Americans are spending more and more time alone, and more than a third reported experiencing “serious loneliness" in 2021. The director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development -- the longest study of human life ever conducted -- concluded in a new book that close personal relationships are the "one crucial factor [that] stands out for the consistency and power of its ties to physical health, mental health and longevity." A lack of those relationships can actually have an impact on political behavior and interest in extreme ideologies. In this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, Galen Druke speaks with the director of the Harvard study, Robert Waldinger, about the lessons his findings have for politics in America.
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From the Field to the Community: Driving Local Change
I believe this passion for impact resonates deeply with my character because of the life I’ve been blessed to live, especially thanks to my parents. They made it their mission to ensure that my younger brother and I had every opportunity to live the lives we WANT to live, not HAVE to live. Throughout my years as a student, athlete, friend, and colleague, I have interacted with people from many different backgrounds. Those experiences allowed me to understand the importance of education, opportunity, equity, and access — and, even more importantly, the detrimental impact of not having access to those things.
Having the ability to use my platform to create meaningful impact beyond my sport, particularly by empowering youth and strengthening my community, is no easy feat — but choosing TheTeam as an outlet to do so was the easiest part. Their initiatives focus on developing teammates, inspiring leaders, and empowering citizens, making civic engagement joyful and accessible. Although this was only the third cohort of Engaged Athlete Fellows, the fellowship has already created meaningful success and connections among student-athletes nationwide.
What makes TheTeam unique is that it unites athletes around a shared mission while still allowing each teammate to personalize their approach and create something authentic to themselves. Throughout the year, I never felt alone. Their network, resources, and support-centered staff served as a constant safety net. My mentors and advisors were always one call or text away, and the program's structure ensured I was always moving in a positive direction. As a Division I athlete, balancing fellowships, internships, and leadership opportunities alongside athletics can often feel overwhelming. Under The Team, however, I never had to sacrifice one commitment at the expense of another. Their support is truly what carried me to the finish line with my year-long civic engagement project.
Over the course of the year, I planned and executed a civic engagement initiative centered around community empowerment, youth development, educational advocacy, and civic awareness. Through collaborative programs and outreach efforts, my project aimed to encourage meaningful engagement on campus and throughout the Norfolk community, emphasizing leadership, service, and access to resources.
One of the major highlights of the initiative was hosting an interactive “Spartans Vote” Game Zone during Norfolk State University’s Homecoming in partnership with the “All Vote No Play Day” campaign. This event promoted voter awareness and civic participation in an engaging and accessible environment for students and attendees. Civic awareness efforts also extended to social media advocacy, where members of my Track & Field team participated in Election Day awareness campaigns during local elections to encourage informed voting and community involvement.
Throughout the year, I also participated in and organized volunteer opportunities through the Robert C. Nusbaum Honors College and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, reinforcing the importance of servant leadership and collective community impact. In addition, I coordinated a mentorship-focused event within the Honors College designed to foster guidance, connection, and support among students navigating academic and personal growth.
Financial literacy and educational empowerment also became central components of the project. Through a collaborative event involving the Honors College, the National Association of Black Accountants, and King In You organizations, students were provided with resources and opportunities for conversations centered on financial responsibility, professional development, and long-term success.
To conclude the fellowship experience, I collaborated with SAAC and various athletic teams to organize a Youth Literacy Sports Camp with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America at the Grandy Village location. This final initiative combined athletics, mentorship, and literacy engagement to foster a positive, encouraging environment for local youth. The camp reflected the overall mission of my project: using leadership, education, and community connections to inspire and uplift others.
Standing in front of each event I had spent months planning, watching people engage with something that once existed only as an idea in my notebook, I realized how much this fellowship had changed me. What began as a civic engagement project became a lesson in leadership, service, and the power of intentional community impact. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of civic engagement as not only service but impact rooted in collaboration, accessibility, and genuine care for one’s community.
Now that I’ve had a glimpse of what it truly means to remove myself from complacency and act, I want to continue educating the youth in my community, particularly through literacy advocacy
and mentorship. I also hope to encourage athletes, both within and beyond my own circle, to find themselves in the vast realm of civic engagement and continue changing the world one win at a time. My aspiration to attend law school after receiving my Bachelor’s degree is rooted in my desire to address critical issues, including educational inequity, financial and political literacy, and the need for stronger support systems within underserved communities.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone involved with TheTeam for giving me the opportunity not only to find myself, but to experience finding myself through this year-long journey of impact and influence.
Lexa Hunter is a business intelligence and data analytics honors scholar from Chesapeake, Virginia, whose passion for civic engagement is rooted in mentorship, education, and community empowerment. She is a Division I track and field athlete at Norfolk State University, using her platform to create meaningful impact beyond her sport.
The Team, a nonprofit that integrates civic engagement into college sports, describes its mission as developing “teammates, leaders, and citizens” through award‑winning programming that connects athletics with civic responsibility.
The Bridge Alliance, the sponsor of the Fulcrum, is a partner of The Team.
Trump is stuck between two realities. Neither serves the American people