Almeda Plaza Civic Club reflects the heart of grassroots civic participation. By fostering local agency, organizing residents, and interfacing directly with city systems, the club embodies Change Lab’s commitment to community voice, civic literacy, and cross-sector collaboration. Their work at the hyperlocal level strengthens the civic fabric and builds the trust, accountability, and public participation needed for broader systems change. As a consistent, decades-long presence in Houston’s civic life, they are a natural partner in advancing place-based, people-powered change.

In a time of polarization and disconnection, small, intentional conversations can be powerful civic acts. These cards offer a low-barrier way to strengthen social cohesion by encouraging people to share their lived experiences and values. They support healing, bridge-building, and story-centered engagement — all central to Change Lab’s mission.

Fuckup Nights is a global movement born in Mexico that now spans over 300 cities worldwide — including Houston. At each gathering, local leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, and artists take the stage to candidly share their biggest professional failure.

Instead of avoiding the topic, these sessions normalize learning from mistakes, spark honest conversations, and foster a culture of vulnerability, innovation, and community support.

As democratic norms and institutions face growing challenges, there is a clear need to strengthen civic literacy, especially among young people. The Bill of Rights Institute addresses this by fostering informed, thoughtful civic participation rooted in historical understanding and constitutional awareness.

This 2025 report from More in Common’s Beacon Project explores how Americans across political, racial, and generational lines share a belief in “morally directed agency”—the idea that individuals have both the right and responsibility to improve their lives and contribute to their communities. Drawing on surveys of over 60,000 people and in-depth interviews, the report reveals that most Americans value personal agency alongside a desire for systems that provide opportunity. It proposes a unifying civic vision rooted in empowerment, shared purpose, and mutual obligation.

This book is foundational for those who feel disconnected from traditional politics or unsure how to contribute. Liu demystifies power and provides a roadmap for civic agency—particularly valuable in the face of polarization, inequality, and distrust. It’s a call to move from cynicism to creativity, helping readers unlock their own potential to shape institutions, narratives, and outcomes.

Schoolhouse Rock! is a beloved series of animated musical shorts that first aired on ABC in the 1970s. Designed to teach children important lessons in subjects like grammar, math, history, science, and civics, the series became a cultural touchstone for generations. Known for its catchy tunes and clever animation, Schoolhouse Rock! helped millions of viewers understand everything from how bills become laws to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

In the realm of civic education, the series played a powerful role in making the foundations of American government more accessible and engaging — especially for young learners. Songs like “I’m Just a Bill,” “Three Ring Government,” and “Preamble” introduced key concepts such as legislation, separation of powers, and the U.S. Constitution in ways that stuck.

Still widely used in classrooms today, Schoolhouse Rock! remains a fun and informative entry point for building civic literacy, understanding how democracy works, and encouraging active participation in civic life.

A project of the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research, this Agents of Change initiative focuses on engaging civilians—especially underrepresented communities—in public policy research and action. The program seeks to amplify civic engagement and support pathways for Angelenos to shape policy decisions that impact their everyday lives.

At a time when political polarization threatens both governance and the social fabric, Convergence offers a proven model for collaborative policymaking rooted in trust and mutual respect. Their work helps leaders—and the public—move from conflict to consensus, from gridlock to solutions.

SINGA Deutschland challenges traditional integration models by centering dignity, agency, and mutual benefit. Their work shifts the narrative from "helping refugees" to building a shared future, offering a scalable model of civic inclusion that bridges divides and expands the circle of human concern.

When most people say they want more “affordable housing,” they usually mean housing that more people can afford. But within policy and development spaces, that phrase carries technical definitions—often involving things like LIHTC, deed restrictions, or income thresholds that many outside the field have never heard of.

Public policy and planning systems are often confusing by design and can feel intentionally exclusionary to the people they affect most. CUP changes that by making these systems transparent, understandable, and actionable. Their work allows individuals and communities to advocate for themselves with clarity and confidence, breaking down power structures and reimagining civic participation as something accessible to all. Whether it’s zoning laws, tenants’ rights, or immigration proceedings, CUP’s creative tools demystify systems and help communities fight for justice and equity.