Welcome to the Soaring ’20s. At Civic Nebraska, the new decade promises to be one of advocacy and activism, of innovation and invention, and of rising to new heights. We started the 2010s on the ground as an all-volunteer group; as the 2020s dawn, we are a statewide organization with headquarters in Lincoln, Omaha, and Grand Island, with exciting plans for building and sustaining civic power in our state for years to come.
But for starters, here’s what we have planned for the next 366 days. The year 2020 promises to be a big one for us all. Civic Nebraska will be right there every step of the way:
“We, the people” includes our youngest Americans, too. Nowhere has Civic Nebraska’s momentum been more apparent than in our Youth Civic Leadership programs, which now serves more than 1,500 students a day. Introducing youth to civic engagement allows them to develop critical thinking, civic leadership, and civil discourse skills. Students who can make meaning of societal issues are better able to navigate their environments – and succeed in them. Such skills have immense transformative power; they’re the cornerstones of active, productive citizenship. Civic Nebraska empowers young people to creatively engage with the world. And work to improve it.
In 2020, Youth Civic Leadership will:
- Launch CIVIC U., an innovative and immersive service-learning summer academy for middle schoolers.
- Add more THINK MAKE CREATE mobile makerspace programming to engage even more young minds.
- Expand youth civic leadership opportunities in towns and cities across Greater Nebraska.
Our communities are stronger when we own them together. A more modern and robust democracy for all Nebraskans is built from engaged and informed citizens who take action in their communities in meaningful ways. Civic Nebraska strengthens our state’s civic fabric with training and programming for towns, cities, neighborhoods, and citizens. We support people to be connected, informed, and engaged in their communities and state. When we are more connected to one another and to institutions, we are better positioned to solve local problems.
In 2020, our Civic Health Programs will:
- Publish and share the 2020 Nebraska Civic Health Index, a statewide, data-rich report examining Nebraska ranks in key indicators such as volunteerism, voting, social connectivity, and civic activity.
- Begin regularly offering civil discourse and media literacy programs, workshops, and trainings to the groups and the general public in what promises to be a divisive general election year.
- Continue engaging community leaders, and creating new civic strength in urban and rural communities through the Collective Impact Lincoln, ONE Omaha, and Rural Civic Action Program initiatives.
Voting is our most cherished democratic right. Without it, there is no prospect for change, no method to hold our leaders accountable, no real way for our values and vision to be represented in our institutions. Further, this most basic right is never guaranteed – so it must be championed, defended, and exercised to the fullest. At Civic Nebraska, we fight for elections to be fair, modern, and accessible; we work to defeat bad policies that threaten the right to vote; and we advocate for measures that protect our rights. In a representative democracy, YOU have the power – and we’re here to make sure you always do.
In 2020, our Voting Rights Intiatives team will:
- Train and deploy hundreds of nonpartisan election observers to monitor polling places on Election Day, both during the primaries and the general election.
- Advocate for pro-voter legislation in the Nebraska Legislature and work to defeat costly bills that would increase unnecessary barriers to the ballot, such as voter ID.
- Lead the statewide Nebraska Counts coalition to ensure that the census is conducted efficiently and completely in Nebraska, particularly in hard-to-count areas of the state.
Get involved in 2020
Civic Nebraska’s strength and momentum comes from supporters like you. Your time, energy, and financial support have delivered civic education and service-learning opportunities to thousands of Nebraska students. You have strengthened civic life in communities across our state. And you have advanced the most precious of American rights – to vote. Our work to create a more modern and robust democracy for all Nebraskans wouldn’t be possible without you.
DEFEND YOUR DEMOCRACY IN 2020
Join us. Civic Nebraska has volunteer opportunities that fit many schedules, interests, and lifestyles. Call 402.904.5191 or email info@civicnebraska.org to learn about volunteer opportunities.
Share our story. The more people who know about our mission and impact, the more supporters of a modern, robust democracy there will be in Nebraska. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and share our work with your friends, family, and co-workers.
Donate. To build democracy, we count on our donors’ generous support. We immediately put those funds to work in our communities. Support us financially by clicking here.
