See America In Color

The Emerging Hometown Debate on How to Make Culture Relevant Beyond Hashtags, Street Protests and Viral Slogans/Videos

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

It was the news story that carried the day! Heavy-duty cranes took up positions to move post-civil war statues from the public square to museums. This action was brewing for some time but gained momentum after events in Charlottesville in 2017. One official shared the view that “I’m not disappointed in how this day has gone because it’s been really wonderful to see people get so excited about history.”

There’s always been a debate on why it takes a tragedy or widespread social unrest for change to happen. And even then, sometimes the change doesn’t fully address the situation at a root cause level. That thought certainly went into how SAIC came to be. From the deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks, there were certain issues and complaints from the 50s and 60s that kept resurfacing in the 90s & 2Ks.

Part of what makes SAIC a social-edge campaign/platform is from what happens in the tech space. When an app or software system is released in the marketplace, the product team reviews errors found in the development process. This helps them make changes for the next upgrade. Some of the corrections also come from complaints made by customers using the product. This root cause analysis ensures that problems found aren’t carried forward in the next release. Then, additional ‘smarts’ and new features get added to the update by covering the wider ‘true vs false’ system conditions. This requires some product knowledge and market awareness to minimize future ‘bugs’ or operating pitfalls.

What if we could do the same by making culture relevant beyond hashtags, street protests and viral slogans/videos? These days it seems where the money resides on the sidelines and where the solution is missing, need to connect. We see examples of this dilemma when folks resort to rage marketing, woke bashing, performance art or botched journalism (selling books based on hold-back-the-facts reporting). Plus, some would prefer to have social consciousness seen as corny and civic ignorance seen as cool. But there’re other options for channeling community energy, whether through parent activism or broader civic participation as individuals and hometowns.

SAIC’s effort to “make history fun, civics fresh and culture feel-good” is about connecting the dots and bridging social divides. We’re better able to separate ‘truth vs falsehood’ concerns that tend to inflame civic/social issues. SAIC got clues on this based on what folks used to do to add smarts, style and status to their social game. One example is how some founding fathers were inspired by the Enlightenment Age where learning, facts and reasoning were valued over ideology and stuck-in-the-mud thinking. Another example is in how African-Americans benefited from starting many schools, colleges and local towns after the civil war. So SAIC updated this mindset, added in some ‘smarts’ and packaged it towards change through:

1. Education

Consider that there was a time when blacks were seen as inferior and viewed by those in religious circles as having ‘the curse of Ham’. That belief was used to demean, dehumanize and discriminate based on skin color. These days, the idea of social consciousness is being spun in some circles in a similar ‘curse’ kinda way to discredit and distract. We always hear about the 3Rs in basic education. Well, SAIC took things a step further by developing 5Rs for civics education: Rights, Responsibility, Rigor, Reach & Role. These deepen us in roots & culture for greater understanding and social savvy.

2. Equity

The work of equality has been ongoing since America’s founding. It’s been tackled in different ways throughout history by abolitionists and civil rights activists. The period from the Supreme Court rulings of Plessy vs Ferguson in 1896 to Brown vs Board of Education in 1954 saw the greatest push in this area. Now the focus isn’t just about equality but also equity. That’s what the nomination of the first black woman on the Supreme Court is about. It’s in showing that with the expertise and when given the chance, other folks can do the work and be their best at the task. That’s kinda how we went from black & white TV to color TV. We went from just ‘white’ light in the box to three streams of colored light in the box for a better picture. Equity gives a better picture of America.

3. Empowerment

The trucker protests in Canada seem to be on the move. Word is that some are headed to Washington D.C. The jury is still out on what they’re trying to achieve but it’s one example of how the idea of empowerment has become more about generating media coverage than making a difference. What the SAIC framework allows is for real empowerment in the areas of civics, career, community and culture thru gains in voice, change and impact. In other words, as the saying goes “give a man a fish you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” for your best life experiences over time.

4. Engagement

There’s a difference between excitement and engagement. Excitement often shows up as a trend. Engagement often shows up as a fixture. It’s like when a driver hits the gas to get the tires screeching, that’s excitement. There might even be tire marks to prove it. But engagement is what happens after the smoke clears. We can all find moments where we complain or protest or make a scene. But after the dust settles, what role are we gonna play to keep the fire of democracy burning or to make change happen? Was the ‘tire spinning’ just about social media branding or misinformation pushing?

Beyond the trucker protests and some of the news stories like those about banning books or students being bullied or grievance spreading, is folks trying to forge a sense of community. They want to build support around like-mindedness. Humans are social beings so in a sense the desire for community is normal. But if we add ‘smarts’, swag, status and more, we can be like those that came before us who embraced change for the greater good. We can have civic/career dreams come to life by playing hard, not just counting clicks or dollars but creating shifts and landing among the shining stars.

You can join the conversation and support our efforts with SAICs “Dear America 2022” Letters and Impact Statement at the Facebook ‘Hometown Chat’ Page here http://www.Facebook.com/seeamericaincolor.

Tracks: Drake – Come to Life – https://youtu.be/0at_WWsVeVA

Earth, Wind & Fire – Shining Star – https://youtu.be/BPtSPJK8rx8

What Black History Month Might Mean for a 2026 America: 4 Keys on Having Next Level Civics at the Forefront of Culture

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

Who’s ready for the call? Well, it depends on whether you watch the Superbowl for the commercials, the halftime show, the game itself or some combo. After a teaser on social media, the halftime show’s producers were hyping it as the best 12-minute music collab on stage. That’s less than a quarter in football play, with this year’s unexpected matchup between a newbie QB and one who reinvented himself.

Meantime, for SAIC there’s something else brewing off the field with prizes to handout. We’re calling all “Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Gen Everybody” for what’s described as a Civic Life Tournament. After a recent preview of our 2022 “Field of Dreams”, this rollout brings three social challenge contests that will empower students and communities to blaze a trail in dreams, roots & culture. It’s about how we make history fun, civics fresh and culture feel-good to bridge social/cultural divides.

