Our Blog
Up-to-date information about GC and the broader community we serve.
Feb212018Read More >Resources for Educators Addressing the Parkland Shooting
Last week, amidst a terrible tragedy, we were reminded that schools are places that fundamentally foster hope. We at Generation Citizen have grieved along with the rest of the nation, both shocked and saddened to live in a country in which shootings at schools have become all too commonplace. But even in a time of pain […]
Feb152018Read More >We’re Hiring a Web Manager and Graphic Designer- Freelance Consulting Position
Generation Citizen Web Manager and Graphic Designer – Freelance Consulting Position About Generation Citizen Generation Citizen (GC) is an innovative, quickly scaling nonprofit that envisions a country of young people working as active and effective citizens to collectively strengthen our American democracy. GC’s ultimate mission is to ensure that every student in the United States […]
Feb142018Read More >GC finds a new partner for civics education in NYC City Hall
Generation Citizen applauds Mayor de Blasio for prioritizing democracy reform, including civics education, in his State of the City speech tonight. Nationwide, political disillusion, disengagement, and illiteracy are rampant across all age demographics, especially in local politics. These challenges are especially pronounced among young people. Nationally, only 8 percent of 18–24-year-olds voted in the 2014 […]
Feb122018Read More >Beyond Free Speech
Beyond Free Speech A Civic Sermon for Noisy Times By Molly Cohen, Rhode Island Program Manager In January, I traveled to Seattle for four days of training as an inaugural member of Citizen University’s Civic Seminary. The program brought together eleven civic leaders from across the country to learn the traditions of American civic religion and […]
- Feb092018Read More >
We’re Hiring a Chief of Staff
Generation Citizen: Chief of Staff Generation Citizen (GC) is looking for a dynamic, motivated relationship-builder and leader to serve as its first Chief of Staff. The primary responsibilities of the Chief of Staff will be to provide critical, high-level support to the CEO and COO, serving as a trusted advisor and resource as well as the […]
Feb052018Read More >The Next NYC Schools Chancellor Must Address the City’s Stark Civic Engagement Gap
The Next NYC Schools Chancellor Must Address the City’s Stark Civic Engagement Gap by DeNora Getachew, New York City Executive Directorand Erin Garry, Assistant Principal at the Bronx Academy of Letters and member of Generation Citizen’s Local Advisory Board On January 14, 2017 the New York Times published an editorial “Some Bright Hopes for New […]
Feb012018Read More >Action Civics Landscape
Generation Citizen, in partnership with The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), has launched The Action Civics Landscape, a digital, interactive visualization of Action Civics and Action Civics-adjacent organizations. About the Map: Action Civics is defined by the National Action Civics Collaborative as “a student-centered, project-based […]
Jan182018Read More >Call for Papers: Re-Imagining a 21st Century Democracy
Re-Imagining a 21st Century Democracy is a pilot journal that will crowd-source ideas on how to improve democratic practice from a citizen-centric perspective. We are looking for new ideas on ways that communities can engage individuals in democracy and promote democratic behavior and values, whether through educational practices, grassroots mobilization, government initiatives, or other means (largely […]
Jan112018Read More >What We’re Reading
Happy New Year! Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Teaching Civics in a Hyperpartisan Climate, Education […]
Jan112018Read More >GENERATION CITIZEN ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF KUNAL MODI AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Generation Citizen (GC) is excited to announce that, as of January 1st, Kunal Modi is the new Chairperson of the National Board of Directors. As we enter into an ambitious three year strategic plan, we are thrilled that Kunal will help lead the organization to the next level as it seeks to transform the way […]
Jan082018Read More >TEACHER MEETUP SPRING 2018
CALLING ALL GENERATION CITIZEN EDUCATORS JOIN THE MEETUP AND FIND SUPPORT AND RESOURCES FOR TEACHING ACTION CIVICS THIS SEMESTER PURPOSE An Action Civics project can be challenging both for the students and the teacher. It requires a lot of planning and preparation by everyone involved and the implemented lessons and activities are often different than […]
Dec282017Read More >WATCH: GENERATION CITIZEN BY THE NUMBERS 2017
As 2017 comes to a close, we are grateful to Generation Citizen students, teachers, Democracy Coaches, and supporters for another tremendous year of growth and impact. Watch this video to see how many of you helped advance action civics education this year.
