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Civic Saturday: A ritual that feels more important than ever

Citizen University
Photo courtesy: https://citizenuniversity.us/
Do you feel called to spark a spirit of civic purpose in your community?
 
Citizen University’s Civic Saturday Fellowship might be for you. The nine-month fellowship, now open for applications, prepares local leaders to create Civic Saturday gatherings in their own communities.
 
Civic Saturday is described as a “civic analogue” to a faith gathering. Local leaders are trained to create communal experiences that encourage people to connect and reflect on our role in democracy and how to live like citizens.

Founded by Eric Liu and Jená Cane, Citizen University’s mission is building a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the country, in part through programs like Civic Saturday.

More than 100 people have been trained since the fellowship began in 2018, including Rural Assembly Director Whitney Kimball Coe. (Read about Whitney & other fellows experiences in this New York Times article about the fellowship.) 

“The Civic Saturday ritual feels more important than ever as we struggle to ensure the future of our democracy,” Coe said. “Especially during this time of pandemic and physical distancing, opportunities to celebrate civic power and engagement are limited. Civic Saturday can bring us together with neighbors and community members in a virtual space, and for an hour, the story we tell one another is about us and ours, rather than me and mine.”

Is that a story you want to tell? To learn more about the Civic Saturday Fellowship and how to apply, visit Citizen University online or email Taneum Fotheringill, Senior Program Manager at taneum@citizenuniversity.us.

Seattle-based Citizen University is a partner and strategic adviser to The Rural Assembly. 

Drawing Resilience: Maureen Hearty

December 5, 2024 No Comments

Maureen Hearty transforms objects, space, and community, seeing art as a tool for action, education, and opportunity. The majority of her community-based work today is on the eastern plains of Colorado, considered one of the most sparsely populated areas in the United States. In Joes, Colorado (pop. 78), she is activating space using art, music, and the collection of story. In 2020, Maureen and her friend Kristin Stoltz were awarded an NEA grant for a project titled “Arts for a Prairie Seas: Farming Fluxus.”

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