PlayFull Alumni Network – Ongoing Series: The Day After the Day After

Kristine Michie brings together a dynamic group of changemakers to explore the challenges and opportunities ahead for those working to protect democracy, equity, and justice. This episode dives into the evolving landscape of power, the importance of community, and how joy can be an act of resistance. Whether you are in the nonprofit world, government, or grassroots organizing, this episode offers inspiration, practical wisdom, and a reminder that solidarity is crucial, play is practical – and love wins every time.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience is both inherited and built—history provides lessons on how communities have thrived despite adversity, and those lessons can guide action today.
• Protecting democracy is not just a national concern but a global one.
• Civic engagement must extend beyond elections—real change happens in the sustained effort of organizing, supporting public servants, and holding institutions accountable.
• Public service and independent journalism are under threat; supporting trusted servants and trusted sources of information is critical to counter misinformation and safeguard democracy.
• Technology is reshaping power structures, with major players influencing global politics in ways that demand deeper scrutiny and proactive responses.
• Social movements require both urgency and patience, balancing immediate actions with long-term strategies to create sustainable change.
• Community networks are vital for navigating uncertainty, offering spaces for people to process, strategize, and maintain hope.

"People who have gifted us a legacy of resilience, resistance and clarity that we can draw on in this moment for whatever movements that we need to make… as Maya Angelou would say, and still we rise." — Merle McGee, Everyday Democracy

"The game has changed. It’s not a national game anymore… Think of this as an international game board, and they are cutting down boundaries and taking over opportunity sets with their own networks, influence, and money." — Clara Miller, NFF and Heron Foundation (ret’d)

"We really do need to engage people on a human level, first, regardless of politics…" — Salin Geevarghese, SGG Insights

About our Changemakers:

• Eric Ward is a national expert on authoritarian movements and hate violence, Executive Director of Western States Center, and Senior Fellow at Race Forward and the SPLC. [.css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}