Civic Group Offers Current Events Gathering

Lincoln, NE (June 20, 2022) Many people feel disconnected, disheartened, or anxious about the state of our nation. At the same time, many feel glimmers of hope for a better future. Gathering together, reckoning with others, and committing to live like citizens are key ways to build civic muscle.

That’s why Civic Nebraska hosts Civic Saturday – a national phenomenon inspiring Americans to become more powerful and active citizens. The next Civic Saturday gathering will be from 11 a.m. to noon CDT on June 25 at Oak Lake Park’s open shelter in Lincoln.

The gatherings, which began in Seattle in 2016 and have since spread to more than 100 cities across the United States, feature songs, poetry, readings of civic texts, and a “civic sermon.” Civic Saturdays also provide opportunities for informal small-group discussions.

Civic Nebraska has hosted Civic Saturdays in Nebraska since 2019. The June 25 gathering marks the organization’s tenth Civic Saturday.

“Civic Saturday gathers friends and strangers to build a sense of shared purpose in our democracy,” said Steve Smith, director of communications at Civic Nebraska. “We gather in civic community, are inspired and encouraged to reflect and connect around American ideals and our role in upholding them, and create new civic traditions that are joyful and communal.”

The theme of June 25’s gathering is Just: Like That, and will focus on ways to create a more just society. Music selections will be performed by Jack Rodenburg; original poetry will be performed by Bianca Swift; and civic readings will be led by Alicia Phillips and Sarah Walker. Smith, a writer, mentor, and community advocate, will deliver the “civic sermon.” He is a national Civic Saturday Fellow with Citizen University, which started the gatherings six years ago.

The gathering is free and open to the public. For more information and/or to RSVP, please visit https://bit.ly/CivSatJustLike.

“Those who attend Civic Saturday often express how energized and recharged they are from the experience,” Smith said. “It’s vital for us all to connect, to live as powerful, responsible citizens, and to inspire our friends, family, and neighbors to do so as well.”