See America In Color

(Part 2) The Hometown Effect of ‘Field Work’ to Impact a New Season of America: Making Waves from Coast to Coast that Move Us to the Next Level

Doc Cunningham
Da Island Guy
“Sounding Off Social”

Well, the results are in! After final exams the class of ’23 took the stage to receive their diplomas. As they look back over the past few years of Covid disruption, there’s a sense of relief and exhilaration. Each graduate might remember the touch-and-go moments that kept them sleepless at night or restless in the morning. But there they were basking in the glory of going to the next level.

Those weren’t the only results celebrated. We know American Idol crowned its 21^st winner in 18 year-old Iam Tongi of Hawaiian heritage. The Scripps Spelling Bee had a new winner in 14 year-old Dev Shah of South Asian descent. Then there’s the Disney movie The Little Mermaid and 23 year-old Halle Bailey pulling-in major box office dollars. It’s the first time that role was played by an African American. Some thought the movie would only rake-in around $10 million during opening weekend. Instead, it earned over $100 million during initial release and $300+ million worldwide to-date.

While those are breakout results, there’re other numbers we gotta breakdown. When it comes to civic/social issues we know about 30%-40% of the population don’t vote. There’s 20%-30% of the electorate that’s caught up in grievance based on distrust in government. We’re six months into 2023 and there’ve been just about as many mass shootings as the number of days in the year so far. Plus, each day there’re 100-120 tragic firearm-related incidents. The combination of news-making events around violence, hate & bias, culture wars, disinformation, etc, often involves folks ages 15-30. Culturally speaking we have exhilaration and frustration as a contrast of life in America.

We’ve seen a similar playbook before, but in the tech space. When the personal computer first arrived on the scene, there was exhilaration for what it offered, but also frustration in using it. Folks complained that the commands were hard to remember, or it could only do one thing at a time, or that it took too long to respond with results. Tech leaders heard those ‘cries of concern’ and came up with a new & improved platform that would be a user-friendly, point & click, multi-dimensional tool. They built it with a graphical user interface. We also saw this ‘change model’ repeat itself when smart phones took over from push-button devices.

SAIC went through a similar process of discover, remedy and recovery. This was inspired by a series of national news stories between 2012 to 2015 which led to a deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. It provided a level of discovery around civic/social issues. Then, lessons from the tech world were looped-in to create a campaign/platform in civic engagement, social change and community life so folks would have a better handle of hot-button issues by how they ‘see America in color’, not just in black & white. The initial research work got turned into ‘field work’, designed to impact a new season of America as a #HometownStrong Community Model that’s:

1. Educational

The basic education route is the traditional track from pre-school to post-secondary. There were times when many in the population had limited educational opportunity. The value of education is in expanding knowledge. This helps to reduced ignorance. Where there’s ignorance the void is sometimes filled with grievance or incompetence or intolerance. SAIC isn’t only about closing those gaps in the normal/formal education track, but also delivering breakthroughs in learning. A breakthrough in learning is more than just having the knowledge. It’s about the wits that lead to inspired learning and game-changing results.

2. Social

A growing part of K-12 education is social & emotional learning. This means complementing ‘book smarts’ curriculum with ‘inner smarts’ group instruction. In the professional world it might be understood as having ‘hard skills and soft skills’. Well, SAIC’s #HometownStrong Community Model has a similar approach for achieving a higher level of citizenship. Plus, it helps to answer the question, how do we become stronger citizens with a greater sense of the public good? It’s why the platform delivers content services and upbeat programs that connect the dots across history, civics and culture.

3. Developmental

Most pro sports leagues have a ‘farm club’ or developmental squad. Athletes can flush-out their game skills before going to the next level or even the big leagues. But where do citizens go to flush-out some of their knowledge and expertise in the issues? SAIC’s #HometownStrong Community Model spreads know-how and show-how on being a stronger citizen. This way we’re not easily swayed by disinformation or fooled into being disenfranchised. An engaged electorate means a vibrant democracy. A vibrant democracy means folks understand lines-of-service across public officials and everyday citizens.

4. Multi-Cultural

A key factor for computers and smart phones gaining wider consumer acceptance was in being multi-functional. A computer allows the user to have various windows open with different tasks happening in foreground and background. With smart phones you can talk, text, stream and surf almost at the same time. SAIC as a campaign/platform is multi-dimensional and multi-cultural too. The content services and upbeat programs are built around roots & culture, hopes & dreams, civics & demographics. In combining key threads from history, it’s like the RGB (red, green, blue) of color TV for the nice picture we see.

What can we learn from social/tech changes of the past? Well, tech leaders brought the courage and ‘smarts’ to move things from outdated to updated. They listened to the cries and complaints of the consumer. In addition, public officials and social activists added compassion and conviction to the formula in responding to cries in the wilderness from the community. So, with a new season of America on the horizon, we can make waves from coast to coast for going to the next level as a nation by applying the lessons and legacy of our journey. We’ll get to live more, love more and learn more!

To find out more about ‘America from 0 to 250’ and the Civics & Community Forum Series or how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Signup Center below.

Tracks: Sevana – Lowe Mi – https://youtu.be/GAd3JQ1V-10

Cat Burns – Live More & Love More – https://youtu.be/D_iDN-sck64

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Wanna J.A.M. With Us? On June 14^th, 7pm ET, let’s mix-it-up on “America from 0 to 250”! With Hip-Hop turning 50, Dr King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech turning 60, Juneteenth turning 158 and America soon turning 250, we’re “sounding-off social, shaking-up culture.”

Chime-in on pop culture and social change with special guests. Early-bird signup, be among the first 20 and qualify to win latest book from Dr. Liz Henry. Hey friends, fam & gamechangers are you ready? Signup now!

Pre-register here:
Short Link: https://bit.ly/3N8SCBo
Long Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtce-uqjItG9IER8slu07OPWQOFUSDnfim
Promo video: https://youtu.be/uKQSvhiUwVQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing info about joining the ‘JAM’ session.

(Part 1) The Hometown Effect of ‘Field Work’ to Impact a New Season of America: Making Waves from Coast to Coast that Move Us to the Next Level

Doc Cunningham
Da Island Guy
“Sounding Off Social”

Is it too soon to talk training camp? Might depend on whether you play the game or not a fan of the game. With the WNBA things are jumping-off now, while for the NFL it’s only a few weeks away. Both leagues recently had the Draft where newcomers got picked for their dream spot. The athletes have spent years doing gym workouts and skills drills in the backyard, at the park and for many, in high school through college. The Draft often celebrates the hometown effect of ‘field work’ as a springboard to the next level.

There’s another ‘draft’ that happened back-in-the-day among those who wanted a New America. They first drafted versions of some key documents and later went on a journey of drafting colonies to become states. There’s a common thread to the original civic Draft, and what we saw in the recent sports Drafts. It’s about bringing fresh energy, talent and mojo to the game for a new season of the league. What if we could do the same to help forge a new season of America? Maybe we can spur some fresh energy among public officials and hometown players who’d bring new mojo to America’s civic landscape.

