump and other conservatives are serious about national unity, they should commit to a targeted national initiative focused on revitalizing America’s shared civic spaces.

Getty Images, PeopleImages

Where Is MAGA’s Plan To Unify Our Country?

In his 2025 inaugural address, President Donald Trump declared that his ‘proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker and unifier.’ These are admirable goals, especially in our extremely polarized environment. Indeed, the rhetoric of 'Make America Great Again' draws on idyllic imagery from a past era perceived as one of national cohesion and collaboration.

Some critics doubt that Trump really cares about social cohesion. But we should never stop holding our leaders responsible for what they say. So, we should ask: where is the plan to bring our country together? Where is the MAWA movement: Make America Whole Again?

Keep ReadingShow less
Social Norms and Scalability Benefits of Non-Dialogue Options To Improve Politics
peopke walking

Social Norms and Scalability Benefits of Non-Dialogue Options To Improve Politics

In a previous article in The Fulcrum, we argued that interpersonal communication is a – not the only – way to reduce perceived political divides. Today, we highlight a group of researchers who noted that methods beyond interpersonal communication may actually be more effective.

We do not want a “competition” between different techniques. Rather, we seek alignment that recognizes the value of methods other than interpersonal communication in efforts to reduce perceived political divides, especially in terms of scale. Both interpersonal and other options (e.g., observing others across the political spectrum interact productively) should be utilized. Overblown perceptions of political divides are sometimes referred to as “Perception Gaps,” a term coined by the organization More in Common.

Keep ReadingShow less
Close-up of military man holding hands with his therapist during counseling at mental health center.

PTSD Awareness Day is not only a time to advocate for veterans' mental health but also an opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the emotional responses triggered by political division.

Getty Images, Drazen Zigic

National PTSD Awareness Day: A Call to Action for Veterans and Civil Discourse

Each year on June 27, National PTSD Awareness Day shines a light on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), encouraging those affected to seek support. This observance was officially recognized by the U.S. Senate in 2010, following an initiative by Senator Kent Conrad to honor a North Dakota National Guard member who tragically took his own life after serving two tours in Iraq.

PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events such as combat, assault, accidents, or natural disasters. Its symptoms—ranging from flashbacks and anxiety to mood swings and avoidance behaviors—can be deeply disruptive. PTSD Awareness Day is part of PTSD Awareness Month, which spans the entire month of June, promoting education, treatment options, and community support for those affected.

Keep ReadingShow less