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Greetings to you all.
 
With the general election approaching fast and a new school year underway, the staff at the Kennedy Institute are energized to encourage voter registration and participation and share a variety of new ways to stay civically engaged.
 
REOPENING TO VISITORS: Last month, we formally announced plans to begin safely reopening the Institute on Columbia Point in early October for in-person visitors. On a limited basis, groups will be able to reserve times to visit, with public health protocols in place to ensure we follow state and municipal COVID-19 safety measures. As you can imagine, the health of our visitors and staff is very important to us, and we will do everything we can to ensure everyone’s continued wellbeing while they once again have the exciting opportunity to be senators for a day.
 
AT-HOME LEARNING: As an alternative way to stay engaged, the Institute continues to offer a wide array of online Civics at Home resources available to families, educators, students, and the public at large to pique curiosity, inspire action, and encourage participation. As educators and families adapt to teaching and learning in very different ways this year, we are providing compelling materials that support civic education, whether it be online or in the classroom.
 
#JUSTVOTE: Just last week on National Voter Registration Day, the Kennedy Institute formally announced a new voting initiative known as Just Vote in a continued effort to encourage everyone to be civically engaged and take action to strengthen our democracy. What began as an exhibit, thanks to some of the Institute’s diligent staff, turned into that and much more with important information and helpful resources that you can learn more about later on in this newsletter.
 
GET COUNTED: Also underway is the 2020 Census (which can be filled out here), which concludes on October 31st. Whether you are reading this email as our neighbor in Boston or from another state entirely, your participation in filling out your census matters and will go a long way in ensuring an accurate count of all our communities across the country. This data will eventually determine many crucial aspects of daily life like funding for community projects, governmental representation, and so much more.
 
As the November 3 election approaches, please be sure you are ready to do your part and make your voice heard –– not only as a voter yourself but, if possible, to serve as a poll worker, campaign volunteer, or even encouraging friends and family to vote. Civic engagement will be revitalized in our society when each of us gets involved.
 
My best wishes for a safe and healthy autumn season,
 

 
Sue Heilman
Interim Executive Director
INSTITUTE SPOTLIGHT | your voice matters
The Kennedy Institute is committed to encouraging active participation in the country’s elections –– from local to national –– to make sure your voice is heard when it matters most. To that end, the Institute launched a new website on National Voter Registration Day as many Americans prepare to cast a ballot in their states. The Just Vote campaign, as previewed by columnist Jon Chesto in The Boston Globe last month, will begin this election season and continue beyond to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to exercise their right to vote. Just Vote also strives to provide the historic and contemporary context behind some of today’s most pressing electoral issues, and connects visitors to other organizations across the country that share this critical mission.
 
Check out the website at JustVote.org and be sure to spread the word on social media with the hashtag #JustVote. Voting is a fundamental democratic right and represents a key way of letting your voice be heard, so be sure to use it, then continue your civic engagement in this election and beyond.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS | join us
Please join the Kennedy Institute for a special conversation with Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Stephen Breyer on Thursday, October 8, at 11:00 a.m. about the increasingly vital role the Supreme Court plays as one of our three branches of government. In a moderated discussion, he will share how the Supreme Court provides checks and balances on the executive and legislative branches of government, how elections impact who is nominated to the bench, and highlights of the Supreme Court’s important recent rulings. Get additional information and register here.
Join the Museum of African American History and the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation, with support from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, for the 2020 MAAH Stone Book Award Virtual Event. Now in its third year, the Award is an annual prize that encourages scholarship and writing within the field of African American history and culture by awarding a $25,000 prize and two $5,000 finalist prizes for exceptional adult non-fiction books written in a literary style. The award event, which normally takes place in the historic African Meeting House on Beacon Hill, will be hosted by WGBH’s Callie Crossley and will feature interviews with the Award winners as well as appearances by the dynamic panel of jurors. For more information about the Award — including previous winners and the full list of this year’s 54 submissions — visit the Book Award website here. More details and registration are available here.
BOARD UPDATE | many successes to build upon
The Institute recently shared the addition of Martin Luther King III as its newest member of the Board, where he will bring his decades of international human rights experience and deep commitment to social justice, equality, and voting rights, as the Institute places increased emphasis on empowering citizens to exercise their right to vote.
RECENT EVENTS | catch up on highlights
The Kennedy Institute had the privilege to welcome elected leaders, authors, historians, and other stakeholders for a series of online public programs over the last few months, addressing some of the most critical issues impacting our lives today, and reflecting on historic milestones that point to how far we have come.
  • In July, to help kick off the Just Vote initiative, the Kennedy Institute hosted a conversation with Massachusetts State Senator Barry Finegold and Massachusetts State Representative John Lawn, Chairs of the Committee on Election Laws, about the preservation and expansion of voting in the primary and general elections. Relatedly, the Institute hosted a discussion on the fight for passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, its legacy, and current concerns surrounding voter disenfranchisement.
  • July also marked the 30th anniversary of the landmark civil rights legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act. In celebration of this milestone and recognition of the tireless efforts of Senator Kennedy, his staff, his many colleagues in the Senate and House, and countless other partners, the Institute joined with the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, The Harkin Institute, Higher Ground Productions, and others in convening key activists, advocates, and policymakers who helped make the ADA a reality for a virtual, bipartisan commemoration and consideration of barriers still to overcome for disability communities.
  • In August, the Kennedy Institute hosted a conversation between New York Times bestselling author Larry Tye and Lisa Mullins, host of WBUR’s All Things Considered, about his new book, “Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator McCarthy,” and the parallels to today’s political leadership.
  • Deepening the Just Vote initiative efforts, the Institute was proud to host two virtual discussions about voting mechanics and access. The first was regarding the movement to lower the voting age and the power of coalitions to push for change from both a historical and modern perspective. Participants included an original member of the Youth Franchise Coalition instrumental in the passage of the 26th Amendment and current activists working to lower the voting age to 16 years old.
  • A few weeks ago, Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D, MA-05), Democratic Caucus Vice Chair, participated in a conversation about the current state of Congress. Moderated by Kimberly Atkins, Senior Opinion Writer at The Boston Globe, she will talk about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, her legislative initiatives, and the upcoming elections.
  • The most recent program took place in celebration of Constitution Day and in partnership with the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts about the state's Ballot Question #2, a referendum on ranked choice voting. In a discussion moderated by Carrie Saldo of GBH News, audience members heard from supporters on both sides of the question with resources shared to learn more.
ANNUAL REPORT | many achievements
The Kennedy Institute’s 2019 Annual Report is now available, describing last year’s educational and public programming, exhibits, partnerships, supporters, and so much more. Learn about how more than 20,000 students visited to become senators for a day and some of the informative conversations held in the full-scale replica Senate Chamber. Check it out on the Institute’s website here.
NEW WEBSITE | immersive educational experience
In an effort to further support students and teachers during this period of remote learning and beyond, the Kennedy Institute is bringing its successful Today’s Vote program to virtual and hybrid educational spaces all across the United States. Available to all educators at todaysvote.org, “Today’s Vote in the Classroom” is a two-day interactive online curriculum resource for helping educators simulate the legislative process and examine real legislation in their middle and high school classrooms. Be sure to share the news of the launch with your teacher friends and families with school-age students! This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

YOUR SUPPORT | make a difference
EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
Ever since the Institute opened its doors in 2015, we have persistently provided high-quality interactive programming that combines expert facilitation with the latest technological advances. Now, as in-person group experiences are set to resume, and we continue to grow our online programs and resources, our mission to empower the next generation of leaders is even more vital. Please consider a contribution in support of these important efforts that help inspire the next generation of citizens and leaders.
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