Moving Towards Our Civic Destiny: 4 Ways to Take Action on the Block or Make a Difference in Your Hometown

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social

Is this a good time for some holiday trivia as we move into the festive season? First question, after Halloween comes…Thanksgiving or Christmas? Well, the answer might depend on where you shop. Back in the day there was a sense that Christmas could wait until after Thanksgiving. These days, holiday decorations are on display long before Halloween, while Black Friday media ads were running right after.

This marketplace dilemma could be viewed as a cultural snapshot of the unfolding of America’s story. Consider that the first group of settlers who were British merchants arrived in 1607. They were looking for new markets to trade goods. The first group of pilgrims/puritans landed in New England around 1620. They were yearning for reform and belonging. Thanksgiving took a page from Native Americans’ celebration of harvest that the pilgrims adopted as a celebration of safe passage across the Atlantic. Then, Enlightenment Age sentiments spread across Europe and the New World as America charted its Independence, going from merchants to puritans to patriots. Of-course, while all this was happening, in 1619 the first group of Africans were brought to Virginia, which later led to the transatlantic slave trade.

Over those first three phases in American history (Settlement, Slavery, Independence), America has seen its tug-of-war in ideology around different forms of governing. This includes monarchy, theocracy and democracy. But it’s the latter that’s seemingly under assault from different factions of the other two, which presents a heightened level of concern. Democracy has so far been able to prevail because there were those among the Founding Fathers along with citizens and public officials who were focused on moving towards our civic destiny. Interestingly, the Middle East tension we see is a reflection of the battle between similar forces of monarchy, theocracy and democracy.

If SAIC had to chime-in on the matter, there’d be 4 points of notes for a viable solution:

History:- things didn’t start overnight but have been brewing over many decades of distrust.
Hate-sight:- while insight might bring self-awareness, hate-sight can lead to group awareness.
Humanity:- the idea of ‘inalienable rights’ is made real in basic human needs for survival.
Hope:- with hope there’s a sense for tomorrow. Without hope there’s little feeling for tomorrow.

These reference points might be useful for resolving ongoing conflict there or elsewhere. They might also be a catalyst for change in the next phase of America’s unfolding story. We’ve got some issues too that if allowed to fester, could become the kinda incessant stalemate or social imprint we see with overseas instability. Think about how large bills in American currency have a watermark to distinguish the real from the fake. The internal image is superimposed within the bill. Similarly, America (or for that matter other countries too) have a social imprint based on its history and legacy, that’s superimposed into the culture.

It’s why SAIC’s efforts with civics is about delivering content and programming that help shed light on roots & culture. In addition, we’re engaging with those who wanna make a difference in Education and Community, Democracy and Public Good, maybe even Entrepreneurship and American Dream. This collaborative approach spans Government, Business, Education and Community with those who’re onboard with moving towards our civic destiny. So while election activities are tied to civic participation, our overall civic engagement should involve:

1. Voting

An important way of having our voices heard happens at the ballot box. We choose from candidates running for office at various levels of government. Voting as a civic right represents the most basic form of service as citizens. It’s a way to show-up in the process. Moreover, voting as a franchise is a collective stand on who we think best represents our values and wishes. Throughout history, the chance to vote has been used as a wedge issue against certain groups. This is a problem even in modern day America where fear and false narratives are used to deceive, distract or disenfranchise those groups.

2. Crafting

Imagine if before a game, a team’s coach presents a narrative that if they lose it’s because there was point-shaving happening in the game. We wouldn’t think highly of that coach. Well, since the last presidential election, that’s basically what we’ve seen. There are those pushing a narrative that has become its own conspiracy. Instead, what we should be doing as citizens is crafting a vision or a set of options such that whether our candidate wins or loses, we’re still in a position to win as ‘we the people’. SAIC has such a strategy built around the ‘MVP Club – Many Valuable Parents for the Win’.

3. Vibing

As holiday celebrations ramp-up around Diwali, Thanksgiving or Christmas, there’s something about the parades or football games that we enjoy. Maybe it’s watching the battle of the bands at halftime, or the pageantry of the bands at the Thanksgiving Parade. They get to vibing on the field or up the block while strutting their stuff. The different groups of horns, drums and percussions bring a ‘common sound’ that puts us in a groove or the holiday spirit. What’s it gonna take as citizens on vibing across government, education, business and community? It’s strutting our stuff in a direction that builds on common ground.

4. Impacting

There’re athletes who are drafted and others who’re walk-ons. Drafted athletes get much of the mainstream attention for their track record of performance, whether on offense, defense or special team. Walk-on athletes aren’t initially seen as a ‘prime choice’ but after a while they find ways to impact the game. SAIC might be understood in a similar way. We’re not necessarily viewed as coming from the stock of celebrity, corporate exec, cable media personality or industry official. But as founder, the approach of yours truly has been about impacting the civics game with offense or defense like a special team player.

So how do we get past ideological tug-of-war brewing in America? Well, SAIC came out of a deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. This allows us to build civics content and programming for a new & improved version of America’s social imprint. Moreover, we affirm the idea that voting isn’t the only form of civic engagement. It’s also gonna require crafting, vibing and impacting efforts that take action on the block to make a difference in your hometown. We can move past any stalemate, building on common ground and shared purpose that flows like water.
For more on impacting Education & Community, Democracy & Public Good or Entrepreneurship & American Dream, chime-in at the Civics & Community Forum Series or “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life. Checkout the Signup Center below.