- Dec242017Read More >
We’re Hiring a Program Associate for the Teacher-Led Program
Generation Citizen New York City Program Associate (Teacher-Led) Position Overview Generation Citizen New York City is looking for an exceptional young professional to join our team as New York City Program Associate. The Program Associate will work directly with teachers and youth to support Action Civics programming in New York City classrooms. About Generation Citizen […]
Dec222017Read More >College Ready: Hunter College Democracy Coach Exposes GC Students to University Life
Democracy Coach, April Snape, Shares Her Howard University Experience with Generation Citizen Students Serving as a Generation Citizen Democracy Coach, from the Hunter College Chapter, in the fall of 2017 gave me the platform and voice to not only help students learn the importance of being civically engaged, but to aid them in becoming college-ready. […]
Dec202017Read More >Generation Citizen Launches New Action Civics Programming in San Diego, CA and Camden, NJ
Generation Citizen’s Juanita Montes de Oca, Manager of National Program and Curriculum Development, and Sarah Andes, Director of Programming, with Cooper’s Poynt School teacher Erin Garrity and U.S. Wiggins College Preparatory LAB Family School teacher, Larry Livingston, in Camden, NJ. Generation Citizen Launches New Action Civics Programming in San Diego, CA and Camden, NJ New […]
Dec112017Read More >Kaira Watts-Bey, Generation Citizen Student, Shares Public Testimony on the Importance of Action Civics and Diversity in Schools
On December 7, 2017, Generation Citizen NYC student, Kaira Watts-Bey, submitted public testimony to the New York City Council’s Education Committee. Here she explains her experience in a Generation Citizen class and how it empowered her to address the issue of diversity in New York City public schools. Read on! Testimony by Kaira Watts-Bey […]
Dec082017Read More >Generation Citizen Selected as Grant Recipient by the Texas Bar Foundation
For Immediate Release: Friday, December 8, 2017 Contact: Meredith Norris mnorris@generationcitizen.org 512-914-4812 Generation Citizen Selected as Grant Recipient by the Texas Bar Foundation AUSTIN, TX (December 7, 2017) — The Texas Bar Foundation has selected Generation Citizen as a grant recipient for its work “Growing Young Civic Leaders in Central Texas.” The support […]
- Dec072017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Don’t Stop the Presses! When Local News Struggles, […]
Jan272017Read More >Shifting the Age Curve: A Smart Approach to Increasing Voter Turnout
We have a voter participation crisis in the United States – most agree on this. The US ranks 31st out of 35 OECD countries in voter turnout. In the 2016 election, four out of ten eligible voters did not cast a ballot, similar to the rate in 2012. Turnout in midterm and local elections is […]
Nov162016Read More >Dana Harris: Action civics education is more important now, than ever.
Dana Harris, Generation Citizen’s Advocacy Manager, shares her perspective on political disillusionment – and how you can help us change it. I grew up with the belief that in order to make real change in this country, I had to work around government, not through it. I spent my high school years committed to […]
Sep272016Read More >Why We’re Going to Texas: A Former Austin Teacher Shares Her Powerful Story
Meredith Norris, Austin native and former teacher, is leading the effort to bring Generation Citizen to Central Texas. Here she tells us why. I started my teaching career in 2012 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Debates over Common Core and teacher evaluation ran rampant. Standards and test scores were valued above all, but the […]
Sep122016Read More >4 Reasons Why You Should Vote in New York’s Primary Election
4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE IN NEW YORK’S PRIMARY ELECTION By Bonnie Mills and Nora Howe, Generation Citizen New York Program Associates Tomorrow, September 13th, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote for their State Senator and Assemblymember, all of whom are up for reelection in the state primary election. But why should […]
Jun282016Read More >Young People Could Have Stopped Brexit
In the aftermath of last week’s globally consequential Brexit referendum, in which voters in the United Kingdom decided to historically break away from the European Union, much of the analysis has centered on the imbalance between the opinions of young people and the ramifications of the vote on their futures. Yet a comprehensive statistical analysis […]
Nov052015Read More >Ellie’s Eighth Grade Endeavors, Episode 3: Why Community Engagement Matters
Oct152015Read More >Ellie’s Eighth Grade Endeavors, Episode 1: Democracy Coaches Learn Too
- Oct062015Read More >
Should Politics be Fun?