In recent weeks we’ve had breaking news stories across the country of protests, violent tragedies and disinformation. There’s underlying tension in the social/political space around culture, race and ‘woke’. Flashback to the 80s and concerns were about a ‘generation on drugs’. Now we have a ‘generation on edge’ in a nation of simmering division and extremism. Harvard Kennedy School’s recent Gen Z poll shows many continue to wrestle with anxiety/fears around the issues. The poll director believes young people are yearning for a chance to see the country come together behind an idea or ideal (e.g. like happened during our founding, or the civil rights movement, or shortly after 9-11).

**Social Insult or Social Impulse (heartbeat)?**

Realizing how we got here from our founding to a somewhat shaky standing on these topics, might take going under the hood of American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. It was out of past frustration and being fed-up that led to creating SAIC years ago. That’s what continues to inspire emerging efforts to Make Our Journeys One, #MojoInAmerica. From SAIC’s deep dive in history we were left with some takeaways:

America’s founding ideals were meant to foster democracy as a civilized society.
America after the Revolution came by “writing it into existence and speaking it into relevance”.
America can modernize by creating a shift in citizenship and leadership as a ‘MOJO Nation’.

Beyond drafting the founding documents, think of George Washington’s speech to Revolutionary Army officers in Newburgh NY. Or Abraham Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg. Or Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham jail. SAIC is using those events as inspiration for its ‘A New America’ Talk series.

Plus, we took a page from the civic model of America’s startup and the tech model of going from black & white to color TV. The tech model repeated itself in PCs going from DOS to Windows and mobile phones from ‘flip to smart’. These shifts moved us as consumers from frustration to savvy solution. In the same way, we’re engaging citizens in going from grievance to public good, frustration to savvy solution, Gen Z tension to MOJO nation. This means applying:

1. Tracks of Law

Ever wondered why many politicians are lawyers by training? It’s prob one of the oldest professions where the first thing we did as a country was to draft founding documents which became tracks of law. The Constitution is a basis for many federal laws. Then there’s the Bill of Rights which overlaps federal and state laws. Local laws are often observed as ordinances. In history, tracks of law have been important as public policy. SAIC plans to work with state legislators and those in state government on civic solutions that go beyond the classroom to gain support from the boardroom and community.

2. Tools of Civics

There’re different ways to being an engaged citizen. The rollout of SAIC’s Civics & Community Events/Workshops will make that plain. An important factor in our approach is that we deliver content such that citizens get to ‘breath new life’, they feel a greater sense of belonging and they experience a breakthrough. For example, the idea of #HometownStrong comebacks combines a sense of belonging and the chance for breakthrough. It allows other demographic groups beyond black & white (e.g. AAPI, Latinx, LGBTQ, etc.) to experience breakthroughs based on the history of their group’s fight for justice.

3. Techniques of Change

America’s history has been on a change continuum. It’s similar to leagues, teams and new players. Each league welcomes new players to the whole squad. They get to ‘come on board’ with the team’s strategy, schedule and culture. Then after a while they make the highlight reel. Our founding as a nation was about having a New America in democracy and dreams. Since then, we’ve gone through fits & starts towards perfecting our Union. The change continuum included protests, civil rights initiatives and new laws. So ‘We the People’ gotta apply techniques of change for a new season of America to make the highlight reel.

4. Takeaways of Impact

The Bill of Rights were meant to balance federal power with state/individual power, rights with responsibility. The First Amendment comes before the Second Amendment because the ‘right to exist’ comes before the ‘right to strap’. But things got twisted/distorted over time to where we have senseless tragedies due to ideology over vision for humanity. Similarly, some use the word ‘woke’ as a social insult while others see it as a positive social impulse to not be asleep on issues (the term ‘Yankee’ went through such twists/turns in history too). It seems some wanna have ‘the right’ without sacrificing for the greater good.

At times it feels like we need ‘heaven down here’ and humanity up there for a reboot/reset. Maybe JFK’s 1962 Commencement Address at Yale had it right in saying “Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” To enjoy the glory in a new season of America with fresh energy, excitement & mojo, it takes tracks of law, tools of civics, techniques of change and takeaways of impact. We’ll shift from backward-looking action to forward-looking vision as a nation.

To find out more about the Civics & Community Forum Series and how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Signup Center below.

Tracks: Mickey Guyton – Heaven Down Here – https://youtu.be/ZvR-L9IsH9M

H.E.R. – Glory – https://youtu.be/Ly41ckKMDms

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**SAIC’s ‘JAM With Us’ Flyer & QR Code**

What Kind of America Would You Like to See and Live In? Charting a 3-Year Course to Get Us from Here to There or Somewhere Near

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social

It’s been three years since Covid-19 was first declared a pandemic. When NJ Governor Phil Murphy announced initial steps to manage the expected surge of cases in the State’s health system, many were unsure where we were headed. Recently, we got word the U.S Department of Health’s pandemic declaration is set to expire soon. So based on where things are today, we’re all breathing a sigh of relief!

There’s a real sense that Covid-19 has ushered in a ‘new normal’ in how we work and live. Moreover, there’s been another set of factors continuing to emerge in how we go about work, play and the everyday as a nation. It’s around the growing sentiment of division and elements in disinformation that raised their ugly head. These have triggered a set of concerns tied to the health of our democracy.

What can we learn from the pandemic we just lived through? Are there similar strategies for how we might minimize the tension and potential damage to the health of the Union? Well, ride with See America In Color on a trip back in time, starting in the Spring of 1787. Then, the Founding Fathers met to hash-out the Constitution. Some months later they headed out to the colonies. With the help of key federal colleagues, they brought the message of ‘A New America’. This would catch-on with governors, commissioners, local leaders and ‘We the People’ to get the Constitution approved by the States.

Some saw the Framers as bringing ‘a breath of fresh air’ while others spoke out on the issue of slavery. In a sense, there was a ‘breath of civics air’ in the process of asking the question “what kind of America would you like to see and live in?” It seems we’re at a similar juncture, needing to move past today’s Civic Revolution of isms & schism, ‘lost cause’, bias & hate, culture wars, mass violence, etc… towards a new America. That’s what SAIC’s Civics and Community Forum Series will deliver, by taking a page from the past where ‘We the People’ chart a course to get us from here to there or somewhere near.

Over the three years, Covid-19 caused immense pain, disruption and upwards of 7 million deaths worldwide. So, what if we could use lessons from American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks to instead influence millions of our fellow citizens here and abroad towards positive change? Interestingly, we’ve got three years leading up to America’s 250^th anniversary in 2026 to regain our footing post-Covid and re-establish our center of gravity as a nation founded on the Declaration of Independence. We can get there based on how we roll with:

1. Ideals over Ideology

The most basic ideals center around life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This means having the chance to become the best we can be individually and collectively. Individually, we’ve gotta work on selfless, not just self-press. Collectively, we gotta work on living up to what Lincoln called our “better angels”. This requires a kinda collective conscience not based on ideology but on equality. Ideology tends to limit one’s ability to see people as equals while a collective conscience allows us to capitalize on our shared authority. In other words, you’ve got gifts/talents, he’s got some, she’s got some, we all got some.

