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Greetings to you all,

As the summer season gets underway, we at the Kennedy Institute hope that you are staying safe and healthy.

While the Institute’s doors remain closed for the time being, our dedicated staff have embraced new digital opportunities to provide a wide range of interactive civic education programs and resources for everyone to enjoy –– no matter your age or location. We pledge to continue to provide a broad variety ([link removed]) of resources to encourage people nationwide to become and continue to be civically engaged in their own communities.

Over the last quarter, the Institute has convened several timely discussions around topics impacting people all across the country and, in fact, the world. From the vital role of public service and the 2020 Census (
which you can fill out here ([link removed]) ) to a focus on the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and HIV as well as restoring the democratic principles of American government, one common theme shared by our speakers was the important role that you as an individual can play to support and strengthen our democracy. That role could be registering to vote and casting a ballot, or supporting local organizations hit hard by the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

We recognize that one of the most basic and important steps to strengthen our democracy is to directly participate in it through voting. The Institute is committed to spotlighting voting rights and electoral practices as the 2020 presidential and state elections approach. So be on the lookout for new programming and other experiences to take part in.

My best wishes for an engaging and joyful summer,


Sue Heilman
Interim Executive Director

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RECENT EVENTS | catch up on highlights
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The Kennedy Institute had the privilege to convene a wide variety of virtual public programs this past season, tackling some of the most critical issues shaping our lives.
* In April and in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the Commonwealth Museum, and the Massachusetts Archives, the Institute ** welcomed state and local leaders for a conversation ([link removed])
on the importance of the 2020 Census.
* The Institute, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service ** hosted a discussion on how building a culture ([link removed])
of service can strengthen our communities and our democracy.
* Last month, the Institute and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) ** hosted a conversation with youth leaders from Africa and the United States ([link removed])
about the realities that young people face in managing their HIV, adapting peer support, and confronting COVID-19 and HIV as these two pandemics impact our communities simultaneously.

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DEMOCRACY AT A CROSSROADS

David Litt, former senior presidential speechwriter and special assistant to President Barack Obama, ** joined the Institute for a discussion on his new book ([link removed])
, “Democracy in One Book or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn’t, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think.” This thought-provoking book traces how our democracy has changed over time, where it went awry, and why there is an urgent need to fix politics before it’s too late.

Getting to the Point on Democracy with David Litt was held virtually. ** Watch the program video here ([link removed])
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS | join us
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Join the Kennedy Institute on Friday, July 17, at 1:00 p.m. for a conversation with Massachusetts State Senator Barry Finegold (D-Second Essex and Middlesex) and Massachusetts State Representative John Lawn (D-10th Middlesex), Chairs of the Committee on Election Laws, about the preservation and expansion of voting in the upcoming primary and general elections. ** Additional ([link removed])
** details and registration are available here ([link removed])
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On Tuesday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m., the Kennedy Institute will join with the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, National Organization on Disability, TIRR Memorial Hermann, Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, The Harkin Institute, and Higher Ground Productions, in convening key activists, advocates, and policymakers who helped make the Americans with Disabilities Act a reality for a virtual, bipartisan celebration of the landmark civil rights legislation. ** Further information ([link removed])
** and registration can be found here ([link removed])
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On Thursday, July 23, at 1:00 p.m., join the Kennedy Institute for a conversation on voting rights and hear from grassroots organizations that garnered national support for the Voting Rights Act, former Congressional staff who helped ensure passage of the landmark legislation, and how the United States is currently facing similar crises around disenfranchisement. ** More information and registration are located here ([link removed])
.

Photograph No. 306-SSM-4C-46-14 (Photographer Rowland Scherman); “Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [Leaders marching from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial]"; Miscellaneous Subjects, Staff and Stringer Photographs, 1961 – 1974; Records of the U.S. Information Agency, 1900 – 2003, Record Group 306; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD
NEW LEADERSHIP | building upon successes
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The Institute announced the election of Bruce A. Percelay as its incoming chairman of the Board, where he will work alongside his fellow board members to inspire the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in our democracy. ** Read the full press release here ([link removed])
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INSTITUTE SPOTLIGHT | keep informed
VOTING PARTICIPATION AND RIGHTS
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“The right to vote is the fundamental political right in our Constitutional system. It is the cornerstone of all our other basic rights. It guarantees that our democracy will be a government of the people and by the people, not just for the people.”
–– Senator Edward M. Kennedy

Our duty to vote as citizens is one of the most fundamental elements of our democracy. During this historic year as we look back on the ** 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage ([link removed])
, the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and the 50th anniversary of the statute that extended the right to the vote to 18 year-olds, we remember how hard our predecessors fought to ensure that their votes were counted. The current pandemic, lack of an extensive response at the national level, and polarizing political climate all serve as barriers to exercise this democratic right and duty.

The Kennedy Institute will provide several virtual programs that highlight current issues, lessons learned from past activism, and what citizens can expect in the upcoming elections. Additionally, the Institute will launch an interactive and immersive website that focuses on voting and provides resources to visitors on how to vote, why voting is essential to our democracy, and how to take action to protect voting rights.
YOUR SUPPORT | make a difference
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Ever since the Institute opened its doors, we have sought to steadfastly provide high-quality interactive programming with the latest technological advances. Now, that mission to offer online civic education resources to everyone could not be more crucial. Please consider a contribution in support of these important efforts that help inspire the next generation of citizens and leaders.
** DONATE NOW ([link removed])
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