Over the past few years, we’ve dealt with pandemic, protests and post-elections drama. These have highlighted some sticky civic/social issues past and present. In addition, we hear news stories about the Supreme Court candidate ‘short list’, the Electoral Count Act, college admissions criteria, banning certain topics in K-12 education and voting rights rollback. We wonder why we still can’t figure this out. SAIC’s deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks reveal the root causes being due to America’s pitfalls like:

Turning self-evident truths into ‘hypocrisy on ice’.
Letting seeds of prejudice grow into trees of racism with fruits of inequality and hate.
Debating Affirmative Action without noting discrimination and representation.
Falling prey to the ‘snowflake syndrome’.

The ‘snowflake syndrome’ is the newest way of folks trying to ‘unsee’ history. Think about going to the doctor’s office and filling-out the new patient form. They want to know if you suffer from any allergies or past health issues in your family background. The reason is so you can get sound medical advice on things to watchout for in diet, medication, etc. Even-though some stuff might be uncomfortable to hear as a patient, the doctor can’t fall prey to having only a limited view of your medical history. So why should students and citizens not learn aspects of American history as if they’re allergic to black history or it makes them somewhat uncomfortable? Isn’t the info needed towards our social well-being as a nation?

**See America In Color – Smart Civics, Better Picture**

That’s what SAIC’s ‘smart civics’ framework brings to the mix. It does so like a doctor meeting with a new patient. Plus, it’s about how we move from an outdated to an updated view of things like when we went from black & white TV to color or mobile phones from OG to 5G. This includes understanding what black history might mean for a 2026 America when the country will celebrate 250 years of independence. SAIC adds ‘smarts’ to civics education for next level content that opens our eyes to the:

1. Framers of Freedom – Frederick Douglass & Harriet Tubman

The founding fathers were ‘framers of freedom’ in forming the United States. But those like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman were framers too. He sought the abolition of slavery and she led the ‘underground railroad’ for freedom from the south. For both, freedom was less about personal self-interest and more about greater good for blacks and the nation. In other words, one view of freedom was focused on becoming a sovereign nation while the other was on how we live-up to personal, cultural and civic ideals. Even if freedom has self-interest, when broadened it’s about “E Pluribus Unum” in higher purpose.

2. Stompers of Hate – Mamie Till Mobley & Ida B. Wells

What would cause people to host a watch-party for blacks being lynched? Or to celebrate the beating of Emmett Till? Hard to imagine this happened when you think of the excitement in watching a major event on TV today. Mobley didn’t want America to ‘unsee’ what happened to her son. So even-though he was brutalized his funeral was open casket. Ida B. Wells decided she was going to put lynching on blast. As a journalist she wrote stories that helped to make America see its history in real time. Then as now, acts of hate against Blacks, Asians, Jews and other groups are tied to those stuck on ignorance, poor self-love and fear. Is that the kind of America we want to keep repeating?

3. Movers of Culture – Rosa Parks & Bob Marley

First there was Claudette Colvin who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery Alabama bus. She didn’t want folks to view her as second-class just because she was black. Nine months later Rosa Parks took a similar stand which helped set-off the Montgomery bus boycott. Bob Marley made music that moved people across the globe. In one song he chants “keep your culture, don’t be afraid of the vulture. Grow your dreadlocks, don’t be afraid of the wolfpack.” SAIC has tweaked those words in saying to America “Grow your culture towards inclusion. Don’t be afraid of the backtrackers.”

4. Changemakers of Civil Rights – Bayard Rustin & Dr Martin Luther King Jr

The first round of changemakers in the 1800s helped usher in the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th Amendments. Those weren’t enough to steer the ship so the civil rights movement of the 40s, 50s and 60s helped forge three key laws. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 dealt with discrimination in employment, commerce and public service. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 dealt with voter suppression and subversion at the polls. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 dealt with roadblocks to home-buying. Bayard Rustin played a key role as part of the LGBTQ behind-the-scenes. He was also instrumental in planning the March on Washington in 1963 where Dr King made his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. So what’s the focus of our next gen changemakers?

It helps to figure-out whether certain things in history were a feature or flaw. For example, some saw the Three-Fifths Compromise as a feature to hold on to slavery and the benefit of reduced ‘property taxes’ since blacks were treated as property and couldn’t vote. Some wanted the ‘added-value’ of govt funding that comes with higher population from counting blacks in society. But the Compromise dehumanized them as three-fifth human, which made the law a flaw. So today we gotta ask, “Is the Senate’s Filibuster rule the new Three-Fifths Compromise (it requires 60 of 100 i.e. 3/5 vote) a feature or flaw in how’s it’s applied?” If we’re looking for a better way of life and to protect voting rights it might be time for change!

Tracks: Post Malone Ft Khalid – Time for Change – https://youtu.be/5gtXnUeJ9UE

Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation – https://youtu.be/OAwaNWGLM0c

Hometown Best Op-Ed

(Part 2 of 2) America as The Social Capital of the World: But Are We on a Slip-Slide in Democracy as a Nation Towards Our Worst Instincts and Bad Side?

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

It’s a new year and by now Santa Claus made it back to his digs in the north. As folks settle-in for the winter months, there’s a flurry of sporting events that help us deal with short days and cold nights. For football fans, this season’s slate of bowl games kept them on edge due to last minute thrills or covid cancellation ills.

Not everybody was happy with things as travel was severely affected. Some folks had to jump through hoops to get back home. There were system breakdowns due to staffing shortage and bad weather. That created frustrations in air travelers who felt the airlines dropped the ball. That’s interesting when you consider other frustrations people feel these days that are tied to civic/social issues. Whether dealing with travel alerts or political drama in spurts, some might wonder, how did we get here?

It might be the case as a nation that we dropped the ball on civics. That’s basically what former military leaders shared in a public statement they released regarding the current state of American democracy. They issued a strong warning that we should recommit to civics education. SAIC has positioned itself in that lane towards building social capital, maybe on a scale that we see with organized college sports.

