Announcements from the Campaign for the New Civic Path
ANNOUNCEMENT 1: I’M EXTENDING OUR CAMPAIGN FOR THE NEW CIVIC PATH. LET’S GO TOGETHER
For two years, I’ve crisscrossed our nation on the Campaign for the New Civic Path. People’s enthusiastic response proves Americans are yearning for an apolitical message from an apolitical messenger. One that cuts through the noise. Provides a practical path forward. Calls us to rise to something better in ourselves. And offers a new sense of possibility and hope.
That’s why I’m announcing the campaign is continuing through 2026. This is a crucial year. Such an effort is critical to our nation’s future. None of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. We must not surrender to the negative forces consuming society today. There is work to do.
Let’s be real. Too many politicians are mired in divisive politics, and too many leaders and groups are selling quick fixes to what ails us. There is no quick fix. But there is a practical, hopeful path forward: thenew civic path. As we move ahead, this campaign will be guided by four main purposes:
We must address our “crisis of belief.” Our politics are broken; but at root, we face a crisis of belief—in our systems, institutions, leaders, even one another. We must act to restore our belief that we can get things done together. This is a cultural and human challenge.
We must harness America’s 250th to declare who we seek to become. This is a unique opportunity to examine who we seek to be as Americans and how we can make the next 250 years even better, for all of us, starting today.
We must rally around a new moral vision. Americans seek decency, dignity, belonging, and shared responsibility. And they’re ready to take action on a set of shared concerns—like youth, senior care, affordable housing, mental health, and others. We believe this is the foundation of a new moral vision that transcends divisive politics and has the power to galvanize us.
We must get on a new civic path. This starts in our local communities. Only by getting on a new civic path can we restore our belief and reclaim our shared agency by building on what we can agree on and taking real action together—not as Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, but as Americans.
Throughout 2026, we are going coast to coast doing more campaign events, holding virtual events, equipping you with practical resources to take action with others, and connecting you to The Harwood School’s deep learning experiences that enable you to catalyze change.
People all across America have joined this campaign. They’re hungry for a new path forward—a new civic path. We need each other.
Join us. Let’s go together.
Announcement 2: CELEBRATING THE THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC INNOVATORS ON THE NEW CIVIC PATH
Earlier this week, I announced the extension of the Campaign for the New Civic Path through 2026. In the announcement, I made an entreaty to you and our fellow Americans to join us on this new civic path.
Here’s the thing. You won’t be walking this path alone. Indeed, thousands upon thousands of Public Innovators—developed and trained through The Harwood School—are already forging a new civic path in their communities and working to create a society that works for all of, not just some of us.
To lift up and celebrate our Public Innovators across the nation and the world, we’ve created a Public Innovators Badge. This badge is our way to recognize the dedication these Public Innovators bring to their work across every sector of society. They are at the forefront of creating transformational change in all 50 states.
For example, we just released Stories of Change from Logan and Union Counties in Ohio that tell the story of what Public Innovators created together. Their wins are inspiring. And their work represents just a sliver of the good things happening across the country as a result of Public Innovators turning outward and taking action on what matters to people.
If you’re already a trained Harwood Public Innovator, expect to hear from us shortly about how you can claim your badge and display it proudly on LinkedIn or other social platforms.
If you’re not a Public Innovator yet, our April Getting Started Lab will help you develop the capabilities you need to be more effective and leave a lasting impact on your community.
Join us. Let’s go together.
Announcement 3: A Simple Way to Get on the New Civic Path
On June 2 at 12:30 pm ET, I’m hosting a National Book Circle. We’ll discuss The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation, but it’s not just about discussing a book. It’s about reframing the challenge before us, connecting to like-minded community leaders from around the country, and charting a more hopeful path forward together. This virtual event will help you take a step forward on the new civic path and be an agent of hope in divided times. I hope you’ll join me.
But that’s not all. We’ve designed a low-lift, simple way for you to host your own book circle: a Book Circle Kit that includes everything you need to hold a Book Circle with folks in your organization or friends and family. We’re giving away five of these Book Circle Kits exclusively to members of our network. Because the new civic path starts with taking action locally.
Fill out this simple form by March 24 to be eligible for a free Book Circle Kit.
Remember, we need each other. Let’s go together.
Announcement 4: Need Proof That The New Civic Path is Real? We Have It.
After two years of deep work in Logan and Union Counties in Ohio, I’m thrilled to announce we’ve released a Story of Change for each community. These Stories of Change relate what Public Innovators in Logan and Union Counties created together after getting on a new civic path.
Their efforts are bringing people together across political parties, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other identity markers that so often drive us apart. And their wins are inspiring. They are proof that the new civic path is real and can help us tackle universal issues that Americans want to get to work on together—like youth opportunities, healthcare, mental health, senior care, and the arts. This work in Ohio represents just a sliver of the good things happening across the country as a result of Public Innovators turning outward and taking action on what matters to people.
Now it’s your turn. Here’s a low-lift, simple way to help you take your first small step on the new civic path. Join us for our National Book Circle on June 2 at 12:30pm ET. To make your first step even simpler, we’ve created a New Civic Path Book Circle Kit, which contains everything you need to hold a local book circle in your organization or with friends and family.
We’re giving away five of these Book Circle Kits exclusively to members of our network. Because the new civic path starts locally. Fill out this simple form by March 24 to be eligible for a free Book Circle Kit.
Remember, we need each other. Let’s go together.
A Note from the Road: Rural America
I was in rural Washington, North Carolina this week and once again it became clear that “politics won’t save us.” People there wanted to talk about “youth violence,” affordable housing, retaining young people in the community, and getting past divisive public discourse. All these things require us to work together differently.
Just days later I was in fast growing, rural Alamance County, NC, discussing our upcoming report on the work we’ve done there with local leaders and residents, and where people have been choosing hope over division. The progress is truly amazing—and inspiring.
We’ve been working with rural communities all across the country, with proven results that people can come together and shape their own future. Check out our two other recent reports from rural counties in Jim Jordan’s congressional district in Ohio.
People are making progress by placing community over politics. They offer a roadmap for the country.
This week’s trip to rural North Carolina was the kick-off of the next phase of our Campaign for the New Civic Path. Join us. Let’s go together.
Announcement 5: OUR CAMPAIGN IS PARTNERING WITH A MAJOR UNIVERSITY
As I’ve said before, this is a crucial year. None of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. Indeed, America’s 250th anniversary invites us to consider how we move forward together as a people and as a nation.
It’s why I’m thrilled to announce that our Campaign for the New Civic Path is partnering with William & Mary as part of its Year of Civic Leadership. Founded in 1693, William & Mary is the country’s second-oldest institution of higher learning. This partnership is the next step in their storied history of preparing generations of civic leaders to serve our nation and world with distinction.
We’ll officially launch the partnership on April 7 with a kickoff event—The New American Dream: 250 Years Later—for William & Mary staff, students, alumni, and community members to come together and wrestle with the question: “Where are we as a country and how can we move forward together?” William & Mary will also launch a series of New Civic Path Book Circles starting this month.
