The Covid-19 Pandemic presents an unprecedented civic challenge in all facets of our daily lives, our community and our nation.
At the Civic Circle, this is both a moment to innovate, and an opportunity to give back.
We are moving our program online to assist teachers, parents and students. As a way to stay connected, we released a video of the opening song from our show, The Citizen Tango. (Check it out below!)
We are now piloting an educational video that will feature that song followed by a short democracy lesson led by our teaching artists. This lesson will answer the questions: What is democracy? What are my rights and responsibilities? What is a citizen? Our plan is to create seven more videos, each focused on the seven steps to democracy at the heart of our program: Listen, Learn, Choose, Join, Speak, Act, and Lead.
We are also looking for ways to help our community, particularly students who have relied on now-closed schools for meals. In lieu of the fundraising reception we had planned for this spring, we have joined GivingTuesdayNow, a global giving opportunity to respond to the pandemic. We will be splitting our proceeds with NoKidHungry Maryland, which is helping ensure that students continue to receive meals during school closures.
I conjunction with GivingTuesdayNow, we are releasing a new song about helping others, along with a video that celebrates the essential workers who are keeping us all afloat during this pandemic—nurses, doctors, delivery people, postal workers, clerks—everyday people who are doing extraordinary things. Titled “Anyone can be a hero,” the song is inspired by the following quote from Martin Luther King:
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King Jr.