Since last summer, the Bridge Alliance Education Fund and Resolutionaries have joined forces to champion the Building Civic Bridges Act (BCBA), and your support has been invaluable. We're excited to announce that the BCBA is slated for reintroduction in Congress this week. This is an exciting next step in our collective journey toward fostering a more unified and healthy nation.

The Urgency of Now

The State of the Union address was one example highlighting the stark reality of toxic polarization manifesting as hyper-polarization. It was an exercise in governance that instead had the air of a UFC match. It's against that backdrop that the BCBA serves as a hopeful tool designed to confront these issues directly. Spearheaded by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, the BCBA embodies our nation's collective acknowledgment that our nation's strength lies in unity, not division.

What is the Building Civic Bridges Act?

At its core, the BCBA represents a bold step forward in our nation's quest for healing. By proposing the creation of an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within AmeriCorps, this groundbreaking legislation seeks to:

• Empower Communities: Through a dedicated grant program, the BCBA aims to bolster civic bridge-building efforts nationwide, supporting a diverse array of organizations committed to mending the fabric of our society.
• Train for Transformation: By equipping AmeriCorps members with the tools for civic bridge-building, we're nurturing a new generation of change-makers poised to lead our communities toward greater understanding and cooperation.
• Research for Progress: The BCBA recognizes the importance of informed action, advocating for research into civic engagement and social cohesion to illuminate our path forward.
• Partner for Activation: By fostering a national dialogue on civic bridge-building, the BCBA positions itself as a pivotal force in the movement toward a more united America, offering resources and support to those working on the front lines of this vital cause.

Why It Matters

The BCBA transcends legislation; it is a declaration of our unwavering dedication to the ideals of democracy. It acknowledges the need for dialogue, empathy, and understanding across all divides. In line with the recommendations of the bipartisan Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, the BCBA is a call for expanding civic bridge-building as a means to address the toxic polarization that threatens our social cohesion. The commission’s Our Common Purpose report pointed out that Congress already provides funding to strengthen democracies abroad through the National Endowment for Democracy. Why not fund democracy at home?

As Senator Chris Coons insightfully remarked in September 2023, "Democracy is a verb. It has to be an active verb. And it only remains a democracy if we do it together." This sentiment captures the spirit of the BCBA and mirrors our core mission at the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

Join Us in Advocacy

The introduction of the BCBA is a significant milestone, but our work is far from over. We invite you to join us in this critical phase of advocacy. Reach out to your representatives, share the BCBA's message across your social media platforms, or engage in the public discourse by highlighting the significance of civic bridge-building in your community's media outlets. Each action brings us closer to ensuring that democracy remains a vibrant, active verb that unites us all.

Featured Content

• ActiVote (Blog) March 2nd: Biden’s Approval Steadies
• AllSides (Article) March 11th: When Congress Can Help Us Help Them
• American Values Coalition (Blog) March 7th: Christian Nationalism Isn't the Same as Conservative Christian
• Ballotpedia (Resource) March 13th: RCV repeal measure certified for November ballot in Alaska
• BillTrack50 (Blog) March 4th: The Persistent Issue of Child Labor in 2024
• Essential Partners (Article) March 8th: Essential Resources to Combat 2024 Election Polarization
• Independent Voter News (Article) March 12th: Report: 6-in-10 New Voters Register Unaffiliated in States that Suppress Independent Voters
• Issue One (Press Release) March 12th: Members of Issue One’s Faces of Democracy testify before Congress about challenges facing U.S. elections
• Resolutionaries (Video) December 2023: Education and Workforce Committee's Member Day - Rep. Kilmer voicing support for the BCBA

Podcasts

• Andrew Yang (Forward) March 11th: The American Exchange Project
• Ballotpedia (On The Ballot) March 7th: Which governor's races are the most competitive this year?
• DaviesContent (How Do We Fix It?) March 8th: Politics: Majority In The Middle. Shannon Watson
• The McCourtney Institute for Democracy (Democracy Works) March 11th: How discontent destabilizes democracy
• Young Voices (Moving Forward) March 12th: Moving Forward with Young Voices

Citizen Connect Featured Events

• USC Center for the Political Future (March 15th @ 10:00 am PDT) What Should We Say? Research Findings on Civic Language 
• Braver Angels (March 16th @ 11 am EDT) Red/Blue Workshop – Sessions 1 & 2 - Citizen Connect
• American Promise (March 19th @ 5 pm EDT) The Leadership Series: Conversation with Colin Woodard
• Living Room Conversations (March 19th @ 12:00 pm PDT) Women in Society Special Conversations

Featured Fulcrum Articles

• Alicia Tang & Jonah Elkowitz, March 7th: Supreme Court wrestles with meaning of 'trigger' in bump stocks case
• Madelyn Sanfilippo, March 7th: Dealing with false facts: How to correct online misinformation
• Kevin Frazier, March 8th: Seeking moderation through checks and balances
• David L. Nevins, March 8th: Taylor Swift's fan base is increasing in swing states
• Kelsey Baker, March 11th: Latino voters are swinging back toward Trump and the Republican Party

Members In The News

• Mormon Women for Ethical Government (The Salt Lake Tribune) March 13th: Opinion: It’s time to give it up Utah’s caucus-convention system
• Open Primaries & Unite America (U.S. News and World Report) March 4th: Why Super Tuesday Isn’t So Super for More Than 6 Million Independent Voters
• RepresentUs (Newsweek) March 12th: Republicans Sell Boeing Stock as Crisis Deepens
• RepresentWomen (Ms.) March 7th: The Ms. Q&A With Mary Robinson, Ireland's First-Ever Woman President
• The Horizons Project (KKFI) March 5th: How you can more effectively advance multi-racial democracy