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Democracy: A crisis of confidence?

Regardless of who you voted for or what political party you with which you identify, I think we all agree that we can all do more to strengthen our democracy and civic institutions. Recent research shared by the National Conference on Citizenship and the Purple Project for Democracy found that: 

  • More than 29 percent of the public recently expressed support for either a “strong leader” or “army rule.”
  • From 2017 to 2018, U.S. citizens’ trust for government, business, non-governmental organizations and the free press plummeted 37 percent.
  • Among 1,400 young adults asked about the importance of democracy, only 39 percent said “absolutely important.”
Adam Morfeld

These numbers should be cause for alarm for all who care for and cherish our democracy. It will require people like you to take action. Here is how you can join us in our support of a modern and robust democracy: 

  • Apply to work part-time at one of our seven after-school programs that provide youth enrichment and civic leadership skills to nearly 1,500 students a day. We embed civic learning, problem-solving and civil discourse into our school-site-based Community Learning Centers.
  • Sign up to be a Voting Rights Advocate to protect everyone’s right to vote, ensure an accurate census in 2020, and provide nonpartisan election protection on Election Day. 
  • Strengthen civic health by building democracy from the ground up. In Lincoln, our Community Builder Workshops provide training and capacity to create the positive change residents seek. In Omaha, our ONE Omaha Leadership Academies and engagement activities build strong neighborhoods, block by block.

Democracy does not build itself. It starts on our streets, in our schools, and in our neighborhoods. That’s where you’ll find Civic Nebraska, and that is where we hope to see you. 

Thanks for all that you do,

Adam Morfeld, J.D. 
Executive Director and Founder