June Newsletter: Washington Post Feature; Florida Campaign Swing; Lincoln’s Cottage

Jun 30

“I went to one of Rich’s first Public Innovators Labs in Baltimore and followed his work across the country. He was an inspiration to me then and now. When we were looking for a speaker for our Civic Summit, I said we’ve got to have him.” - Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor of Miami-Dade County

KICKING OFF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LINCOLN’S COTTAGE

Earlier this month, we officially launched our year-long partnership with President Lincoln’s Cottage. Our kickoff event featured Rich in conversation with the Cottage’s CEO and Executive Director Callie Hawkins. It was an opportunity to look beyond the mythological figure Lincoln has become at how his life and ambitions for the country might instruct us today.

“This partnership is another step in our ongoing efforts to cultivate and lift up the brave ideas of all who are taking on what Lincoln referred to as the ‘unfinished work’ in pursuit of a more perfect union.” - Callie Hawkins, CEO and Executive Director of Lincoln’s Cottage

Like Lincoln before us, we stand at a pivotal moment, in search of a shared future. Where we go next—as people, as communities, as a country—is an open question. As Rich recently wrote in The Washington Post, politics alone can’t save us or address our crisis of belief. We need something much deeper: a civic and cultural rebuilding that restores our belief in one another.

A SWING THROUGH AMERICA’S POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND

On the back of our kickoff event with Lincoln’s Cottage, Rich took the campaign to the political hotbed of Florida for a statewide swing with a distinctly civic message. We started in rural DeSoto County for a workspace as part of our deep community initiative there.

Next came Orlando, home of Disney World, where Rich spoke to hundreds of leaders from across the state at Leadership Florida’s annual meeting. And finally Miami, for a series of events, including packing the house at Books and Books for an intimate fireside chat and headlining the Miami Mayor’s Civic Connections Summit.

We’re wrapping up a packed month for the campaign this week in North Carolina, where Rich is keynoting NC Campus Engagement’s Civic Health Summit before we zoom back down to Clarkston, GA, often called “the most diverse square mile in America” for a series of deep engagements with nonprofit leaders.

This campaign isn’t slowing down anytime soon. We’re heating up because communities across the nation are eager to forge a more hopeful path forward and looking to our campaign for support. We want to support your efforts to move forward in a new way too.

5 Simple Ways You Can Join Our Campaign

RICH’S OP-ED FEATURED IN THE WASHINGTON POST

Amid our statewide swing through Florida, the Washington Post published an op-ed from Rich making a case for why more politics won’t save us. As Rich writes in the piece, “It’s time that we unleashed a new wave of change in American life. Change that grows, spreads, and revives a can-do spirit and a larger American ambition. This is how we address our crisis of belief. Our politics today can’t do that because they just keep breeding more divides. But a new civic path can.”

Read Rich's Latest in the Washington Post

RICH APPEARS ON THE LIFE SHIFT PODCAST

Rich recently recorded an episode of the award-winning Life Shift podcast, which explores the moments that change the very trajectories of our lives. The episode focused on a deep and vulnerable discussion of how Rich's childhood illness and a decision he made at 8 years old ultimately became the catalyst for a life dedicated to ensuring others are seen, heard, and afforded the dignity they deserve."

Listen to Rich on the Life Shift Podcast

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CREATE AN AMERICA THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US?

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, when the Civil War was still raging. But it was nearly two and a half years later, on June 19, 1865, before the Union Army arrived in Galveston, TX, that all enslaved people were emancipated.

That gap in time is a constant reminder of the gulf that still exists between our nation’s stated ideals and the practical reality so many of us experience daily. As we mark Juneteenth this year, our country is under enormous strain as we are confronted by a series of deeply human questions. Chief among them: What will it take to create an America that works for all of us?

To explore the answer to that question, Rich teamed up with Reverend Lawrence Wofford, Chair of the Selma-Dallas County NAACP, to write a special Juneteenth op-ed for the Black Belt News Network.

Read Rich and Lawrence's Op-Ed

THE CHAIN REACTION CONTINUES IN OHIO

Earlier this year, we released new stories of change for Logan County and Union County in Ohio to cap off our deep community initiatives in each community. These stories documented what local action teams focused on youth, seniors, health, and the arts created together over the past two years. But the work is far from done. Indeed, both communities continue to grow and spread their chain reactions.

Two quick examples. In April, the Union County Youth Team held a youth service day that built on previous efforts to connect youth to community-building opportunities. Dozens of youth volunteers came together to make 500 birthday cake kits that got distributed to families via food pantries across the county. Then in Logan County in May, a network gathering saw 40 Public Innovators hold an innovation space, examining what they’ve learned so far and what actions they should pursue next. A local judge who was new to the work said the gathering reminded her why she became a public servant in the first place and propelled her to formally join the Logan County Seniors Team.

Harwood Team Update

We are thrilled to announce Tracey Grayzer, President of Impact Alamance, as the newest member of The Harwood Institute's Board of Directors.

Since Impact Alamance’s inception, Tracey has led the organization in its strategic initiatives and partnerships to create a healthier, smarter, and stronger community for all. Dynamic, engaging, and passionate, Tracey will be a welcome addition to our team.

Meet Tracey

UPCOMING EVENTS

Help! How Can We Get Nonprofits to Work Together? | August 5, 1 pm ET
A recurring refrain we're hearing from funders is that too many of the nonprofits in their communities are trying to tackle the same issues. That in today's environment, well-meaning folks are so hunkered down and locked in, they've lost sight of how to work together and ended up creating duplicate efforts. On Wednesday, August 5 at 1 pm ET, we will host our next funders virtual conversation to explore what we could achieve if we reimagined how nonprofit groups can really work together. Register today .

A Safe Haven for Libraries | August 6, 1pm ET
Libraries are facing tough times. It’s natural for library leaders to feel frustrated and exhausted right now, maybe even at a loss for how to keep making progress. That’s why Harwood’s next virtual conversation on August 6 at 1pm ET is designed for library leaders. The conversation will focus on what it takes to find and grow hope and belief during these difficult times. In this rejuvenating space, you’ll connect with other library leaders facing similar challenges and engage with immediate steps you can take as you seek to create local change. Register today.

Getting Started Virtual Public Innovators Lab | October 2026
You want to create real, lasting change. Our Getting Started Virtual Lab, a signature offering of The Harwood School, can teach you how. And the next edition is headed your way this October. The result of nearly four decades of innovation and learning, this Lab offers the very best of Harwood’s time-tested approach in an accessible, high-impact experience. Bring your team, build capacity, and be equipped to unleash a new chain reaction in your community. Register now to secure your spot.