Should Politics Be Fun? As the 2016 elections approach, the missing youth electorate is becoming an increasingly prevalent story. Despite a slight upwards tick of youth participation in President Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012, the 2014 midterms saw the lowest youth voting rate in the last forty years, with only 19% of […]
- Sep082015Read More >
I’m Too Busy to Write This Blog Post
“How are you doing? How’s your summer going?” “I’m just so busy! And I thought I was going to have so much time this summer to catch up on life, and, I just got too busy, and now it’s almost gone!” I would venture that every person in the working world had some […]
- Aug172015Read More >
My Adventures in Democracy
– David Pechefsky Recently, GC has embarked on a project in which we ask ourself #WhyGC. Where to start? I have been working in government/politics/democracy building for close to 20 years. Back in 1996 I was an intern in the office of Brooklyn Council Member Steve Dibrienza. This was when Mayor Giuliani’s administration was […]
- Jul142015Read More >
Does Civics Cross Borders?
As I’ve talked about extensively, the idea for Generation Citizen initially came about after my observing emerging democracies at work resulted in a realization that the American democracy needed a youth revitalization. Specifically, observing the successful 2002 Kenyan elections as a fifteen year old showed me the power of individuals coming together to make a […]
- Feb222015Read More >
Getting Off College Hill
– Sean Manning, Brown University Democracy Coach A mixture of excitement and anxiety clouded my mind when I first set foot in Providence, Rhode Island to begin my college career at Brown University. It had been my dream to attend Brown, and the fact that that dream had become a reality had not quite […]
- Feb112015Read More >
Meet a DC! Boston University’s Mai Mazan
The following interview was posted on the Microsoft Blog, after Boston’s Civic Tech Challenge hackathon event hosted at Microsoft N.E.R.D. in November. Mai Mazan, a Democracy Coach from Boston University, was generous enough to share her experience with GC with the folks at Microsoft, and we always love hearing about the incredible work our DCs […]
- Feb112015Read More >
What’s So Great About Young Founders?
What’s So Great About Young Founders? – Scott Warren Last Friday, the author Robin Black penned a New York Times op-ed entitled, “What’s So Great About Young Writers,” rallying against a culture that she feels unfairly rewards youth, rather than merit. Describing her path to becoming an emerging writer in her late forties, she […]
- Feb112015Read More >
From One Semester to Another: Leaving My Comfort Zone Behind
By Katherine Dillon My first semester at Fordham University was much like that of those portrayed in movies and TV shows – I was almost always learning, meeting new people, or simply in a state of awe at the newness of everything. I had so often heard before leaving for college that my […]
- Feb112015Read More >
From Pebble Beach to East Flatbush
A few weeks ago, I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at a luxurious hotel located on the Pebble Beach Golf Course near Monterrey, California. My mornings comprised of runs along ocean-side cliffs with stunning vistas, and my days consisted of vigorous intellectual conversations about the lack of constituency voice in social entrepreneurial ventures, and the […]
- Feb112015Read More >
How Do We Educate to Improve Our Democracy?
How do We Educate to Improve our Democracy? As Generation Citizen matures as an organization, we’ve realized that it’s not enough for us to solely focus on our in-school programming. We continue to improve and iterate our action civics curriculum and teacher and volunteer training, but we have also recognized the necessity of building […]
- Feb112015Read More >
Defending Social Studies Funding in Massachusetts
On March 9, 2015, Greater Boston Advocacy Manager Leila Quinn gave testimony before the MA Foundation Budget Review Commission in defense of funding for social studies and civics courses. Below you will find an abridged version of her testimony. State law charges our schools with a civic mission that we must revive. Students often learn […]
- Feb112015Read More >
How Do We Educate to Improve Our Democracy?