An advertising billboard in the south, promoting higher learning asks the question, why should we get an education? The answer on the billboard basically says, “so we can live the life of our choosing.” Similarly, civics education is important so we can move closer to becoming a more perfect Union of our choosing. That makes sense from a constitution standpoint but what about a cultural point-of-view? Well, civics is to culture as deodorant is to hygiene. Without it, the atmosphere can get funky when things smell/look bad (as happening in some areas of public affairs these days). Who we become as citizens is just as important as what we become as professionals.

SAIC’s deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks is about making history fun, civics fresh and culture feel-good. The content stream is built around a template to foster voice, change and impact in career, community and culture. It’s also about connecting the dots across history and current issues, across career dreams and purpose/passion. That’s possible when we understand the social mindset during different times throughout history as seen back in:

1. Ports & Profit – 1607

The first British settlers arrived on America’s shore in 1607 and setup shop in Jamestown Virginia. They were part of a group sponsored by the Virginia Company of London that was looking for more places to produce/sell goods. Their profit motive was also tied to creating new ports and thus trade routes to the Western World and Far East. Many struggled with disease, despair and drastic weather conditions they weren’t used to. They persevered which is why America’s story (in part) is built around profit. But when the profit-incentive led to the idea of degrading or dehumanizing people, this opened the door to slavery.

2. Property & Power – 1619

Things began to shift when 20+ Africans arrived in the Hampton area (formerly Jamestown). The early settlers were busy dividing up land amongst themselves which translated to building wealth. But beyond the physical property, human property was also in play. The settlers turned to Africans as an unpaid labor source which led to boosting their profit-driven enterprises. Whether 1619 was the first time that blacks arrived in the U.S. is often debated. But when a brand new store opens its doors there’s sometimes a “soft opening” with limited options and then a grand opening with full-scaled service.

3. Purpose & Dreams – 1620

While that was taking shape in Virginia, another group of British settlers arrived in Massachusetts. They became known as pilgrims/puritans, in part for taking a pilgrimage from a foreign land, but also because they were a religious group hoping to establish a different order for practicing their faith. They felt oppressed by the church hierarchy so the journey took on a sense of purpose to flee persecution. Maybe that’s one reason why America became known as a nation of immigrants as many others (oppressed or impressed) arrived here from countries all over the world to start anew and hopefully live the American Dream.

4. Promise & Potential – 1776

As the settlement phase of British arrivals took-off and the slavery phase of African arrivals boomed, the colonies eventually had a falling-out with the ruling class back home. Things came to a head as they felt it was time to break-off from England. The American Revolution was the road to Independence as a sovereign nation. Even-though there were attempts at Insurrection by ‘loyalists’ of Britain, the Founding Fathers drafted some important documents that would become the promise of the new nation and speak to its potential as a force for good in the world.

With news reports, political debates and social topics on generational wealth, immigration, critical race theory, reparations, religious-right, insurrection (1/6/2021) and more, they point back to key times in history. Furthermore, there’s a recurring thread on race used to stoke fears or divide/deny access and resources. With organized sports, many look past these issues if it means getting great entertainment value. So America, if you are what you say you are, a superstar, then let’s reboot civics education to rise as a nation fulfilling the promise, purpose, property and profit tied to our freedoms. That’s real social capital!

Tracks: Jon Batiste – Freedom – https://youtu.be/3YHVC1DcHmo

Lupe Fiasco Ft Matthew Santos – Superstar – https://youtu.be/hVkBlsgthLg

(Part 1 of 2) America as The Social Capital of the World: But Are We on a Slip-Slide in Democracy as a Nation Towards Our Worst Instincts and Bad Side?

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

Just after Halloween and before moving into Thanksgiving mode, word hit the airwaves that international travel restrictions would be lifted. It was one of the most welcomed news in months. Family members who were kept apart across the miles could visit one another again. When the first in-bound flight landed at JFK, it was sheer excitement as folks hugged tightly and long. But before Santa Claus could check-in for his flight from the North Pole, that news had been dampened by another Covid-19 variant.

As all this is happening on the family side of things, there’s also concern around ‘town & country’ affairs. A new report issued by Harvard’s Kennedy School that shared polling results of young people ages 18-29, showed that only 7% of them see America as a healthy democracy. It also revealed that 52% of them believe America as a democracy is either ‘in trouble’ or ‘failing.’ This info lined-up with other recent news about the first-ever time that America made the list of ‘backsliding’ democracies by an International Organization based in Sweden.

While it’s clear that family and country are on people’s minds around the holiday season, when you add in some of the events of school violence, social anxiety, health challenges and political struggle, they put matters front-and-center. SAIC’s bumper sticker slogan of “get a shot of vaccine and a boost of civics” might be a good start to helping keep families safe and citizens on point. But is it enough to get us over the ‘Covid & Conflict’ hump?

Based on a deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks, there’s more we can do towards a shared purpose. What if in 2022 our collective aim as families, communities and a nation was to have America be seen as the social capital of the world? For starters It would mean getting past some of our hangups and hiccups like:

A culture war around vaccine shots and Sesame Street’s ‘Big Bird’.
Attacking public officials for mindless reasons.
Using civic insecurity or racial backlash as a ‘wink wink’ for ignorance, as a badge of honor or for giving racism a free pass.

One of the takeaways for SAIC was realizing that life in two Americas can mean seeing in black or white, living uptown or inner city as well as spreading social division or building social capital. With division vs capital, one side is influenced by keeping history/tradition in standstill while the other is influenced by making shifts in pride/promise towards goodwill. Plus, social capital opens doors for more economic opportunity and triumphs in human spirit. Consider Santa Claus and the Christmas vibe of gifts, cheer and holiday lights. If Santa is impressed by all the multi-colored lights, then how might we work towards living and branding as the United States of See America In Color? Well, we might build social capital around:

1. Media Standing

Considering the original purpose of media was to dispel conspiracies about America’s breakaway from the British, there’s another battle today around clicks, tiks, toks and snaps. Media has been expanded to include news, sports and pop culture. Just think about organized sports and being an All-American in terms of strong academics as well as superb game skills. What if we could push a similar narrative when it came to civics and culture? It would help to raise our All-American standing as media and citizens. That’s what SAIC’s civics media/marketplace collab hopes to do as we build our social capital chops.

