Klibanoff is managing director of Made By Us.
In the last few months, you might have found yourself thinking:
“This shouldn’t be how things are. Why do we do things this way?”
“I feel helpless to make change. There’s nothing an average person can do.”
“How did we get here? And why didn’t I learn this in school?”
“I don’t even know what I think anymore.”
You’re not alone. Amid uncertainty, violence, loss, inflation, global threats, crises of all kinds – no matter what part of the United States you’re in, or what side of the political aisle you’re on, the fatigue and disconnection is evident. We saw this in real time, when Made By Us held a mental health check-in with our online following in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting. The responses from that mostly Gen Z collection – young adults, a demographic with a reputation for persistent, passionate advocacy in the face of tough circumstances – revealed a grim mood.
So where can we turn for help, for hope? How can we support our fellow citizens, especially younger generations? When active, informed participation in our democracy seems urgently needed, yet daunting at the same time, where do we even begin?
We invite you to meet us at the starting line this summer, as part of an emerging tradition that serves as an antidote to hopelessness: the Civic Season.
We first held the Civic Season last year, as a way to use the time between Juneteenth and July 4 to school-up on our history and skill-up our civic activity, taking inspired action to shape the future we want for our country. Co-created by Gen Z leaders – alongside more than 300 cultural and civic organizations, from the Smithsonian and National Archives to local historical societies, governments and community groups – the Civic Season helps you explore what you stand for, with more than 750 credible resources, passionate communities and avenues to amplify your voice.
This summer, we’re excited to grow this new tradition, and we invite you to be a part of it. The 2022 Civic Season centers around a few pillars that are known to empower and equip active citizenship, as well as ward off hopelessness:
Connection. From feeling like you’re part of our nation’s story (you are!) to meeting new friends and neighbors, connection to others undergirds our democracy. It starts with knowing who we are and what we value – and then reaching out to others to learn and grow. The Civic Superpowers Quiz can help you identify your special skills and others who share them. The Storycorps collection invites you to hold a meaningful one-on-one conversation for the historic record. And the Civic Season Zine is the public square where all our experiences collide and refract.
Celebration. Forming a “more perfect union” is an ongoing journey, sustained by the everyday actions of everyday people. To revive our civic imagination and fight fatigue, it’s important to celebrate along the way. You can join the Civic Season Kickoff party at the headquarters in Atlanta, find a local celebration near you or tune into the livestream.
Knowledge. If we know better, we can do better. To shape a just and free society that lives up to the ideals in our founding documents, we have to understand “how we got here.” We’ve assembled hundreds of ways to learn and grow from credible history sources. Whether you have five minutes or a whole day, want something virtual or in-person, you cna find something that suits your preferences. You might try a virtual field trip, an ancestry workshop, or a book club.
Starting where you are, with what you have. No one can do it all – we each bring different strengths to the great American project. And the iconic Civic Season posters, created by the Globe Collection at MICA, prompt us each to reflect on what we stand for and how. You might find all the ways in which your everyday actions are already shaping our country, whether that’s listening to a friend, fact-checking your news, shopping local or painting a mural. Make your own here.
Democracy is more than elections. It’s a year-round civic and cultural practice up to each of us to sustain. Whether you find yourself passionate about gun control, health care, accessible curbs for people in wheelchairs, or wishing your neighborhood had more outdoor dining, affordable housing or welcoming events for immigrants – these are all civic issues that require our interest, knowledge and action.
Many, perhaps even most, of us want to be engaged citizens. It is rewarding to feel that you have a say in the direction of your country, and to activate that power; and it is frustrating to feel that you can’t make a difference in nudging the world a bit closer to your own values. Civic Season offers avenues to explore those values, critical context to understand yourself as part of your community/country/world, and paths to take action and be heard.
Come out this summer and join the momentum. Let us know what you find by sharing your experience using #CivicSeason. And be a part of shaping this tradition for years to come!
An Independent Voter's Perspective on Current Political Divides
In the column, "Is Donald Trump Right?", Fulcrum Executive Editor, Hugo Balta, wrote:
For millions of Americans, President Trump’s second term isn’t a threat to democracy—it’s the fulfillment of a promise they believe was long overdue.
Is Donald Trump right?
Should the presidency serve as a force for disruption or a safeguard of preservation?
Balta invited readers to share their thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
David Levine from Portland, Oregon, shared these thoughts...
I am an independent voter who voted for Kamala Harris in the last election.
I pay very close attention to the events going on, and I try and avoid taking other people's opinions as fact, so the following writing should be looked at with that in mind:
Is Trump right? On some things, absolutely.
As to DEI, there is a strong feeling that you cannot fight racism with more racism or sexism with more sexism. Standards have to be the same across the board, and the idea that only white people can be racist is one that I think a lot of us find delusional on its face. The question is not whether we want equality in the workplace, but whether these systems are the mechanism to achieve it, despite their claims to virtue, and many of us feel they are not.
I think if the Democrats want to take back immigration as an issue then every single illegal alien no matter how they are discovered needs to be processed and sanctuary cities need to end, every single illegal alien needs to be found at that point Democrats could argue for an amnesty for those who have shown they have been Good actors for a period of time but the dynamic of simply ignoring those who break the law by coming here illegally is I think a losing issue for the Democrats, they need to bend the knee and make a deal.
I think you have to quit calling the man Hitler or a fascist because an actual fascist would simply shoot the protesters, the journalists, and anyone else who challenges him. And while he definitely has authoritarian tendencies, the Democrats are overplaying their hand using those words, and it makes them look foolish.
Most of us understand that the tariffs are a game of economic chicken, and whether it is successful or not depends on who blinks before the midterms. Still, the Democrats' continuous attacks on the man make them look disloyal to the country, not to Trump.
Referring to any group of people as marginalized is to many of us the same as referring to them as lesser, and it seems racist and insulting.
We invite you to read the opinions of other Fulrum Readers:
Trump's Policies: A Threat to Farmers and American Values
The Trump Era: A Bitter Pill for American Renewal
Federal Hill's Warning: A Baltimorean's Reflection on Leadership
Also, check out "Is Donald Trump Right?" and consider accepting Hugo's invitation to share your thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
The Fulcrum will select a range of submissions to share with readers as part of our ongoing civic dialogue.
We offer this platform for discussion and debate.