2. Aspirational over Political

Going back through time, aspirational goals in our nation have been challenged by political moves in some circles. George Washington hinted at this in his farewell address before leaving office. He warned about having political parties because they’d be influenced by ‘factions’ in public voices. Think back from Presidents Andrew Jackson (Indian Removal Act) to Andrew Johnson (Reverse Reconstruction) and what jumps out are times when America’s aspirational efforts in ‘greater public good’ were challenged by political moves of ‘greater power grab’. Maybe that’s some of what we’re seeing play out today.

3. Beloved over Mafioso

There’s something else that seems as a ‘contrast in conscience’. Think about the efforts of Lincoln and others on ending slavery and the work of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement on ending segregation. That side of the fence saw each other as Dr. King liked to call a ‘beloved community.’ The other side of the fence came across like folks with a ‘mafioso mentality’. One side often tries to bring light to darkness while the other side seems bent on darkening darkness (if there’s such a thing). One side models excellence while the other side sees extremes as its model. Which side of the fence are you on?

4. Synergy Over Infamy

With all the antagonists on social/cable media, consider this history note. There’s an unholy streak that keeps getting resurrected in America. In our early founding, while European Enlightenment caused the ills of slavery there to be seen as degrading, slavery in the U.S. found new life and was elevated/promoted. We’ve seen the streak go from that original form of ‘lost cause’, be reborn during the civil war as a ‘confederacy streak’ to now being reborn as an ‘insurrectionist streak’. It seems aspirational America is synergistic in working for greater good, while mafioso America is antagonistic and wants to live in infamy.

Heard the latin/pop group Menudo is making a comeback? Not with Ricky Martin but a new set of actors. Also, the “I Love NY” campaign’s getting a makeover to spur greater civic engagement. Others say they want to “take our country back”. Well, SAIC’s ideal on making a #HometownStrong comeback ties-in with Puritan lawyer/minister John Winthrop whose dream of America was as a “city on a hill”. And to Lincoln’s vision for America as the “last best hope of earth”. So, join us as we rally around “the next best thing in MOJO” to Make Our Journeys One. An America where everybody gets to reach, jump or dance!

Tracks: Erica Campbell – Positive – https://youtu.be/_XBGhhdEuzA

Brooks & Dunn – Only in America – https://youtu.be/GN1iI-DaJNw

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**‘MOJO Moves’ – Make Our Journeys One!**

Wish Upon a Star in Civics & Community: A Lit Approach towards ‘A New America’ of Social-Edge Issues Over Wedge Issues

Heard about the new craze in the tech world? It’s a feature that allows you to chat with an app using a few keywords, and have it give you an answer. There’s concern among biz leaders and education administrators of the potential impact. Some worry about students turning in classroom assignments they didn’t write or having crowd-sourced data confused with proprietary info.

ChatGPT as it’s called, is part of a new platform in ‘artificial intelligence.’ It can write a term paper or even a resumé when given certain prompts. How glorious that might sound when it comes to working smarter, not just harder. We’ve given similar thought with SAIC on helping folks make more sense of history, civics and culture. How can we pack ‘ai’ (added intelligence) to have a better handle of the issues? We describe that feature as “smart civics, better picture”.

Recently, there’s been growing ‘anti energy’ brewing in America that’s anti-semitic, anti-black, anti-Asian, sometimes anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ, etc, basically anti-DEI. It’s why we’ve introduced the concept of DEI + ‘Smart Civics’ within SAIC’s delivery of social content and civic empowerment. This way folks can achieve a higher level of synergy across demographic groups, and a higher level of citizenship across socio-economic groups. We’re also spreading the word on the Civics & Community Series which includes “A New America” Talk. This combination helps bring SAIC to the people and make it more up-close and personal.

Think about “smart civics, better picture” like your cell phone. That handheld device has helped make technology fun, networking fresh and life a bit more feel-good. There’re grandparents in my family (and yours too) who’re iPhone savvy in texting and streaming. With the cell phone, we’re able to network with others via direct message and a few clicks. The device has created a feel-good sense in how we interact with one another (without the trolling of course). In a practical sense, SAIC’s smart civics opens the door for educators to show up like emancipators, giving students more reasons to soar; administrators to step-up more like collaborators than just managers and citizens to be on point like movers & shakers.

So in using ChatGPT you can wish upon an idea, and get an ‘intelligent system’ response on various possibilities. In the case of SAIC you can wish upon a star in civics and community and get a connect-the-dots response based on how we make history fun, civics fresh and culture feel-good. This might also help with having a lit approach towards “A New America” of social-edge issues over wedge issues. What does that wish upon a star look like when SAIC gets prompted?

1. Dream for Country

Many arrive on U.S. soil looking for better opportunities. In the early days, the dream was for having a piece of land. African Americans held on to that dream after being promised “40 acres and a mule”. Then the dream evolved to home ownership. More folks wanted to have their own verandah view. Nowadays it seems the dream is found in the virtual space, where many have websites of their biz while others consider actually going into space. Dr. King once said, “I have a dream that’s rooted in the American Dream”. As part of his dream for country he might use civics to advance edge-issues over wedge issues.

2. Balm for Community

We’re just in the first few months of the year, having seen many incidents of gun violence and tragedy. From California to Michigan to points south there’s been situations where people are asking why. Then add-in how some will spread misinformation about these events, and it further becomes the kind of pain that’s not welcomed. In scripture, the term “balm in Gilead” is used as a symbol of applying a medicinal (or spiritual) solution to experience inner relief and healing. Well, SAIC’s “A New America” Talk offers a ‘social uplift’ solution as a ‘balm for community’ to bring relief and healing around civic/social issues.

3. Hope for Family

Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills shared an update on his condition since his life & death injury. Team officials are monitoring his recovery as they’ll have to decide on his potential return to the game. In responding to a reporter’s question he said “I have a long journey ahead. A journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones. But it’s a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose”. Well, the gospel according to SAIC and our “JAM With Us” (join a movement) initiative is tied to ‘Dream for Country, Hope for Family’ with more #MojoInAmerica to ‘make our journeys one’.

4. Hand for Legacy

This month many returned to the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 58^th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. That’s where the late John Lewis was injured during a dust-up with riot police at the protest march. In his autobiography Lewis tells the story of growing up in Alabama and living through severe thunderstorms. On one occasion a dark cloud came along with very high winds. The house was on shaky ground so a group of them stood together holding hands so their weight would keep the house grounded. SAIC’s hand for legacy includes folks joining hands to secure our democracy and the next generation.