2. Culture Bridging

When America spun-off from Britain after the Revolution, there was a kinda cooling-off period where new words were added to the American language. While the British write ‘colour’, the Americans write ‘color’ or ‘favourite’ as ‘’favorite’. Spell-check might flag one word over the other depending on where you live. These days there’re more pressing cultural ‘red flags’ to worry about. So SAIC offers a new way of spelling-out the issues. SAIC’s new language and focus can help achieve culture-bridging even if you live in different states or on different sides of the ‘social issues’ fence.

3. Life Skilling

Dr King was quoted as saying “I Have a Dream that’s deeply rooted in the American Dream.” The SAIC translation says he was talking about career dreams and civic dreams. No matter one’s field of dreams, whether sports, biz, Hollywood or other life pursuits there’s some expectation of growing in your line of work. This means knowing more, improving on your skills and maybe even gaining stature in the game. Similarly, celebrities and citizens can build social capital by growing in public affairs so that life-skilling isn’t just about making money but also about connecting the dots in history, civics, culture and social impact.

4. Solution Building

We wonder if public service for some is more about cultural performing than solution building, conflict than common good. Yea, it’s hard to legislate against hypocrisy/ego but we can educate against ignorance/deception or agitate against inequality/injustice. SAIC can add value by how we build social capital, spur civic renewal and maybe even move folks away from a love affair with an election lie, for the sake of our democracy. In other words, it’s like putting civics on a treadmill or doing ‘bend & stretch’ moves for upping our social game as “Healthy People, Healthy Planet, Healthy Public-Good.”

We learn at an early age by mastering the 3Rs, aka Reading wRiting and aRithmetic. They are building blocks for an education and achieving our career dreams. But what about those civic dreams? Maybe we need to consider a fourth ‘R’ for civic Rigor. This way we not just see ourselves as Americans from a family perspective but also raise our standing as All-American citizens. No kid wants to be on Santa’s ‘naughty’ list and no adult should want to see democracy go down the drain. So, if we can build social capital, it will be like what dreams are made of where it feels good to be alive!

You can join the conversation and support our efforts with SAICs “Dear America 2021” Letters and Impact Statement at the Facebook ‘Hometown Chat’ Page here http://www.Facebook.com/seeamericaincolor.

Tracks: Beyoncé – Be Alive – https://youtu.be/4wYdZi3tFJ4

Mickey Guyton – All American – https://youtu.be/mCUrFtE8lno

Thanksgiving and The Pilgrim’s Journey to America: What It Means Today for Having a Strong Voice in the Streets or Corporate Suites

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

Some retailers are beginning to worry if the Christmas holiday shopping season is gonna be a boom or bust. There’s been news of supply chain issues and ships stuck at sea waiting to be unloaded. One test-case for the holiday season will be the Black Friday gift-buying grab. But first there’s Thanksgiving Day when many families sit around the table for a big meal.

This American traditional feast was supposedly started not long after the pilgrims set foot on New England shore. Before they arrived, a local indigenous tribe celebrated the occasion as a feast of thanks-giving for the harvest. Then they invited the pilgrims to their feast. The pilgrims liked the idea and adopted it as Thanksgiving for safe passage from Europe. Over the years it grew in appeal and during the brutal years of the Civil War, President Lincoln kinda made it “certified official” as an American holiday custom.

It’s a big part of the kickoff to the end-of-year holiday season. It’s also a great time to hangout with family and friends with food, football and lively spirits to go along. So, at first it went from an indigenous custom to a pilgrim and Native American occasion for coming together. Not sure what has the potential to do that now, considering the culture war climate that exists. As if the vaccine debate wasn’t enough, the drama has spilled over into municipal workers as well as public education around how we learn history.

But what some miss as a takeaway from the first sit-down between the native tribe and the pilgrims might be a lesson for all the “tribe talk” in today’s socio-political world. It’s a hard concept to grasp these days when you hear all the squabbles on the election campaign trail or some cable news tale. The OG native Americans were open to the idea of “think self but beyond self.” Interestingly, this idea might also have been a test-case for America’s future in how it handled the sharing of opportunity, inalienable rights and economic benefits with all its citizens. We see that struggle even today with public policy negotiations.

SAIC’s deep-dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks revealed something else about the pilgrims. They were “sick & tired” of the social/religious climate at home. So they took the journey from England to America which speaks to how to “walk in your calling” and have a strong voice in the streets or corporate suites. This might even cause us to ask, “what is America’s True Calling?” The process of answering that question has been folded into SAIC as a social-edge campaign and platform. America’s true calling is not simply about advocating for democracy or defending human rights or promoting fair trade. But more for real it’s about how we engage our:

1. Better Angels

During the early part of the Civil War, Lincoln had a major decision to make. Was he for abolishing slavery or for saving the Union? Initially, it was more the latter. He really didn’t want southern states to break-away from the US. He asked folks to think about a more “eternal reason” for keeping the union in tack. In his first inaugural address he called on the nation to summon the “better angels of our nature.” That’s one way to understand the idea of “walking in your calling” or appreciating how Lincoln may have been trying to connect America to its True Calling.

2. Shared Purpose

Every year on Thanksgiving morning, families look forward to the holiday parade. It’s an event for the kids who enjoy seeing the balloons high in the air. It’s also enjoyed by parents, because maybe it’s a reminder of younger days feeling full of wonder. The idea of parades and marching bands is good ol’ American apple pie, with a great feeling of excitement in coming together. That’s what SAIC with its framework, focus, functions and features represents. It’s about bringing a feeling of excitement and wonder in coming together for a shared purpose.

3. Civic Renewal

Throughout history, America has seen many rounds of turmoil and strife. There were rebellions that shook the powers-that-be when it came to abolishing slavery. Fannie Lou Hamer was the first to coin the term “sick & tired of being sick & tired” but there were others who understood that feeling. They reached the point of having seen enough, so they took steps to make change or make a difference. While Hamer had an unsuccessful run for congress, that didn’t stop her from “walking in her calling.” Her actions led to the civil rights movement taking shape in the south. In a sense, it was her investment in civic renewal.

