Civic Courage Journaling Project (Virtual) Gathering

The Civic Courage Journaling Project creates opportunities for individual reflection and group conversations about personal experiences that have important, often hidden civic dimensions. Civic Courage, identified by the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Theory of Change as one of the capacities necessary for active and engaged citizenship, encompasses the ability to take risks, work through tension, be patient in the face of challenges, stay open and engaged, take responsibility for the foreseeable consequences of one’s actions, face changes bravely, and act in accordance with one’s core values and beliefs.

UMBC student, faculty, staff, and alumni journal bearers respond to prompts from the Center for Democracy and Civic Life by creating entries in their journals. Many journal bearers also share their reflections publicly through social media posts like this, art projects, or conversations at monthly gatherings.

We hope to see you at this month’s gathering of participants in the Civic Courage Reflective Journal Project. Here is this month's prompt:

With the start of the new semester, most of us will be navigating virtual environments (both in and out of class) that can make it difficult to participate freely and genuinely. Conflict and controversy, including in connection with Election 2020, may add another set of challenges. People may feel uncomfortable speaking up when they have questions or want to share their own experiences. Have you been able to create space for yourself or others to have real conversations in virtual settings? If so, how? If not, what have your experiences been? How can you envision yourself helping to create welcoming spaces this semester? 

If you’d like to be involved with the Civic Courage Journaling Project, send us an email: civiclife@umbc.edu.