Civic Nebraska

The Civic Season
2024-06-15 - 2024-07-04
July 4 commemorates the moment a new nation was born, based on ideals that each generation since has worked to bring to life: freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity. Juneteenth, celebrated just a few weeks earlier, reminds us of the struggles and hard-won victories in our ongoing journey to form a “more perfect union.” Civic Season unites our oldest federal holiday with our newest, mobilizing a movement to understand our past and shape our future.
This summer, no matter where you are, you can connect to stories, inspiration, and tools to help you power our democracy, from a vast array of credible sources. Civic Season is the flagship program from Made By Us, a network of hundreds of museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives unleashing access to history for younger generations who have the most at stake.
CIVIC SEASON EVENTS

Lincoln Housing Advocates potluck
2024-06-20 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us to connect with other advocates around Lincoln over a shared meal and guided group discussion to explore ways we can use our collective power to strengthen Lincoln. At this Pride Month potluck, discussion will be focused on housing issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Pride-themed outfits and dishes will be celebrated!

This event is at a venue accessible to wheelchair users. Children are welcome – a food item is not required for attendance.

Lincoln Housing Advocates’ goal is to promote and support systems that provide affordable, accessible, and safe housing for all. Sign up to let us know you’re coming here: bit.ly/junehousingpotluck. *Signing up is not required for attendance.*

Contact Lizzie Turner with any questions, feedback, accessibility needs & to join our Housing Advocate listserv:lt*****@*********ed.org

Strengthening Democracy Awards 2024
2024-06-27 17:00 - 19:00
Join Civic Nebraska in honoring five outstanding Nebraskans who strengthen our democracy in remarkable ways. We invite you to join us for an evening celebrating the power of collective voice with Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson, whose experience of being ousted from office for using his voice speaks to the urgency of being loud and clear – even in the face of oppression.
LEARN MORE ABOUT STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AWARDS

Lincoln High CLC Art Exhibition
2024-06-28 13:00 - 17:00
Students, families, and the community are invited to the Lincoln High CLC Art Exhibition from 1 to 5 pm on June 28 at the Lincoln High School cafeteria. CLC summer students have poured their hearts and creativity into their artwork and they can’t wait to share their masterpieces with you.

Join us for an afternoon of incredible art, delicious pizza, and refreshing beverages. Let’s come together to celebrate and support these talented young artists. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

F Street Community Market
2024-09-13 17:30 - 19:30 | F Street Community Center, 1125 F St., Lincoln, NE, 68508, United States
Join our friends at F Street Community Market for their upcoming markets this year on the second Friday of each month. The market features art and goodies from local makers in the Everett and Near South neighborhoods. Plus, stop by Pepe’s Bistro while you’re out and about and check out Pepe’s Second Friday Art Shows.

›› Want to be a vendor at the markets? It’s 100 free FREE to participate. Emerging artists, youth artists, and Everett and Near South neighbors are wanted! Send in your application online at bit.ly/FST-MARKET-2024

Housing Advocacy: Community Organizing 101 Workshop
2024-09-19 17:30 - 19:00 | F Street Community Center, 1125 F St., Lincoln, NE, 68508, United States
Join us for a Community Organizing 101 workshop, where you’ll connect with other advocates from across Lincoln over a shared meal and learn how to unite your community to drive meaningful change. Community organizing is a powerful tool in housing advocacy, empowering individuals to come together, identify common issues, and collectively work toward solutions that promote safe, affordable, and equitable housing for all.

This workshop will provide the skills and strategies needed to mobilize your community, amplify renters’ voices, and push for the housing justice we all deserve.
Children are welcome!

RSVP online at: https://forms.gle/QGaAMyoffUjoUqYN9

Contact Lizzie Turner with any questions, feedback, accessibility needs & to join our Housing Advocate listserv: lt*****@*********ed.org

Early in-person voting in Nebraska
2024-10-07 - 2024-11-04
Early in-person voting in Nebraska begins today. Find your early polling place in your county by contacting the county election commissioner or county clerk’s office. Here’s a full list of offices for 93 counties in Nebraska.
All key election dates in Nebraska

Check-in Nebraska Day
2024-10-10 | Nebraska
October 10, 2024, is the state’s very first Check-In Nebraska Day. Across the Cornhusker State, people are coming together to promote mental well-being by checking in on one another, emphasizing Nebraskans who may feel isolated.