4. Public Good

In the process of getting an education, we graduate by completing a certain number of credits. That means we’ve earned some level of knowledge and understanding in an area that will serve us well later in life. That’s true whether going on from high school to college or vo-tech, or from college to a professional career. If what we do with academics prepares us for a life in biz or career, then what we do in civics can prepare us for a life of public-good. SAIC’s vision around ‘smart civics’ is about how we achieve a more socially healthy way of life towards public-good.

W.E.B. Dubois wrote in his book and was also quoted in a speech saying, “The problem of the twentieth century is the color-line.” Well for America, SAIC believes the challenge in the twenty-first century is the color-stream. As a family, when we watch the social issues unfold, we gotta get away from seeing history as a projection stream of “white light” (the way a black & white TV works), to seeing history as projection streams of “colored light” (read, green and blue, the way a color TV works). In combining American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks, just imagine how much of a better picture we’ll have of civic/social issues for a higher level or citizenship?

Tracks: Emeli Sandé – Family – https://youtu.be/vsGSo5XMDQQ

Common – Imagine (Live Session) – https://youtu.be/vP6cDIyLPEk

Upcoming Events

Men’s Panel, Thursday 11/11/21 6:30pm ET. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvf-qopzMpHNd1QvbuSaiDHD0erMZ9NmNe

Women’s Panel, 11/15/21 6:30pm ET. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZModuqhrz8iHNYTL9Fmh-IChQ-ihMCTNaS9

The Sliding Scale of America’s Standing at Home and Abroad: Running Out of Trust or Filling-up on Hate Moves us Farther Apart

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

It was a full house in the building! With Tom Brady’s return to the Patriots stadium, fans lined-up to be there in the seats. The tailgating had it all. The pre-game coverage was in high gear. Ticket prices went through the roof with the game billed as one of the most anticipated regular season matchups in a while.

There was another full house happening elsewhere though. As schools re-opened for in-person classes, school board meetings saw a spike in attendance. Parents weren’t there to celebrate returning “back to life better.” Instead, they came to create a raucous over kids wearing masks or practicing other Covid precautions. Even the FBI has been called-in to the situation. Makes you wonder, can we build trust as a bridge, and momentum to crossover the cultural divide that needs civic repair?

Here we have two situations: one involves sports where fans show up to cheer an athlete seen as the G.O.A.T. While at other venues, parents show up to scold school officials who’re looking out for families’ best interest. Just one example of the sliding scale of America’s standing at home and abroad and the cultural divide that needs hope for despair. Yes, it can be hard to build trust across this divide or other misplaced pride if you’re not sure whether people are operating in good faith.

The question of how to address ongoing concerns around civic/social issues kinda led to SAIC. In the process, it also became clear that we could take a page from changes in technology over the past 50 years. For example, just in the last 20 years we’ve gone from flip phones to smartphones to more recently a ‘flip smartphone.’ There’s even a phone app for keyless entry into our cars or to adjust interior features. So, if we can add ‘smarts’ to systems and gadgets, why can’t we do it for civics?

One thing we see common with cell phones and ‘smart TVs’ is a new way to improve device usage. Sometimes when there’s a problem, the FAQ tells us to “check your settings.” For some adjustments it’s an on-off toggle. For others it’s a sliding scale setting from low-end to high-end for each category. What if we had a similar approach to handling civic/social issues? Forget party affiliation for a second, we could check our settings of awareness, ideology, ego, truth, integrity/shame, DEI and so on. Now if that’s not good enough, SAIC recommends checking some other universal (or systemwide) settings of:

1. Vision vs Division

We gotta choose seeds of vision over seeds of division. It’s been said where there’s no vision, the people suffer. That’s an old-school take on the proverb. A new-school take on the same idea reveals that oftentimes where there’s deep-seated division, it’s possible there’s little or no vision. If we could just make an adjustment on the sliding scale from division to vision, it would go a long way to enhancing America’s standing, maybe your own startup’s branding or a public official’s approach and messaging.

2. Function vs Dysfunction

Think about building a bridge to span water or a land gap. A lot of engineering goes into the specs and the decks. For that bridge to be of useful function, it’s gotta be designed to work and then work as designed. Some challenges we have around civic/social issues involve less effort being made around civic function and more social media buzz around dysfunction. If our daily lives are spent stirring-up anger, resentment and distrust, we get misinformation, disinformation and maybe even Insurrection. What if we spent the same time instead building a bridge to span the civics gap and drive American Dreams?

3. Fusion vs Confusion

Public officials spent months trying to hash-out changes that would improve social justice matters after the George Floyd killing. Then we got word that those discussions went silent. Again, using technology as a guide, the beautiful picture we see on our color TV set is from the fusion of red, green and blue (RGB), each in its right intensity. It would be an improvement if our public officials could discuss things in good faith to avoid confusion and then come up with the right mix of equality, justice and economic opportunity. We don’t watch our TV set with the brightness set to the high-end because that would be blinding, or at the low-end because that would be blank or just dark.

4. Exception vs Exceptionalism

Some of the conflict we have today isn’t so much about the rule. It’s more about folks wanting to create an exception. In some minds, it’s a kinda “freedom exception” they’re pushing. While for every rule there are usually exceptions, it’s no longer much of a rule if everyone gets an exception. There was a time Americans enjoyed being known for having a reputation of exceptionalism. One way to understand the stalemate we see in resolving civic/social issues is the degree to which we’re striving for too many exception overrides than the push for exceptionalism.

If tech isn’t your thing in figuring-out how to “check your settings” to improve device usage, then try a sports example. Over the past few years, we’ve seen the use of video replay across multiple sports. That’s their version of “check the call” to improve the game. We’ve seen sports leaders do it for fans, tech leaders do it for consumers, science leaders do it for civilian space flight, so what’s holding us back on civic/social issues in doing it for citizens and the country? It can’t be that we think our best days are behind us or we’re feeling like things should remain in the dark.

