On February 3, the Our Common Purpose team, co-chairs Eric Liu and Stephen Heintz, and Commission member Steven Olikara, spent the day in Phoenix for a series of events with Arizona civic leaders. The day of programming showcased the inspiring work Arizona community leaders and organizations, including Instituto and the Arizona Civics Coalition, are undertaking to build a more resilient civic culture and renew a commitment to constitutional democracy. In 2019, the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship conducted five listening sessions in Phoenix that helped shape the Our Common Purpose report. The Our Common Purpose team is grateful to the Arizona Civic Life Partnership, the Center for the Future of Arizona, the Flinn Foundation, and the Vitalyst Health Foundation for co-hosting the day’s events. 

Learn more about the Commission’s return to Phoenix here. 

January 31, 2023  – In an op-ed published by The Washington Post, Danielle Allen, cochair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, writes about how her family’s history of civic engagement inspires her belief in America’s constitutional democracy. Danielle writes: “I still believe that constitutional democracy offers the world’s best hope for human flourishing, and that’s why I do this work. I invite you to join me in it.” The piece is the first in a series that will draw from the recommendations in the Our Common Purpose report.

February 8, 2023 – In his latest New York Times column, Thomas Edsall emphasizes the importance of promoting democratic attitudes and making government more effective to reduce affective polarization and strengthen American democracy. Related solutions in Our Common Purpose include Recommendation 6.4, which calls for promoting “Our Common Purpose” through increased funding for campaigns and narratives that encourage commitment to our constitutional democracy and one another, and Recommendation 3.2, which would implement innovative mechanisms to make congress more responsive.

February 9, 2023 – In an opinion essay for The Washington Post, Amanda Ripley examines how the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress has become one of the most high-functioning bipartisan workplaces on Capitol Hill. Last summer, Danielle Allen, co-chair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, and Lee Drutman, New America, testified before the Modernization Committee about two recommendations in Our Common Purpose, investing in civic infrastructure and enlarging the House of Representatives.

Virtual Webinar: Mapping Civic Measurement

On February 16, the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, an OCP champion, will host “Mapping Civic Measurement: How are we assessing readiness and opportunities for an engaged citizenry?”. This virtual webinar will present findings from a groundbreaking report that introduces a new framework for mapping civic readiness and opportunities.   

DATE: February 16, 2023 | 3:00 PM EST | Register here    

Virtual Panel: The Power of the Commons

On March 1, Next City and Reimagining the Civic Commons will co-host “The Power of the Commons: Impact and opportunity in America’s public spaces”. This virtual webinar will share game-changing strategies for investing in public spaces in ways that create positive social change. Recommendation 4.1 of Our Common Purpose would create a National Trust to scale social and civic infrastructure. 

DATE: March 1, 2023 | 1:00 PM EST | Register here    

Register Now: 2023 Civic Learning Week in DC

From March 6-10, iCivics will host the first-ever national Civic Learning Week in Washington D.C. to unite students, educators, policymakers, and private sector leaders to energize the movement for civic education across the nation. The week of programming kicks off on March 7 with an Opening Forum at the National Archives. Recommendation 6.5 of Our Common Purpose calls for increased investments in civic educators and civic education. 

DATE: March 6-10, 2023 | Register here