Just remember, as part of our country’s founding, we turned grievance into a foundation (Declaration of Independence) and compromise into a cornerstone (Bill of Rights). These days we have to ask, what does it profit a country if we gain all the power and all the citizen firepower, but lose our citizens senselessly or lose the soul of the nation? So whether in the city, suburb or on a country road we can still have a dream for country, balm for community, hope for family and hand for legacy. But folks, we can’t get caught up in the ‘anti energy’ or keep waiting on the world to change.

To find out more about the Civics & Community Series and how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center below.

Tracks: John Mayer – Waiting on the World to Change – https://youtu.be/oBIxScJ5rlY

ConkahGood – Country Road – https://youtu.be/NeSpx7vZifc

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The Hottest Field of Dreams in America: For Having a Good Handle of the Issues Whether Cross Country or Cross Cultural

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social

If you missed the news (or maybe you’re not a fan)… we’re living in two Americas! The most basic example is AFC vs NFC. As people gear-up for the Superbowl, we find folks rooting for one side or the other, Kansas City or Philly. For some, this event is the ultimate ‘field of dreams’ in passion, skill, mojo and thrill. Add-in the halftime performance with a pop culture flava and you’ve got yourself a party!

But there’s something else being overlooked about the two Americas. We saw glimpses in the overwhelming response to Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills after his scary on-field tackle. A few weeks before that was the incident of a New England Patriots fan getting hassled and shouted-at by a Raiders fan, even though the Raiders were winning. The contrast in those two situations was simply one of goodwill vs grievance. Why’s that important? Well, it might point us to lessons from SAIC’s deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks, that line-up with the Kerner Commission report from the ‘60s about the two Americas.

After a series of social uprisings back then, the commission was created to try and uncover the root causes. They concluded there were two Americas: one of social inequity and the other of upward mobility. Government policies and local programs have made closing those gaps a priority. In some areas though things still seem to fall short. Almost 40 years ago, one of the political campaign slogans from the aftermath was known as “Morning in America”. This was meant to inspire a sense of optimism for bouncing back from high inflation, social unrest and other related issues/challenges.

But SAIC’s deep dive revealed some hard truths that have contributed to this ‘Split-screen America’. It’s kinda like some of the back-and-forth we see in today’s salty partisan climate. These factors seem to hinder how we move beyond social divides based on the following:

The American journey has always had an altruistic (selfless) side to its story, while battling a despotic (strong-armed) side that’s a divisive force in how things play out (e.g. Civil Rights Act vs Indian Removal Act or Fugitive Slave Act or Chinese Exclusion Act).
There’s always been an aspect of our social fabric where a segment of white America isn’t willing to grow from diverse ethnic experiences, moreso than black or other Americans who aren’t willing to grow from others’ experiences. (e.g. Lost Cause, KKK, White Nationalism)
There’s a constant dilemma we face around public service and civics where one’s political leaning or a group’s fundraising might get in the way of collaborating and empowering (e.g. culture war squabbles).
Oftentimes it seems with civic/social issues that America doesn’t really want a solution, just a fix. A fix gets you by til next time. A solution gets you from root cause to resolution (e.g. Immigration, Police/Community Reform, Universal Background Check).

Basically, there are two Americas where one side believes in the greater good while the other side fumes over grievances that are personal, racial, political/criminal.

As we watch news reports about our current times of inflation, hate & bias, culture wars and more, SAIC’s “J.A.M. With Us” initiative (join a movement) has an upbeat message of “Mojo in America” to make our journeys one (mojo) as we bounce back from Covid. The strategy involves partnering across education, biz, public service and community. This includes those among the “hottest Field of Dreams in America” so that we all have a better handle of hot-button issues, whether cross country or cross cultural. The SAIC programs in civic engagement, social change and community life not only help with breaking the mold and bridging the gap, but also with grinding out the ‘ABC Life’ (American Dream, Biz, Culture). Think about how there are four or five main food groups that provide us with life’s important nutrients. Well, SAIC has its core ‘roots & culture’ content groups along with key nutrients to help folks grow in:

1. Media Literacy

These days we’re bombarded with messages from traditional media, cable news and social media. It’s a lot to ask in trying to figure-out what’s true vs conspiracy. Some come at news from the left, others from the right. Imagine if you had to guess if a person is trustworthy based on whether they’re left-handed or right-handed? No matter what, some basic things should still be centered or true-to-form. That’s where we are in media. The key is knowing no matter which side you’re on, they’re selling some mix of information, ideology, inspirational or institutional content. So, you just gotta stay centered and true-to-form yourself.

2. Smart Civics

There’re three basic colors in your TV: red, green and blue (RGB). They combine for the beautiful picture we see. SAIC takes a page from that technology by combining American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks for a better picture of civic/social issues. Plus, we add ‘smarts’ to the mix just like in consumer devices. It’s how folks get to ‘connect the dots’ across history, civics and culture. This turns-on the ‘lightbulb of truth’ for the issues so you’re not deceived by those who’re grifting. It’s like when a store’s security tag turns-on the lightbulb or buzzer to stop shoplifting. That’s smarts!

3. Social Skills/Competency

There’s a growing segment of the public attacking “wokeness”. They’re trying to put a spin or redefine the issues. A flashback in history reveals this isn’t new. Back then it was in how blacks were called the N-word as a form of anti-blackness to demean and dehumanize. Consider folks pushing anti-woke as a cover for anti-black to distract from black achievement and civic empowerment. SAIC helps build social skills/competency by reminding us that if you eliminate one of the three RGB colors, that’s gonna severely affect the picture on the TV set. Similarly, an anti-DEI or anti-Black History move in education or biz will badly affect the picture citizens have of civic/social issues.

4. Culture Cloud

Ever had an alert on your device that takes you to the cloud? It could be a link to a picture from a past event or vacation trip. These days in sports it’s all about what the analytics from ‘the cloud’ reveal on the possible success of certain plays or teams. The cloud brings “faster innovation, flexible resources and economies of scale” to enhance our experiences. SAIC offers a similar benefit in civics that might be thought of as the ‘culture cloud’. Whether in civics education or civic engagement, we deliver content that enhances our experiences out of love for country and the culture.

So, we’re still living in two Americas. Some roll with those on the ‘Field of Dreams’ side of synergy and creativity. Others are found on the ‘Field of Grievances’ side of chaos and cruelty. Let’s get with SAIC and the hottest Field of Dreams in America to live our best life in career and community, whether cross country or cross cultural. Gotta step-up in media literacy, smart civics, social skills/competency and culture cloud. These will feed your civic teams & dreams not out of fear or to inflame more culture wars. But to inform social divides and inspire greater public good for this land that we’ll forever care.

To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center below. Also, in the spirit of Black History Month, visit SAIC’s Facebook page for commentary on the Tyre Nichols brutal beating in my own “Confessions as a Black Man” here https://facebook.com/seeamericaincolor.