Tracks: Alessia Cara – Best Days – https://youtu.be/TPv64Y56I_4

Swae Lee Ft Jhene Aiko – In the Dark – https://youtu.be/2LJjtyNnOWc

A Civic Leadership Assignment: Get the Best Score for a More Socially Healthy Way of Life as a Culture-Setter

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

It’s that time of year again! As classrooms and boardrooms return to their regularly scheduled programming, some think this go-around is gonna be different. There’re those focused on the back-to-school drill of lessons, labs and laps around the field/pool. And for others there’s the back-to-the-office skill that’s been working from home when the workplace was shuttered.

With the Covid pandemic and delta variant causing concern, decision-makers and power brokers are keeping an eye on things from a mental health perspective. But other factors exist as we all try to bounce back from Covid spread, economic shutdown, social protests and post-election drama. Add to that the recent rounds of natural disasters like storms and fires. In other words, we’re all trying to return “back to life better.”

The SAIC initiative “Operation J.U.M.P. for Joy” has helped to jumpstart things, with the idea of “get a shot of vaccine and a boost of civics.” But to keep momentum going and the passion churning we can take lessons from history based on two questions around ‘Hometown Strong’ comebacks that folks before us have served-up as a roadmap:

How did they overcome the struggle to get their breakthrough?
How did they build excellence to live their best life?

During the initial school year students can expect a subject refresher. As the saying goes “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” Well, it might also make sense whether as students/educators, civic leaders, community/public officials and HR practitioners to review what makes SAIC a social-edge campaign & platform. Yes, in part it’s because SAIC brings a better picture of civic/social issues for a higher level of citizenship. But it’s also because of how it links history and civics to infuse a ‘winning spirit’ in culture from elementary to post-secondary to professional life.

For those culture-setters in different organizations trying to foster a more socially healthy way of life, SAIC is built on combining American History, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. The genius of the “smart civics” factor runs through 7 phases, 3 communities and 2 questions to help society lessen the impact of partisan hang-ups and social flare-ups. The two questions above are major keys on forging #HometownStrong comebacks by how we handle:

1. Fear

Throughout history, fear has been used as a weapon in the culture wars. It shows up as “fear of the other” based on isms and schisms around race, country of origin or LGBTQ status. In a basic sense, fear is meant to be a protector or motivator. If a situation might cause harm, fear is there to protect us. If a situation might cause second-guessing, we use fear as a motivator. The second guessing could involve possible concern around making a ‘fool of ourselves’. Getting past the second-guessing means recognizing when F.E.A.R. is simply a case of ‘fools error acting ready’ to distract, disable or deny.

2. Faith

Something else we find in history, is religion being used in harmful ways around matters of faith. That left some people wondering, “Is God really on our side or only on their side?” Those who were able to overcome the struggle during the civil rights movement used faith less as a ‘fool’s crutch’ and more as a strong clutch with a change process. They found strength in building excellence to live their best life by breaking the hold fear had on them to experience a butterfly-breakthrough. It’s like F.E.A.R. became ‘faith effort acting real’ as a mantra and clutch-move to achieving social, professional and personal goals.

3. Firsts

Those who made history in different areas are often known for achieving some kinda ‘first’. Whether it was a ‘first’ in a personal/professional way or a ‘first’ in a more group-engaged way, they were able to shine a light or reach new height in a job, career or vocation. Making history today still involves achieving new ‘firsts’ by how we serve a larger purpose or tap unserved/underserved potential. That’s why SAIC’s mission to “awaken sleeping greatness with smart civics” focuses on how we reach higher in civic engagement, American Dream and civics education. Maybe there’re some ‘firsts’ in our future.

4. Face

It’s been said “not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.” The same is true if we’re gonna return “back to life better” and achieve #HometownStrong comebacks or celebrate #FamilyStrong moments. The storms of life seem more frequent and brutal. The politics of life seem more divided and dysfunctional. There’re certain truths we all need to face to get moving with change or change what’s not moving. Those who engage with life’s truths often become the ‘face’ of an enterprise, movement or comeback story.

So the SAIC civic leadership assignment is about raising our score as culture-setters. Medical experts these days are focused on our mental/physical well-being with programs to get us booster shots of vaccine or personal therapy. But SAIC is focused on #HometownStrong and #FamilyStrong efforts for a more socially healthy way of life by how we handle fear, engage faith, achieve firsts and become the face of an enterprise, movement or comeback story. Whether you’re an American teen, young adult or working professional, we’re headed to a new normal…some kinda way someday.

Tracks: Khalid – American Teen – https://youtu.be/0NChtZCDCsY

One Republic – Someday – https://youtu.be/vNfgVjZF8_4

(Re)United by Civics in the Real World: With a Winning Spirit in Culture to Move Past Partisan Hang-ups and Social Flare-ups

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

Who’s ready to beat the virus? There’s growing concern that we’re not quite out the woods yet with Covid-19. The delta variant rate of spread is a cause for concern in many parts of the country. Why it’s become such a political football might take some time to unpack. But how about we focus on rallying around a solution as a team like they do at mission control?

That’s somewhat how the conversation went during the early founding of the nation when the question then was, “Who’s ready to beat the British?” A series of events had triggered a backlash to British rule which eventually led to the American Revolution. Patriot leaders like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin pulled together a gameplan for victory as a team and nation.

The plan was built around modest military strategy for sure, but they were also “united by civics.” Some concerns they had to manage resulted in critical decisions and civic actions:

They formed the Continental Congress and Continental Army as a “common good, shared defense” approach to the vast strength of the British forces.
They directed the creation of the “free press” in response to misinformation and disinformation that was in circulation.

The American patriots realized that if the colonies were divided and not on one accord, the British could undermine the weak link. They also had to contend with folks in neighboring Quebec Canada who were spreading bad info about the U.S. mission. Well, the Covid-19 virus is no joke and works by affecting the unvaccinated as the weak link. In addition, there’s no reason why media outlets today, born out of the idea of a “free press” should be spreading misinformation. Public leaders and everyday citizens should be ready to join a strategy to beat the virus, squash bad info and come together for the greater good.