Community spaces, businesses, churches, and even private homes are designating themselves as Check-in Locations. These hubs are for anyone and everyone – to gather, learn, and connect with support services.

Wherever they are on 10/10, Nebraskans are encouraged to check in with loved ones and community members. A phone call, an email, a friendly in-person visit – it doesn’t matter. Check-In Nebraska Day ensures everyone feels seen and supported.

Just a few minutes of your time can make a difference to someone who may feel under strain or disconnected. Let’s make Check-in Nebraska Day an annual tradition that builds a stronger, healthier, and better state for everyone.
LEARN MORE

Candidate Forum: Lancaster County
2024-10-10 18:00 - 21:00 | Havelock Social Hall, 4538 N. 62nd St., Lincoln, NE, 68507, United States
A candidate forum for Lancaster County candidates will be from 6 to 9 pm on Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Havelock Social Hall, 4538 N. 62nd St. in Lincoln. The following have been invited to participate: Lancaster County Commissioner candidates in Districts 2 and 4, District 1 State Board of Education candidates, and the four state legislative seats up for election in districts representing Lincoln (21, 25, 27, 29).
The purpose of the forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters and partners including Civic Nebraska, is educational. It is an opportunity for the candidates to introduce themselves to the community, talk about their policies, and address issues that affect community sustainability and livability. Please note, this is an educational conversation with the community, not a debate between candidates.

Civic Saturday: STRIVE ON
2024-10-12 08:00 - 17:00 | Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R Streeets, Lincoln, 68508, United States
Intense polarization. A sense of disconnection from the place we call home. Feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness. Across all pockets of the country, many of us are experiencing these same heartaches and challenges.

But we are not stuck. Civic Saturdays are an antidote to this feeling of apathy and despair. Friends and strangers connect around the values and practices of being an active citizen, reckoning with our nation’s creed, building relationships, and creating new civic traditions that are joyful and communal.

Join Civic Nebraska and the Sheldon Museum of Art for Civic Saturday: STRIVE ON at 11 am CDT on Oct. 12 at the museum. Come for the fellowship, stay to see the new exhibition, “Voting Is People Power.”
DETAILS & TO RSVP

Online registration deadline in Nebraska
2024-10-18
Friday, Oct. 18, is the final day to register online in time to vote in the Nov. 5 general election. Click here to access Nebraska’s online registration portal.
All key 2024 election dates in Nebraska

Civic Saturday: Political Quikdraw!
2024-10-19 21:00 - 22:00 | Emmets Tavern, 2514 Leavenworth St., Omaha, NE, 68105, United States
Join us for some laughs on Oct. 19! Civic Saturday will be at Emmet’s Tavern, 2514 Leavenworth St., in Omaha, for a lineup of local comedians’ thoughts on politics, the election, and civic life. It’s free!

In-person registration deadline in Nebraska
2024-10-25 08:00 - 18:00
Friday, Oct. 25, at 6 pm CDT is the last day to register in person in time to vote in the Nov. 5 general election. It is also the last day for a voter with a religious objection to being photographed to notify the county clerk or election commissioner to add a notation to the poll book indicating such a religious objection.
Find your county’s election commission office

2024 General Election Day
2024-11-05 08:00 - 20:00
Tuesday, Nov. 5, is General Election Day in Nebraska. Polls open at 8 am CST / 7 am MST. Find your polling place.
Today is the last day to deliver an early mail-in ballot to your county’s official ballot dropbox. This must be done before 8 pm CST/7 pm MST. Find your county’s dropbox(es).