Tracks: Sean Paul ft. Damian Marley and Nicky Jam – No Fear – https://youtu.be/PG999pOsXzI

Aerosmith – Dream On – https://youtu.be/NeSpx7vZifc

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The New Year Do-Over Checklist: Paging Those In Town & Country Who’re Ready to Do America Some Good

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding-Off Social

It was the most thrilling World Cup soccer final in history! But don’t take my world for it, just checkout the video highlights. Two countries vying for top-dawg international status in the sport, ended-up with penalty kicks determining the winner. Ok, in terms of excitement, the Peach Bowl game between Georgia and Ohio State is up there in the running too. We again saw why sports means so much in culture.

For one it was the ‘Happy New Year’ vibe we got leading up to the Ball Drop. Then there was the breakout performance and the bond among players after a score. But it might also be seen in the fullest expression of mojo, where there’s a magical moment that rises to the occasion. This feeling doesn’t have to be limited to sports or ‘new year’ festivities. Why, because M.O.J.O. is also about how we “make our journeys one”. That’s what we see on the field among players of different ages, backgrounds and sneaker stripes. So what if we could bring fresh mojo to America in 2023?

Well, in SAIC’s flashback to America’s early days we find some clues on where to start. The Founding Fathers had the initial role of convincing 13 independent colonies to become the first 13 United States. In part, the strategy was built around a mission and a motto. The Declaration of Independence served as the mission statement, while “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of Many, One) served as the motto. These two elements were important because the founders had the task of getting buy-in from citizens and public officials on how we “make our journeys one”. SAIC sees a similar chance now with the ‘new year’ do-over checklist as its resolution focus.

If the Founding Fathers traveled across the prairies and had a do-over, what might they do differently or better, based on what we know today? Well, let’s go to the video highlights of history and remind ourselves from whence we came. If we start by looking at some basic facts from Revolution to Emancipation and beyond, we’re reminded that:

The merchants arrived from Europe pursuing freedom in biz trade (i.e. free trade).
The pilgrims followed close behind pursuing freedom of beliefs (i.e. Puritan religious expression).
African-Americans brought here as slaves have persistently pursued the freedom of becoming (i.e. freedom from oppression/suppression).

The common theme here is freedom, which can mean different things in the eyes of the beholder. Some examples from current news stories include America’s support of the fight for freedom by the people of Ukraine in their ongoing revolution against Russia. Another is the history-making documentary release on Netflix capturing the life & times of Harry and Meghan to “free themselves” from the British Monarchy. And of course, a story where sports and politics intersected, was the release of Brittney Griner from Russian detention. These events remind us that the greatest natural, human and personal resource is freedom.

So how might we put that resource to work to do America some good and save us some headache? Let’s unleash the full strength of “We the People” and full stock of American biz across every state, village and block. To get there, SAIC’s “J.A.M. With Us”* initiative (join a movement) is about creating “more mojo moments” by how we “make our journeys one”. In addition, like when we’re shopping around for insurance we might get some savings as a bundle, let’s consider how we package the “freedom bundle” to insure:

1. Equality – Human Rights

The Declaration of Independence is built on the notion of equality and “inalienable rights” endowed by the Creator. The struggle for human rights throughout history revolves around whether people see ‘others’ through the eyes of ‘curiosity or cruelty’. It’s one reason why the Christopher Columbus narrative presents a few problems from a deeper dive in history. Some historians contend that what started out as an explorer driven by curiosity became an exploiter driven by cruelty, later evolving into the slave trade. That ‘curiosity vs cruelty’ dilemma raises its ugly head even today in political campaigns and social issues.

2. Opportunity – Human Choice

America’s quest for freedom is built on the idea of self-determination. That’s just a fancy way of saying individual choice. The merchants leaving Europe in pursuit of free trade was their choice. The pilgrims leaving their home country for new religious expression was their choice. In the case of African-Americans though, the initial arrival wasn’t a matter of individual choice, but imposed on them. So public policy efforts that do America some good aren’t just about free trade, free speech, freedom of worship or assembly. They’re really about the opportunity of self-determination through freedom of choice.

3. Essence – Human Assets

We also show up in life with human assets. These internal factors of mind, body and spirit help to define our essence in Purpose, Passion and Calling. Calling contributes to how we make the Creator look good; Purpose is in how we serve some earthly good; Passion is how you ‘do you’ that folks might say “wow, she’s good”. Plus, how we do America some good might mean tapping into SAIC’s Declaration of Emergence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all are created equal and are endowed by the Creator with certain basic rights, civic ideals and human assets to live our best life.”

4. Achievement – Human Imagination

Past presidents worked to inspire human imagination. In a time of economic depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” In a time of civil unrest John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”. It was Rev Dr. Otis Moss Jr, a lieutenant of Dr King during the civil rights movement who said “Every generation is limited by what it knows”. So, let’s stretch our imagination past fear, complacency and ignorance by putting ourselves in a better position to deal with hot-button issues in hate, culture wars and misinformation.

During the ‘60s there were Freedom Rides to break the back of segregation and discrimination as well as Freedom Schools in education and empowerment. We have the chance of a do-over in the next “freedom stretch” from when the founding fathers got started to the civil rights movement got going. SAIC’s mission and motto in “Sounding Off Social, Shaking Up Culture” are driven by key elements of history and civics to impact culture. Think of how water brings life and is a cleaning agent. Well, SAIC tries to bring 2-parts history and 1-part civics to clean-up our grasp of the issues and achieve “more mojo moments” in life. So, paging those who’re ready to do America some good, which includes protecting our democracy.

*To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center with flyers and QR codes below. Learn more about the Field of Dreams 2023, K-12 Social Challenge Contests and College Breakout Day.

Tracks: Tems – Free Mind – https://youtu.be/e8GzTXRAJ30

Kacey Musgraves – Keep Lookin’ Up – https://youtu.be/bRizfxp_KxE

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**College Breakout Day Flyer & QR Code**

Where Do We Go From Here? Let’s Get Real Clear on Moving Dreams & Culture into Next Gear!

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding-Off Social

This is a spoiler alert! The latest Black Panther movie is in theaters, as the Wakanda nation went through some changes while making new moves. First, they spent time regrouping after the passing of their beloved leader T’Challa (previously played by Chadwick Boseman). There was internal squabbling within the inner circle (i.e. among their caucus, their crew). But eventually they worked things out with a new generation of players and protocols.

If that sounds familiar, well Wakanda isn’t too far off from what’s happening in America today. We just went through midterm and runoff elections where the results point to dustups and shakeups. Before the elections there was internal tension among citizens around the potential threat to democracy. We’ve already seen changes in party leadership, and we’re poised for more intrigue around the process of choosing the new Speaker of the House.