If the patriots back then had the ‘smarts’ to be united by civics, what might it take for us to be (re)united by ‘smart civics’ in the real world, with a winning spirit? Well, maybe we can look to the new space race or the Olympics for clues. For the space race it’s about being united by science. The Olympic athletes and countries come together united by sports. So if we’re gonna beat the virus and return “back to life better” as a nation after Covid, social protests and post-election challenges, maybe we’ll need to copy what happens in sports during a timeout. That’s the idea behind SAICs “Operation J.U.M.P. for Joy.”

Normally during a timeout, there’re four things that happen between the last play and return-to-play when teams J.U.M.P. back into action. Well, Covid-19 forced a kinda timeout on regular life. Moving forward as we return to the workplace, school campus and other normal activities it might help to infuse those four things in our day-to-day living. Plus, Operation J.U.M.P. is about linking history and civics as we urge others to get a “shot of vaccine and boost of civics” and return back to life better with:

Juice

On the sidelines during a timeout, athletes can be seen chugging their favorite sports drink. During play they lose lots of fluid and these drinks along with water, help to replenish them with electrolytes. This way they avoid getting weak from dehydration. Well, we can do the same to replenish some of what the Covid shutdown caused us to lose. For starters, it makes sense to get a shot of vaccine as our ‘juice’ to protect us from bad effects of the virus causing infection, exhaustion, dehydration and possible hospitalization.

2. Urgency

Players return to the field after a timeout pep-talk from the coaching staff. This might involve pointing out ways to overcome their opponent. In most cases you can see the sense of urgency they have back in the game. Similarly, where things are today with civic, social, cultural and Covid issues, we need to respond with a sense of urgency. Maybe words from Dr King fit here: “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

3. Moxie

Not only do athletes show-up with a sense of urgency, but they also bring some moxie. That means they gotta have a fighting spirit in the game. You often see this with ‘hustle’ plays where things start to bounce their way. Moxie might not always show up in the game stats but it often shows up in the team energy. That’s why we say SAIC isn’t about seeing others as a new enemy as much as it is about bringing a new energy to the civic/social playing field.

4. Purpose

In an interview with famed basketball coaching legend John Wooden, he was once asked about the success he had at UCLA over his career. The reporter basically wanted to know how he got different players to come together as a team, even when they weren’t all 5-star athletes. Wooden’s response captured his coaching philosophy. He said, “Each player on the team must find a role for himself and a purpose beyond himself.” SAIC is built on a similar philosophy geared towards a higher level of citizenship.

These days, some stir-up drama about whether Simone Biles lived up to her G.O.A.T. status at the Tokyo Olympics. Others spread bad info causing vaccine hesitancy. SAICs Operation J.U.M.P. wants us to focus more on being united by civics. So, we’ll need Juice for the Journey, Urgency to Up-level, Moxie to Matter and Purpose to Party! The idea of the Revolution as a time to “fight for freedom or die” gets used as an excuse to justify not taking the vaccine. Well, we can be like those in 1776 whose fight for freedom was to beat the British and begin a new nation. Today we fight for freedom to beat the virus and return back to life better with a new lease on life.

Tracks: GAWVI ft LeCrae – Fight for Me – https://youtu.be/LYU9RWkvhwo

Andy Grammer – Lease on Life – https://youtu.be/-SiifUgGqAs

When History Calls: How Moments in Time Became Movements of a People

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

Maybe where you are, it’s one of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer. When the July 4^th holiday rolls around you know that fireworks gonna be flying and temps gonna be soaring. When it’s behind us we’re in the dog days of hot weather. On those lazy days you just don’t feel like doing much. The hazy days might have you trying to stay cool to the point of chill. What about the crazy days?

Well, we can start with the drumbeat around civic and social issues. Whether it’s the cancel culture debate or the critical race theory backlash, there’re some who want to keep the grievance thing going. There’re also some public officials who seem to believe democracy is up for sale. Not to be overlooked are events around the isms and schisms of our era. These situations make you wanna flashback to a time and consider what to do when history calls.

That flashback might reveal that the worst of America wants to be stuck on rage. While the best of America wants to reach a new stage. Throughout our history we’ve tried to balance how White America thinks and how Black America treads. It’s also been a balancing act of trying to do big things in the spirit of history and doing other things more like in the spirit of misery. So what do we see happening today?

From our founding to current we’ve had social change come about in waves. Whether that wave made a difference tells you something about how moments in time became movements of a people. A sports commentator might say a wave in the stands is a sign of boredom. A beachgoer might see a wave as a time for fun or relaxation, but a lifeguard knows it can also come with a dangerous undercurrent. So in terms of social issues, a wave might be an indication of being on the right side or wrong side of history, depending on whether it’s driven by boredom, a racial undercurrent or a higher sense of purpose.

See America In Color (SAIC) as a social edge campaign/platform reveals a fairly basic thing about the waves in American history. In the early days they started out being tied to two sets of colors, not simply black and white but also black and green. In 1607 when the first settlers arrived in Virginia it was in part about the ‘green’ of the Benjamins. They were looking for new export markets and many would eventually build their enterprise around the ‘black’ side of slavery. In 1620 there was a different group (known as pilgrims/puritans) who came on the Mayflower and landed at ‘Plymouth Rock’. They came in search of religious freedom. Where the two paths seem to meet is in suppressing and distorting the freedoms of Blacks (seems like a ‘freedom’ contradiction, right?). Since then, we’ve seen these waves play out in:

Revolution – Declaration of Independence

When it seemed like the freedom thing wasn’t quite working out for settlers, they eventual got to the point of revolution. This meant breaking away from England and forming a new country with a statement of purpose drafted as the Declaration of Independence. There was a ‘meeting of the minds’ around the notion of equality, which right off the bat fell short in practice. There was also a resolution to turn grievances into a set of ideals and principles which were put into the founding documents.

2. Suffrage – Declaration of Sentiments

When women saw how the equality thing wasn’t working out, they got together to fight for suffrage and the right to participate in civic affairs. This led to the Declaration of Sentiments as a statement of purpose around duty to country and gender equality. Interestingly, the equality thing wasn’t working out for blacks either and for black women especially, it was a matter of feeling hidden or having their roles lessened. It’s important to note that there were men (including Frederick Douglass) who signed-on to this declaration to show support.