How do We Educate to Improve our Democracy? As Generation Citizen matures as an organization, we’ve realized that it’s not enough for us to solely focus on our in-school programming. We continue to improve and iterate our action civics curriculum and teacher and volunteer training, but we have also recognized the necessity of building […]
- Feb112015Read More >
Defending Social Studies Funding in Massachusetts
On March 9, 2015, Greater Boston Advocacy Manager Leila Quinn gave testimony before the MA Foundation Budget Review Commission in defense of funding for social studies and civics courses. Below you will find an abridged version of her testimony. State law charges our schools with a civic mission that we must revive. Students often learn […]
- Feb112015Read More >
GC Boston Class Helps Passage of Homeless Youth Services Law
By Kristen Lobo Before leaving office, Massachusetts Governor Patrick signed the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth bill into law providing shelter and services to homeless youth on Tuesday, January 6th. According to the law, a homeless young person is defined as “a person 24 years of age or younger who is not in the physical custody or care of […]
- Feb112015Read More >
CCF Fellow Miajia Speaks at the Ford Foundation
On January 23, 2014, Generation Citizen co-hosted an event at the Ford Foundation called “Educating for Democracy: The Role of Young People in Re-Invigorating our Democracy.” During this event, as part of the “Scaling Civic Learning” panel, GC alum and Community Change Fellow Miajia Jaware spoke as a youth participant. We could not be more proud […]
- Feb102015Read More >
NYC DCs Reflect: Haikus from Training Day
At the end of two longs days of training, we asked our NYC Democracy Coaches to reflect on the experience in the form of a haiku. Lots of mixed emotions – from excitement to anxiousness to plain old fatigue after a long day. Boston, Bay Area, and Rhode Island DCs: you’re not alone! We’re all […]
- Mar142014Read More >
Summer 2014 Internship Openings
We are excited to announce two new summer internship positions opening at GC! Please read below to learn more about the Development Internship and National Program Internship. Development Internship Generation Citizen (dev-generation-citizen.pantheon.io/) is an innovative, quickly scaling non-profit that seeks to strengthen our nation’s democracy by empowering young people to become engaged and effective citizens. […]
- Sep302013Read More >
Reflections on Democracy Coach Training
On September 21-22nd, GC’s newest cohort of Democracy Coaches in four program sites participated in a training workshop to prepare for the start of the school year. Below, Director of Programming Meghan Trombly reflects on the experience in a letter to the Fall 2013 Generation Citizen Democracy Coaches. Dear Generation Citizen Democracy Coach, Dragging oneself […]
- Sep042013Read More >
Walking the Walk
We profess to be a great many things. Our nation claims to be a beacon of representative democracy, a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Yet, Generation Citizen exists because sometimes what we say we value doesn’t always match reality. So then we either reconsider our values, though in this case […]
- Aug272013Read More >
Incorporating Voices: A Modern Jeffersonian Meal
Last week, Generation Citizen Board Member Robert Flanders hosted a “Jeffersonian Breakfast” inspired by the dinners hosted by Thomas Jefferson back in the early days of our Republic. Jefferson would invite 10 friends to Monticello to discuss a set topic, which could range from politics to philosophy to archeology, to hear the personal experiences that […]
- Jul102013Read More >
GC to Receive Funding from Knight Foundation
Today, we’re excited to announce that Generation Citizen has received a transformative grant of $190,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to both evaluate and expand our work. We are truly grateful to the Knight Foundation for taking a chance on us, and believing in action civics. See the press release below from […]
May022013Read More >DCs of the Month
Looking back at April, a big month for us at GC as classes go deep into taking action, we’d like to recognize the following Democracy Coaches for their empowering work and dedication. NEW YORK DC OF THE MONTH: RINA KATTAN, STUDENT AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY What brought you to GC? After Rocky Solomon, a former […]
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