For some perspective on what needs to happen next in America, let’s pull-in George Washington and Dr King. Washington went through a similar period of regrouping back in his day. It involved a reset around vision and a reboot around leadership. In Washington’s farewell address after his second term, he shared insights, somewhat summarized below, that we might chew on as follows:

Be steadfast in holding the Union together, with the Constitution as your guide.
Be careful of allowing factions in political parties or public impulses to disrupt liberty and tranquility.
Be mindful of those driven by power & control in a single individual as opposed to a common purpose.
Be robust in the business of functional government and public opinion, such that they’re both enlightened.

The concern about factions in political parties, whether based on wealth, ideology or populism kinda ring true today. His message to the country then seems equally on point now, considering the many skirmishes we’ve seen in what SAIC describes as today’s Civic Revolution (isms & schisms, political lost cause, hate & bias, culture wars). It’s just a new version of social battles, like happened around the American Revolution.

Now, Dr. King also took time to share how the country and the culture could regroup in the next phase of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1967, King took a month’s long getaway to Jamaica and spent some secluded time penning his thoughts. He later published a book entitled, “Where Do We Go From Here?” He highlighted accomplishments of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He also addressed the Black Power movement within the context of the broader history of civil rights struggles. King and Washington left us the challenge of moving dreams, country and culture into next gear.

When you tie-in their message with SAIC’s deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story, and #HometownStrong comebacks, you realize that we’re at a pivotal moment too. We might need to reset around vision and reboot around leadership that brings a better sense of purpose, belonging, significance and influence, as happened in Wakanda nation. Dr King stressed then that America had a choice between nonviolent coexistence or violent coannihilation, between learning to live as brothers or perish together as fools. So, if we wanna deal with the four corners of the culture wars, the choices we gotta make today are between:

1. Legacy or Lie-gacy – “Heroification”

One corner of the culture wars is that of ‘heroification’. This is the idea Washington mentioned of being mindful of those driven by power & control in a single individual as opposed to a common purpose. That has been a problem ever since our founding but has become more damning lately. It’s what can cause some to confuse choosing between legacy vs lie-gacy. Back in the early days, there was a popular painting that showed Native Americans attacking the homes of European settlers. The truth was really the opposite, but the narrative later became baked-in. That’s how lie-gacy can lead to distortion and division.

2. Legislation or Lawsuits – “Disinformation”

Another corner of the culture wars is disinformation. It’s one thing to not know, it’s whole ‘nother thing to know better but still lead folks into quicksand. These days we see it happening when public officials spend more time filing lawsuits than proposing legislation. Before the recent midterm elections, there were 100+ lawsuits filed in the courts. Folks will say one thing in the public space but can’t back it up when in court. The problem is with using the system against itself by filing a lawsuit that might look legit but isn’t on legal grounds. Then some in the public are left in a state of confusion and distrust.

3. Chaos or Community – “Polarization”

We saw polarization after the civil war. An example from Reconstruction was when public figures used the phrase “carpetbaggers and scalawags” to describe others. The term ‘carpetbagger’ was used to describe whites from the north who travelled south to support blacks (a carpetbag was a type of cheap suitcase). The derogatory term ‘scalawag’ was used by those in one political party to describe folks in the other party. We’ve gotta watchout today for the terms ‘anti woke or woke mob’ being used that might polarize or politicize. How folks describe the ‘other’ gives clues on whether they wanna side with chaos or community.

4. Hate or Hope – “Demonization”

There’re those we look-up to as role models. In them we see something to aspire to or gives us hope. If the opposite of ‘heroification’ is demonization, what’s the opposite of role model? Maybe that’s reflected in those who might turn grievance into vengeance, based on hate. We’ve seen attacks on Native Americans, African-Americans, Latinx, Asian and more recently LGBTQ Americans. That’s why current anti-semitic fervor against Jewish Americans isn’t a good look and even dangerous. Dr King called this out in his book where he said “Anti-semitism often gets exploited by those whose appetite for attention exceeds their attachment to truth and responsibility.”

To deal with the culture wars by moving dreams, country and culture into next gear, checkout the movie to learn what Princess Shuri did at a pivotal moment in Wakanda nation. They were able to reset around vision, reboot around leadership and regroup around the ‘why’ for Wakanda. Washington and King might remind us that America loses its way when it loses touch with its ‘why’. As individual citizen or home country, our ‘why’ makes us special. So if you’re ready to do bigger and better things in the community and in life, be like Shuri, who at a key turning point asked the question to her crew, “Are You Clear?”

To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center with flyers and QR codes below. Learn more about the Field of Dreams 2023, K-12 Social Challenge Contests and College Breakout Day.

Tracks: Lizzo – Special – https://youtu.be/0ypvxb3MaO4

Beyoncé – Bigger – https://youtu.be/JED5wEKc3Lc

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The Corner Store Debate: A Window into What’s Poppin’ in America and Why Some are So Polarized

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social

Some folks can’t stop talking about Pickleball! It’s said to be the fastest growing sport in America. As a cross between tennis and ping pong, even pro athletes like Tom Brady and LeBron James have invested in upstart teams. But this might not be something you’ll hear discussed at a campaign debate between political candidates or street debate at the corner store.

What’s been in news coverage lately are stories of antisemitic remarks and digital banners, threats of political violence and the buyout of Twitter by Elon Musk. There’s concern that the platform might become a free speech runaway train without accountability. What folks are talking about will often give us a sense for what’s poppin’ in America socially and commercially. But the convo might not always give enough of the backstory for why some are so polarized. This takes having a window into the soul of America.

When See America In Color (SAIC) was launched, it came out of national news stories that caused a deep dive to better understand the issues. This involved combining American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. With Thanksgiving season on the minds of retailers, let’s go as far back as the arrival of the Puritans on Massachusetts Bay. Before their arrival we had merchants who landed on Virgina Bay. The Puritans had a sense of community, while the merchants were about commercial activity. It seems we’ve always had a push & pull of community vs commerce.

This has played out in ways that led to the American Revolution (Boston Tea Party), the Three-Fifths Clause (Second-class in the Constitution), Civil War (Institution of Slavery), Segregation (Jim Crow laws) and so on. The backstory shows the struggle between community and commerce has been an ever-present theme throughout America’s journey. Now, there’s nothing wrong with driving commerce. The problem arises when commerce is pursued at the expense of demeaning, dehumanizing and demonizing others. These days we’re at a point where personal attacks on ‘the other’ has become the latest effort to gin-up clickbait commercialism, which has some folks going down the road that divides and polarizes.

The standard ways we become divided include disinformation/ideology, hypocrisy of differences, injustice & inequality. But there’s something that stands out from our history that might serve as a counter-narrative as well as a kinda checks & balance. It’s in how we can use back-in-the-day lessons to create a shift in citizenship and leadership, like three founding fathers did in writing the Federalist Papers. That’s why SAIC recently celebrated National Civics Day to serve as a rallying point for a new push in civic engagement and public good in America. We’re taking things even further with a new:

1. Civic Ideal – “To The Mountaintop”

As far back as the puritans, America was described as a “city on a hill.” That term has been referenced by many presidential candidates from JFK to Obama. Even Reagan put his spin on it by describing America as a “shining city on a hill.” However, Dr. King came at it slightly different in his last public speech where he said, “I’ve been to the mountaintop.” What if that became a new civic ideal for getting us as a community to the mountaintop in market value and civic voice? We’d find ways to better leverage resources, share mutual uplift and collaborate in skillset to enjoy the promised land.