Housing Advocate Summit: Advancing Renters' Rights & Equity
2024-11-15 - 2025-01-16 | Nebraska East Union, 1705 Arbor Drive, Lincoln, NE, 68503, United States
Friday, Nov. 15 – Noon to 5 pm CT/11 am to 4 pm MT

Saturday, Nov. 16 – 9 am to 3 pm CT/8 am to 2 pm MT

In Nebraska, the housing crisis is a stark reality for many, with 89 percent of very low-income renters unable to afford even basic housing. Affordable housing remains a distant dream for a quarter of the state’s renters, and across all income levels, a wage of $20.32 per hour is required just to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. This is not just about numbers; it’s about the lived experiences of countless renters who face insurmountable barriers to safe, accessible, and affordable housing. We are strongest when we work together, so join us to strengthen our community as advocates and build our collective knowledge as we continue to advocate for justice in housing.

This event is dedicated to being a welcoming and inclusive space, amplifying the experiences of folks who are most impacted by the housing crisis. We know that it takes all of us from across the social change ecosystem to reach the positive housing futures we seek, and in our current society, it is most frequently the voices of those with the most resources whose perspectives are tended to. Together, we will strive to uplift the voices of those who aren’t always heard— renters, Black, indigenous, and people of color, survivors of domestic violence, single parents, immigrants, LGBTQ+ community members, low-income folks, formerly-incarcerated individuals, and those with disabilities. Your presence is vital. Please let us know how we can support your participation, including any accommodations you may need.

We will have Spanish interpreters and childcare available.

This event will have both in-person and virtual options.

– Workshops will include:– Learnings from Tenant Unions– How to Make Your Voice Heard in Nebraska’s State Legislature– Renter’s Rights Training– Art for Advocacy– Presentation from the Tenant Assistance Project– Coffee Hour with Senators– Advocate Speed Chatting– Organizing 101– And more!

We will also have opportunities for community building and community care, such as resource sharing, get-to-know-each-other activities, group walks, shared meals, and more.

Regarding COVID-19 and community care: If you are feeling unwell or have been in close contact with someone who is feeling unwell, please stay home. Likewise, if you suspect that you have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19, please stay home. COVID-19 is a threat to the safety and wellbeing of all people, but especially for disabled, immunocompromised, and folks with high risk factors. These communities are also disproportionately impacted by many of the housing issues our group seeks to address, so let’s keep their safety in mind. Collective Impact Lincoln will provide KN95 masks to participants who wish to wear them to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Tickets: forms.gle/HWr9ddRPWGTrdnAm7

View information on bus routes to the Nebraska East Union: https://parking.unl.edu/city-east-campus-routes

Contact Lizzie Turner with any questions, feedback, and/or accessibility needs at lt*****@*********ed.org.

New Era of Youth in America Forum
2026-01-30 12:00 - 14:00 | Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center: Ubuntu Room 202, 1505 S St., Lincoln, NE, 68508, United States
This hybrid forum is part of a national listening tour led by Youth Service America (YSA) to help shape a new, long-term strategy for youth service, civic participation, and leadership. Civic Nebraska was asked to host and convene this conversation locally. Our role is to serve as a neutral facilitator and catalyst, creating space for participants to share insight, surface challenges, and identify opportunities that reflect Nebraska’s unique context.
This forum will focus on:

The current state of youth service and civic participation in our communities
Barries young people face in accessing meaningful service and leadership opportunities
Strategies, supports, and policies that could expand participation and strengthen impact statewide

This is not a presentation or advocacy event. It is a working conversation designed to gather perspectives from a wide range of organizations and partners, whether you work directly with youth, support youth-serving organizations, or influence systems that shape access and opportunity.

Register here for in-person or virtual attendance.

Civic Saturday: 'Out of Many'
2026-01-31 11:00 - 12:00 | Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R Streeets, Lincoln, 68508, United States
Civic Saturday is a free, community gathering hosted by Civic Nebraska that brings people together to reflect on what it means to be an active citizen in a self-governing democracy. Inspired by the structure of traditional gatherings, Civic Saturday features music, readings, and a short “civic sermon” centered on American democratic values, followed by opportunities for conversation and connection. Open to all, Civic Saturday creates a welcoming space for Nebraskans of all backgrounds to build community, explore shared civic ideals, and strengthen our civic culture together.

Learn more and RSVP here.
