As we prepare for 2025, many Americans struggle with conflicting feelings: determination and dedication, cynicism and frustration, exhaustion and overwhelm – often, all at once.
So, how do we navigate the start of a New Year together? Civic Nebraska invites Americans to spend the holiday doing something meaningful and intentional that helps make sense of this moment in our nation’s history. Virtual Civic Saturday: UNBROKEN, a special online gathering to reflect, renew, and prepare for the year ahead, will premiere at 11 a.m. CST on Jan. 1, 2025, on Civic Nebraska’s YouTube channel.
Modeled after the structure of a faith gathering but rooted in civic spirit, Civic Saturday features “civic sermons,” music, poetry, and moments of reflection to cultivate a strong, shared commitment to our democratic principles. Civic Nebraska has hosted nearly 20 Civic Saturday gatherings, both in-person and virtually, since 2019.
“Our communities need ways to build trust in one another, restore civic faith, and move through the challenges facing our nation together,” said Steve Smith, Civic Nebraska’s director of communications and a National Civic Saturday Fellow. “While New Year’s Day does not fall on a Saturday, that’s OK – we’ve built this gathering so it can be experienced live or any time after it premieres on New Year’s Day.”
The free event is ideal for personal reflection or group gatherings. Smith said Civic Nebraska will encourage participants to start the New Year by celebrating democracy and resilience and reinforcing our shared values.
“After a seismic election, we know our community needs a place to process, reflect, contemplate what comes next, and commit to powerful citizenship,” he said.
