Holiday Conversation Starters

Spark meaningful discussions that honor your values this holiday season. Whether you're hosting a Dinner for Democracy or sitting down with family members who hold different views, these prompts help you connect with intention.

Together for Democracy Resource Hub

Build community, find courage, and advance democracy by hosting a Dinner for Democracy or Coffee for Change. Get everything you need to gather friends, neighbors, and colleagues for meaningful conversations and collective action.

Charter for Compassion launches "With Compassion," a new podcast series exploring how compassion can transform politics and civic life. The debut episode features Greg Fischer, who served 12 years as Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky—making compassion one of his city's three core values.

"Through real-world research, policy analysis, and practical advice, we guide state and federal policymakers in advancing evidence-based solutions that increase affordability and improve access to care."

"As the largest employer in the world, our federal government cannot afford to have leaders that all look and think the same. I support the Pledge for Diversity campaign because our nation was founded on the principle of unity, not despite our varying backgrounds, but specifically because of it."

— Leon Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff

A free online resource helping local government leaders identify and implement evidence-based strategies to improve upward economic mobility for their residents.

Over 50 high-level strategies and nearly 200 specific programs backed by rigorous research. From early childhood to workforce development, housing to financial security.

Report Overview

The federal government has been slow to pass new laws. So state governments are stepping up to solve important problems. Bloomberg Government's 2025 State Policy Watchlist looks at five key areas where states are making big changes this year.

Why This Report Matters

• States are making new laws to fill gaps when federal government doesn't act

• 88 places (23 states and 65 cities) will raise their minimum wages in 2025

• 20 states now have laws protecting people's online privacy as of January 2025

• When many states do something, the federal government often follows

• Knowing what states are doing helps you plan ahead

One Small Step

Let's Talk For A Change

Have a real conversation with someone who sees the world differently than you do. No debates. No arguing. Just two people getting to know each other as human beings.

A StoryCorps initiative bringing together people with different political views for 50-minute conversations that remind us of our shared humanity.

Want to track a bill? Research how a law came to be? Find out who your state representative is? The Texas Legislative Reference Library gives you free access to all of this and more. It is your window into how state government works.

Why This Resource Matters

• Track Legislation: Follow bills from filing to becoming law

• Research History: Access bill files dating back to 1907

• Understand Process: Learn how the Texas Legislature works

• Free for Everyone: No subscription or special access needed

• Authoritative Source: Official legislative records and documents

Peer-Learning Cohort for Fundraising Professionals in the US Democracy Space

Connect with fundraising peers at democracy organizations. Share ideas, build community, and grow together through monthly sessions with expert facilitation.

A 9-month program for mid-level development professionals working to strengthen democracy.

In a rare moment of agreement across party lines, parents from all political backgrounds share deep concern about the impact of social media and smartphones on their children. This is not a left issue or a right issue. This is a parent issue.

Why This Matters for Your Community

• For Parents: You are not alone in your concerns. Data showing overwhelming consensus across political lines

• For Schools: Evidence supporting phone-free policies that most parents actually want

• For Policy Makers: Rare bipartisan issue where Americans agree on the need for action

• For Tech Companies: Clear signal that parents want better protections for kids online

• For Communities: A unifying issue that can bring people together across differences

National Native American Heritage Month
Domincan Sisters of Houston
&
Center for Healing of Racism
Presents

The American Indian Genocide Museum

Need Help Right Now?

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Hotline (Español):
877-355-1461

Text Helpline:
512-872-5656

A German thinker named Friedrich Nietzsche had a word for this feeling: "nihilism" (say: NYE-ill-ism). It means believing nothing really matters. But this feeling is now so common among young Americans that experts call it "cultural nihilism."

Warning Signs

• Fewer young people trust democracy than ever before

• Young people don't trust big institutions like government

• Entire online groups are built around being super negative

• Young people have stopped believing things can get better

We started in 2008 because Black women in Texas were getting HIV at very high rates. They needed help. Over time, we grew to help with many kinds of health problems.

What is Reproductive Justice?

Reproductive Justice means you get to make your own choices about your body and your family. You can decide if you want to have kids or not. You can decide when to have them. You can raise your kids in a safe place.

Black women created this idea in 1994. They knew that health care connects to other problems like racism and poverty.

Health problems that hurt Black women most:

• Black women often go to hospitals that give worse care

• Racism affects Black women's bodies and makes pregnancy more dangerous

• Texas laws make it hard to get abortion care when women need it

• Many people judge women with HIV, so they don't get help

• Not enough doctors understand what Black women go through