2. Culture Motto – “Out of Many, In Town & Country”

After America’s founding, the country’s leaders and other public figures thought it was important to come up with a unifying message or slogan. The Latin term E Pluribus Unum, meaning “One from Many”, became the basis for that mantra to help with the colonies having a feeling of togetherness. How might we apply that example to today’s cultural climate? Well, SAIC believes “Out of Many, In Town & Country” might capture the feeling of togetherness we need today. It so happens that in my hometown, one can travel on state highway Rt-27 and go from town to suburb to exurb to rural within a 20-25 mile stretch.

3. Renewed Purpose – “Producing America’s Finest Hour”

Think about the media intensive world these days of broadcast, cable and streaming. There’s so much programming to choose from that our heads spin. Not enough free time in the day to get it all in. Most folks involved in show production would want to make sure they’re bringing the best programming possible. Some seem to prefer going down the road of best in hate, lies and deception, while others take the path of best in hope, laughs and passion. But what if the broader approach we take as a nation is the idea of “producing America’s finest hour”? That might help to deliver a renewed sense of purpose.

4. Breakout Movement – “Here to Level-up the Nation”

Throughout history we’ve had breakout movements during different periods. The KKK for example was a breakout movement of intimidation and fear. The ‘lost cause’ movement came out of the Confederates losing the civil war against union soldiers. The civil rights movement was in response to the Jim Crow era. But the current anti-democratic breakout movement seems to defy logic and deny truth. The real breakout movement needed today is one that’s here to level-up the nation. Even with our faults and frailties since founding, the original breakout movement was about moving towards a more perfect union.

So the fact that pro athletes and other celebrities are pouring-on money into Major League Pickleball gives us a clue about the commercial appeal. They also know that a sense of community can only be maintained by having opportunity and inclusivity as part of the gameplan. It’s a combination that can lift me up, lift you up, lift us up. If only we could spread this message for the public good of community and commerce, like ten cane rows deep? We’d get to the mountaintop, out of many in town & country by producing America’s finest hour to level-up the nation.

To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center with flyers and QR codes below. Learn more about the K-12 Social Challenge Contests and College Breakout Day.

Tracks: Rihanna – Lift Me Up – https://youtu.be/Mx_OexsUI2M

Protoje Ft Jorja Smith – Ten Cane Row – https://youtu.be/xcjfpDN0xyE

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Siding With America and the Dream: Let’s Get Past Civic Battle Scars Like the Founding Fathers Did After the Revolution

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding-Off Social

It sounds like Apple has done it again! There’s a new set of iPhones on the market starting from the basic upgrade to the most sophisticated pro edition. From glancing over the release notes checklist and public comments, there’re some who’re excited about the new features. There’re others (even those from the Samsung world) who don’t seem impressed.

Without sounding like a tech-head, two things might jump out at you. The cameras have a new ‘high-powered eye’ designed to let in more light. That means more ways to take pics in different room settings. Then there’s the enhance color clarity for photos. The sharpness is said to be impressive. That’s not unlike what See America In Color (SAIC) is all about. It lets in more light on American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. When you see things in enhanced color, it’s like having a high-powered eye for hot-button issues.

If we were to hone-in on SAIC’s Fall rollout, there’re features like the Social Challenge Contests (Essay, Arts, Tech) for K-12 as well as the “Civic Life, Club Scene” program for college settings. There’s also the National Civics Day event that’s about shining a spotlight and living civic excellence. National Civics Day celebrates the importance of civics education. It also commemorates when the Federalist Papers were first published in the newspapers on October 27, 1787. These Papers were instrumental in educating citizens and convincing the colonies to ratify the Constitution. Moreover, SAIC realizes there’s always been ‘the dream’ of America. Dr King understood that in his speech at the March on Washington. He was basically saying, you can’t expect us to be ‘siding with America’ but left out of the dream.

Some politicize the Federalist Papers or use them for ideological cheap shots. But really, they were like cliff notes of the Convention or release notes of the Constitution. The founding fathers wanted to create a shift in citizenship and leadership because we were going from British subjects to Americans, from colonies to the United States of America. They had to make a choice of ‘siding with America’ between loyalist vs patriot, monarchy vs republic. Throughout our history the choice has evolved where you had to pick a side between slavery vs emancipation, secession vs union. These days it seems the choice is about party vs country, kicking the can down the road vs up the road.

If the ‘siding with America’ strategy worked with creating a shift in citizenship and leadership after the American Revolution, what if we apply the takeaways from that to help us move beyond today’s Civic Revolution of isms & schisms, lost cause, hate & bias, culture wars? It’s true, sometimes politics around town stinks. Even at the job, school or family setting, it can get in the way of progress. Growing up in a household with parents who were both public servants, there were stories that didn’t make sense then but sure do now. Creating a shift means not just looking at your position in terms of controlling power but purpose power. It might also mean having a handle on civic ideals which serve as culture links around:

1. Diversity

There wasn’t much of a sense for diversity during America’s early days. Back then it was a kinda old school way of looking at the world in black & white. That’s why SAIC is about creating a shift to see America in color. The concept takes a page from the difference between a black & white TV and a color TV. One blasts a stream of ‘white light’ with varying intensity to give different shades of black, white and gray. The other blasts three streams of colored light to give the amazing picture we see on our color TV set. Diversity is a new & improved way to see America in its full color spectrum and splendor.

2. Democracy

During the abolitionist movement, there was a two-part strategy in search of freedom. One was to end slavery, the other was to advance democracy. That dilemma is an ongoing struggle in America’s story. Blacks weren’t seen as fully human which caused oppression and suppression of their rights. Even after emancipation there’s been the constant struggle around the right to vote. These days the struggle takes on new forms but it’s kinda the same game. The larger concern though is whether some want to open the door to undemocratic rule where power is in the hands of those who don’t want to see diversity thrive.

3. Unity

Usually, when a company is formed or initiative launched, there’s a tag-line for the product, service or movement. With SAIC’s “J.A.M. With Us” campaign (join a movement), we’re “sounding-off social, shaking-up culture.” Well, at the start of America there was a slogan/motto then too. They needed something that helped to re-enforce the idea of going from separate colonies to being the United States around the Constitution. E Pluribus Unum, “Out of Many, One” became that motto. Scrolling through history we’ll find times when the United States of America was united by an ideal, motto or movement.

