The Civic Generation

How do different generations talk about showing up in civic life?In this episode of The Civic Generation, Gabe Lerner, founder of Democracy Notes, and Lennon N. Jackson of Howard University share how they each came to this work—and why they don’t always use the same words to describe it. Lennon feels strongly about “civic engagement” through her family’s experience in the Civil Rights Movement, while Gabe relates to a more hands-on, “roll up your sleeves” mindset.They get into the difference between curiosity and othering, and what it looks like to try to understand someone else without jumping to conclusions. This conversation shows how language shapes the way people across generations can connect or miss each other entirely.

What are the defining moments that shape a generation?In this episode of The Civic Generation, George Washington University sophomore Jonah Beinart and civic leader Debi Ghate share how defining moments for their generations—9/11 and October 7—shaped how they see the world, and how those different starting points actually help them relate to each other.They both reflect on the pitfalls of black-and-white thinking and how labels make them feel boxed in. Instead, their conversation shows how getting a little more curious about each other might bring us closer.

Is Gen Z coming of age in unprecedented uncertainty — or have we been here before? In the premiere episode of The Civic Generation, 19-year-old engineering student Samantha Sandhaus and civic leader Stefanie Sanford, who came of age in the 1970s, compare notes on economic anxiety, political division, and the future of American democracy. Instead of debating who had it harder, they discover a surprising kinship across decades. From the Equal Rights Amendment to Feeding Philly, their conversation explores how uncertain times shape civic identity—and why finding common ground may be the first step toward solving what divides us.