We're Back (Kind of) with More Stories All Week

We're Back (Kind of) with More Stories All Week

Author: iHeartPodcasts April 14, 2025 Duration: 5:42

It's been almost two years, and I (Baratunde) am back with an experimental drop because democracy is something we DO, not something we HAVE (or don't), and this moment calls for that reminder. So...

I’m teaming up with my friend and fellow citizenist Jon Alexander (author of CITIZENS) to do something we believe is urgent and necessary: shine a light on the everyday people practicing democracy in extraordinary ways.

We’ve gathered a week’s worth of short, powerful stories from across the U.S.—people showing up for their communities, bridging divides, building something better.

We’re releasing one story per day this week on LinkedIn and Instagram. But we know there are more.

We’re not doing this for clicks. We’re doing this to prove there’s demand for a different kind of story.

One where people aren’t problems to be fixed, but solutions already in motion.

Here’s how you can help:

📩 Sign up at https://stories.howtocitizen.com

✅ Follow @baratunde, Jon (@thecitizensguy), and @HowToCitizen on Instagram

💬 Engage. Comment. Share. Tag someone doing similar work.

📣 Know someone with a platform or newsletter? Ask them to help spread the word.

We want to show funders—and each other—that this kind of storytelling matters.

Let’s make this the week we saw the democracy we deserve and counterprogram the nonsense and chaos with something beautiful and joyful already happening.

Major appreciation to Shira Abramowitz who has run point on finding the stories we are releasing this week. And to Elizabeth Stewart for great partnership.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Finding your place in a world that often feels broken can be disorienting. How To Citizen with Baratunde, from iHeartPodcasts, tackles that confusion head-on by treating "citizen" not as a static label but as a series of actions we can all learn. This podcast moves beyond the headlines and the outrage to explore the tangible, often surprising ways we can participate in shaping our communities and systems. Each episode is a deep dive into the mechanics of collective power, featuring conversations that span society, culture, technology, and news. You'll hear from people who are actively redefining what it means to belong and contribute, offering practical insights that replace helplessness with agency. The discussions remind us that while voting is crucial, a functioning democracy requires much more from all of us. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about the real-world application of citizenship. Tune in for a thought-provoking and actionable guide to wielding your influence, discovering how to move from being overwhelmed to being effectively engaged. The entire premise of this podcast is built on the idea that we can learn to citizen better, together.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 69

How To Citizen with Baratunde
Podcast Episodes
When the Military Is in the Streets w Gen. Stan McChrystal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:06
Baratunde returns to the How To Citizen feed with a conversation that sits right at the intersection of character, democracy, and what it means to citizen in this moment. This episode features Baratunde in a live discuss…
The true story of who we really are [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:41
This is our wrap of our Week of Citizening that I've been doing with Jon Alexander. We found 8 stories from across the U.S. — across sectors, communities, and divides — where people are coming together to make life bette…
We Know how to Rebuild Our Democracy - final story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:08
There is a model for how we rebuild and heal after the human-made disaster being inflicted on the USA right now. Welcome to Dena Heals—a mutual aid marketplace and wellness center born in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire…
How we gather is how we citizen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:20
We head to Eliot, Maine, where a multiracial, multidisciplinary group of artists have reimagined what a conference can be. At SeaCHANGE, creativity isn’t an afterthought—it’s the starting point. The gathering opens with…
Don't Wait for New Leaders. BECOME Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:47
Today we bring you Story #6 in our Week of Citizening. We’ve already shown you how people are rethinking democracy through libraries, labor, and school boards. Now we’re headed to a place often overlooked but brimming wi…
We found the Anti-DOGE in Chicago [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:37
Today, we head to Chicago, where a civic gathering called Chi Hack Night is bringing technologists, designers, policy nerds, and everyday residents together to build a better city. Access to visuals for this story are he…
People Know What They Need [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:42
We’re told some people just need to be saved. But what people really need is to be needed. This community of young single mothers in Lexington, Kentucky reveals a version of this story. Full video viewing options for thi…
Can a School Board Teach Us to Overcome Division? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:38
We’re told America is hopelessly divided. But zoom in—like, say, to a school board in South Central Pennsylvania—and a different story emerges. Full video viewing options for this story plus links to the Instagram and Li…
A Tax Day Message about Layoffs With Consent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:59
It’s Tax Day in the U.S., a moment when many of us think about how we fund collective life. So today’s story? It’s about layoffs — but not the kind we’ve come to expect. See the visuals for this story and all our Week of…
Libraries Are Hubs for Citizening - Story 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:53
Watch this first video story from the Week of Citizening on Instagram or LinkedIn: https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/1st-story-libraries-are-hubs-for?r=204q7 What if every library in the world was a hub for citizening—a…