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Get on democracy’s Love Train

Love Train feat. Jason Mraz, Chad Smith, Yo-Yo Ma | Turnaround Arts | Playing For Change (Click on Picture for Video)

It has been more than two months since The (New) Fulcrum was launched. At that time, we told you we would use the power of the arts to remind us of our shared heritages and traditions, which contribute to the health of our democracy.

Since then, we’ve presented music, poetry, theater and even comedy content as a bridge to the latest news and analysis of politics and policy that we publish daily. Our goal is to be a new civic and political voice to build greater social cohesion, civic engagement and problem-solving.


We thank you for your overwhelming support of this effort.

During this holiday season, a time of hope and celebration, what better way to bring in the new year than with a performance by Turnaround Arts, a national program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. They work in schools across the nation to use the power of the arts to improve our schools and connect communities.

The ability of Turnaround Arts to transform elementary and middle schools through arts education is clear. The initial three-year evaluation of the Turnaround Arts pilot schools, released in 2015 found, “significant improvement in academic achievement, reduction in disciplinary referrals and increases in attendance, among other findings. In addition, the study found that Turnaround Arts schools outperformed comparable schools in their city or state that received federal funds for school improvement (“SIG schools”).

The arts can indeed play a powerful role in turning our divided nation around. Please celebrate with us with this performance of “Love Train” featuring Jason Mraz, Chad Smith, Yo-Yo Ma, Jackson Browne and many more.

Get on board the Love Train with us as we strive to realize the dream of our nation's motto: “e pluribus unum.” Out of many, we are one.

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Building a Home Out of Dirt (2018)

A Place for Women of Color: Woman Made Gallery

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Combating ICE Through Sound and Solidarity

In late February, Chicago cold- a little over a month into Trump’s second term as president- a hundred or so eager hardcore fans crowded in the cramped basement of a skateboard shop in Pilsen for a benefit show raising money for immigrants affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests.

Amid dust flying up from the cold concrete floor, sweaty bodies shoulder to shoulder, and a violent mosh pit, Yaretzi, an undocumented young Latina college student from the Southwest side of Chicago who frequents the city’s hardcore scene, was in the crowd, standing in solidarity with her community that is under attack.

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