3. Secession – Declaration of Causes

The equality thing was still a struggle for blacks. This came to a head as the fight around slavery led to secession, the Declaration of Causes and eventually a civil war. This declaration was more a statement of animus than purpose because it was about maintaining the enterprise of slavery and protecting states’ rights. The 11 seceding states broke away from the union to be separate from the Federal government and to keep the dehumanizing function of slavery intact for economic reasons. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost but eventually, the Emancipation Proclamation was the preview of a movement which continued towards civil rights.

4. Destiny – Declaration of Emergence

So while the struggle has shifted over time from freedom to suffrage to slavery to civil rights, yet still the journey continues. Now we’re at a point where it’s about handling the truth. It’s as if the words “we hold these truths to be self-evident” are on a path to being eroded or erased. With GPS, you get to your destination with the truth-in-location that guides you to your destination. Similarly, with SAIC we can get to our best self individually and ‘a more perfect Union’ collectively as a nation with SAICs Declaration of Emergence and the truth that guides us to our destiny.

So if you’re wondering how some white people think, look at how America continues to struggle around issues of race, access, opportunity, duty. If you’re wondering how black people have had to tread, just look at the voting rights debate and other aspects of history that seem to be repeating themselves. We’ve seen different kinds of waves over the past 400+ years. Maybe after Independence Day we can think about a new wave in how we See America In Color to help ease the struggle around equality and move closer to our destiny. We shouldn’t be afraid to look truth in the eye and know our worth.

Tracks: Nico & Vinz – Don’t be Afraid – https://youtu.be/U5k8d4oK45E 

Khalid – Know Your Worth – https://youtu.be/aEDULPGIwcg

Smart Civics 101 and We the People: Influencing Culture in the Classroom, at Work or Your Field of Dreams

Doc Cunningham
Sounding Off Social

The tassels and caps are flying! Whether it’s in middle school through college or trade school, many graduates are taking their last strolls before leaving campus. With Covid being less of a factor there’s room to laugh, hug and for some maybe even twerk their way to the next stage in learning, work and life.

Others have an eye on the reopening of stadiums with more butts in the seats. Fans got a treat recently when Simone Biles did a jaw-dropping routine that’s never been done before by a female gymnast. Maybe in the same sports report on the evening news we heard about Phil Mikelson becoming the oldest player to win a PGA tournament at age 50.

While all that good stuff is happening, we’re still trying to figure out hot-button social issues. Sometimes it’s a gut-wrenching tragedy that makes no sense. Other times it’s head-scratching comments made by public officials. These make you wonder when things are gonna settle back to ‘normal’ after the pandemic, social protests and post-election drama showing up as voting audits with shady intentions.

It’s time for ‘Smart Civics 101’ and We the People to influence culture to the max in the classroom, at work or your field of dreams. It’s gonna take a new push in social intelligence. What’s that you ask? Well with current challenges around homeland security, we rely on national intelligence. Troop deployment and readiness rely on military intelligence. So, we can do more to better handle bias, hate and the culture war that’s at play. It’s why we need social intelligence more than ever before.

Remember those days as kids when we’d sing the words to a song but as we grew older, we realized we were singing the wrong words? Nowadays you can search the lyrics online and set yourself straight. That’s exactly how SAIC sees things from the point of view of civic/social issues. It’s about how we deliver not lyrics but civics so that you can see things straight with the issues of the day. This means bringing:

Awareness

Folks from the deep south know about the Tulsa Massacre 100 years ago. The painful stories still bubble-up some anger today. There’re also stories of lynching that make your body coil. Consider the lynching cases or racial attacks in history that were often based on a lie? Someone is falsely accused of winking at a girl (e.g. Emmett Till), then a mob showed up to do damage. What do we see today, that’s repeating itself? Restrictive voting laws being passed based on a lie, which will disenfranchise people as a kinda lynching of democracy. We need more social intelligence to build knowledge.

2. Knowledge

With American history, we learn about Settlement, Slavery, Independence, Civil War, Reconstruction, Segregation & Civil Rights. But did you know that throughout history there’s been this repeating back-and-forth between greater promise and power struggle? In the early days it was between “all men created equal” and abolishing slavery. What followed that was between Emancipation Proclamation and the fight to end segregation with civil rights. These days the back-and-forth is between multi-racial society and white nationalism wrapped-up with disinformation. We need more social intelligence to build smarts.

3. Smarts

During normal educational training we go from awareness to knowledge too. Then we arrive at a point of developing smarts. This way we can apply concepts in context to solve more difficult problems. If you’re working with software and writing code, the most basic instruction you learn to use is the ‘If’ clause. It’s a critical part of knowing whether a statement or system condition is true, before the next step. Otherwise, the system can get into a suspended or ‘hung’ state. That’s another reason why we need more social intelligence today to avoid being in a ‘hung-up’ state with civic/social issues and to build more hope.

4. Hope

Think about when you graduated to the next level? Getting to that point gave you hope for the future. But there seems to be a breakdown happening. How else do we explain the Tulsa Massacre then or recent mass casualty incidents now? It’s mental health, seething hate or lost hope where folks don’t see themselves contributing to society. Dr King ended his famous speech with the repeated refrain ‘I Have a Dream’. He hoped for a day when his children wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Well, we can build hope by raising the content of our character or the ‘smarts’ of our civics.

This isn’t about ‘smart shaming’ people. It’s about adding ‘smarts’ to civics like with gadgets and building social intelligence. Throughout history we’ve gone from forming a nation with the Declaration of Independence. We’ve come through freeing a people with the Emancipation Proclamation. Then we had a phase of challenging a ‘separate but equal’ notion to achieve civil rights legislation. Now we’re at a point of up-leveling our citizenship by how we reboot civics education. That’s gotta be for us like fuel for today, hope for tomorrow and motivation to run on and experience personal power or higher achievement.

Tracks: One Republic – Run – https://youtu.be/TKkcsmvYTw4

Coldplay – Higher Power – https://youtu.be/gXgf5smLEgQ

6/4 Finale Event registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkf-6hrDkvHN05O9ehnqgNwGBiHsXSan-d