Picking up from where I left off, here's the second half of 26 themes that have emerged leading into 2026, when we'll observe America at 250. Again, where possible and appropriate, I cite sources and seek to give credit where it’s due. If I’ve misattributed anything, please tell me and I’ll fix it. And if there's something you'd add, I'd love to know.
(CLICK the > next to each number for the full content of each theme.)
14. Recognize – and Respect – the Role of Everyone in that Big Tent (The 3Ts: Time, Talent, Treasure)
15. Stop Demanding Ideological Purity Already!
16. Embrace the Ripple Effect of Small Actions
17. Research Matters, But Be Data-Informed, Not Data-Driven
18. Change Doesn’t Happen Overnight. It Requires Long-Term Investment. (Philanthropy Part 1)
19. Democracy Work is More Than Elections (Philanthropy Part 2)
20. Real Risk Requires Funding Safety & Protection (Philanthropy Part 3)
21. People Live Local. So, Fund Local Connection & Capacity (Philanthropy Part 4)
22. Communities Know What They Need. Trust the Messiness.
23. Keep Experts on Tap, Not on Top
24. Joy is a Civic Tool!
25. Recognize the Role of Art in Civic Connection
26. Stories and Narrative Shape How We Understand the World - and Our Role in it.
This list isn’t short.
It may be fair to sum it up by saying embrace your power. Whether as a citizen, a funder, a communications professional, an expert or any other role, be real, talk to real people, collaborate for real solutions (not to feed your ego), embrace the fact that you don’t know exactly how every meeting, every project, and every campaign will go - democracy truly is an experiment.
26 Lessons for 2026 - Part II was originally published by Stories Change Power and is republished with permission.
Heyward’s love of animals is a big part of who she is—her two poodles are often around during Zoom calls and strategy meetings. (Erin Brethauer for The 19th)
In the NAACP, Heyward is holding lots of strategy sessions and meetings to organize how they are going to canvas to get out the vote in upcoming elections and fight for the protection of voting rights in North Carolina. (Erin Brethauer for The 19th)
Heyward said she learned about justice-love from her beloved late horses Breaker, who had green eyes, and Feather. She keeps framed photos of them; they were like her best friends, she said. (Erin Brethauer for The 19th)