4. Civic Duty & Civility

In writing the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay were trying to convince the colonies to come onboard. They might have also wanted to set an example of civic duty and civility. They were skilled enough as public officials, whether elected or nominated, but civic minded enough to be creating a shift in citizenship and leadership. It’s a reminder that we gotta pick a side between civility vs cruelty, between civic duty vs ‘sabotage duty’. While some are about grifting their supporters or doing political stunts, others are working to level-up the culture where every vote counts.

If tech companies are always beefing-up their product line, why would public officials want to be dumbing-down the culture? After the Revolution, Benjamin Franklin was asked by an onlooker, “What did you all just achieve at the Convention?” His response was “A Republic, if we can keep it.” It’s the second part of his response that highlights the struggle. SAIC’s National Civics Day event is about creating a shift in citizenship and leadership, honoring public service workers and regular citizens with #CitizenStrong recognition. We’re down with that so get with the program and be among the chosen ones.

To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the Sign-up Center with flyers and QR codes below. Learn more about the National Civics Day event, K-12 ‘Social Challenge Contests’ and the ‘Civic Life, Club Scene’ programs.

Tracks: Raiche – Pick a Side – https://youtu.be/kU_3fs2Cva4

Jon Baptiste – We Are – https://youtu.be/xcjfpDN0xyE

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**“Civic Life, Club Scene” Flyer & QR Code**

Major Turn in How We Roll as ‘We the People’: Gotta ‘Color Your World’ to Rock the Game on Today’s Issues

Doc Cunningham
“Da Island Guy”
Sounding-Off Social

It’s being billed as the ‘next battle of the ages.’ In one corner is ‘Game of Thrones’ and in the other ‘Lord of the Rings’. The media shops that produce these mega programs now have spin-offs catching fire in the streaming world. This lines-up with recent news revealed by Nielsen’s TV ratings on how overall streaming viewership has surpassed cable and broadcast TV for the first time ever.

Meanwhile, back on the block, there’re other battles brewing. We’ve seen reports about the CDC reset to better handle Covid rebound; the push by Serena Williams to evolve in her tennis career; Apple rolling-out new device features in the tech world; the U.S. and China in a standoff on space exploration; the PGA tour pitted against an upstart golf enterprise. But the battle that has the eye of See America In Color (SAIC) is one tied to the Civic Revolution.

In a nutshell, it’s a battle for “the true nature and real nurture as a nation”; between our worst instincts/fears and #AmericaLiveUp. It’s a faceoff between the i’s (injustice, ideology, insurrection) versus the we’s (as in ‘We the People’). From SAIC’s deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks, we can apply key lessons from the civil rights movement for how we handle the issues of our day. Remember, Dr King made a shift based on his Calling to the movement after a series of tragic events (Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, Jimmie Lee Jackson). Today we gotta make a similar shift after tragedies in Buffalo, Uvalde and Highland Park. We’re at a major turning point in how we roll as a nation. So, let’s create a shift in citizenship and leadership by how you ‘color your world’.

Just think about improvements in consumer products/services over the years which made things better by how you ‘color your world.’ The list includes:

Buying coloring books for infants to boost early child development (each generation).
Going from black & white to color TV (in the early 60s).
Changing tennis balls from black/white to yellow (around the early 70’s).
Enjoying sports play-by-play and analysis described as ‘color commentary’ (80s and beyond).

That’s why SAIC is excited about doing the same in this time of Civic Revolution. The ‘J.A.M. With Us and Make Things C.L.I.C.K.’ initiative brings new ways to respond to anti-diversity forces that wanna rattle local officials and anti-democracy incidents treated as if it’s just ‘another day at the office.’ What if you could ‘color your world’ as it relates to these and other events? You’d have a much better picture of hot-button issues by how you ‘see America in color’ and not just in black & white. We can then rock the game in how we respond to moments of:

1. Isms & Schisms

For starters, we’d know whether folks are about a power ‘grab & hold’ or empowering ‘We the People’. The pre-amble to the Constitution might give reason to believe we should focus on the question of ‘What is your power’? The isms and schisms we often deal with are a matter of whether power is used as a ‘weapon of harm or tool of love.’ So, when you think about anti efforts on racism, sexism, homophobia and other isms and schisms we see, it’s a matter of what’s love got to do with it. In other words, SAIC expands the view of ‘We the People’ to engage more hope, change and a circle of love in the convo.

2. Lost Cause

After the civil war there was a phase of rehashing the results of the war. Many in the South felt they’d lose the ‘southern way of life’ because the franchise of slavery would be no more. Sounds familiar? There’s a kinda ‘lost cause’ these days that keeps rehashing past election results, along with the belief that demographic changes threaten their way of life. We see the effects in how some young white men respond to the idea of ‘replacement’. It’s almost like a ‘purpose disconnect’ in hearts & minds. Let’s replace ‘lost cause’ ideology or emotion, with a greater sense of purpose when you ‘color your world.’

3. Bias & Hate

A recent news report brought attention to Anti-Semitic flyers found in Jersey shore towns. Some seem to think their purpose in life is to demean/degrade others. History shows blacks were treated as second class, women were viewed as subservient and Native Americans as underclass or uncivilized. But when you ‘color your world’ with SAIC, you’ll level-up like Ralph Waldo Emerson who said “Treat a man (woman) as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will become what he should be.” Or like German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who said “The strength of a person’s spirit would then be measured by how much ‘truth’ he could tolerate, or more precisely, to what extent he needs to have it diluted, disguised, sweetened, muted, falsified.”

4. Culture Wars

Then there’re those waiting on the next conspiracy theory to drop and help spread it. The choice for us as ’We the People’ is whether we’re about gaslighting or enlightening the culture. Dr King knew the difference between the two. That’s why he embraced a non-violent approach learned from Gandhi. That became an X-factor in the success of the civil rights movement. Some folks choose to be ‘bomb throwers’ and plead ignorance about the potential for chaos and drama. And others are ‘nugget sharers’ where civic life inspires culture kick (C.L.I.C.K.). One group is about gaslighting, the other about enlightening.

With consumer products, we’re used to making shifts for a ‘new & improved’ way of doing things. Think mobile technology from OG to 5G, color TVs from No-K to 4K. We wouldn’t want them backdated but instead updated. To prevail in the Civic Revolution, we gotta create a shift in citizenship and leadership that moves us from an outdated to an updated way of seeing the issues of our day. Whether it’s the isms and schisms or culture wars, we can do our part as ‘We the People’ even among friends & family. So ‘JAM With Us’ and ‘color your world’ to get past the madness, ‘cause we were born for this moment!

To find out more about how you can “J.A.M. With Us” in civic engagement, social change and community life, checkout the flyers and QR codes below. Sign-up or learn more about the K-12 ‘Social Challenge Contests’ and the ‘Civic Life, Club Scene’ programs.

Tracks: Protoje Ft Jesse Royal – Family – https://youtu.be/258_PV8K634

The Score – Born for This – https://youtu.be/EP_CDtyV41g