A strategy of people working with our governing institutions requires citizens who are seen, and who see themselves, as producers not just constituents and consumers. Americans don’t lack the ability to do it, but many of our institutions have little experience working with citizens as other than volunteers.
In late 2015, community leaders in Columbus came together to develop a planning process to build trust and resilience against potential situations that could tear at the social fabric of the community. This proactive effort proved invaluable in 2020 when civil unrest emerged in cities throughout the country.
Civic engagement opportunities around policing and public safety are problematic, promising, and faced with many obstacles, but community members and public officials know they need each other to create communities where everyone feels safe.
A growing chorus of people are demanding change to the current economic system. Their ambitions range from recalibration to a fundamental restructuring so that the economy meets the needs of our society and planet as it responds to the great challenges of our time. Some have been at this work for decades, and others are just entering the fray.
Achieving racial equity in corporate America means much more than implementing diversity and inclusion programs. The time has come for corporations to completely reimagine their efforts by stretching beyond HR-focused programs and policies and centering on equity and justice.
Imagine America’s economy at its best: just, regenerative, multiracial, valuing all stakeholder interests, with rebalanced power and devotion to the long view of what people and places need in order to thrive. What will it take to bring this vision of economic renewal to life in communities across America?
Integrating lived experience into our community renewal work is about having the skills and assets together to see and know the whole picture, to hear many stories and share our own. Fundamentally, it is about being in relationship, about repairing our civic body, about trusting and knowing that we need one.
Through creating and presenting art, individuals are able to start conversations about divisive social problems in an inclusive way that encourages dialogue instead of antagonism. Through experiencing art, we are able to engage with that dialogue and provide a positive outlet for anxiety, frustration, or confusion.
If national service is to promote productive citizenship, we need to redefine the terms “service” and “citizenship” alike. Fortunately, both past and present provide clues to guide us. To begin, however, it is useful to describe the modern history of service.
