Why Not Dodge? Why Not Stockton?
I mentioned yesterday that several local initiatives could mean as much to their communities or states as the outcome of most national races. The two historical examples I naturally think of are…
Civic Life
164 posts
Refugees, Immigrants, and the Battle Over Who Is American
Deb Fallows has a new post up, about what’s actually involved in settling immigrants from Syria—or Somalia or Congo or Bhutan—in the American cities that have taken the lead in…
What It Takes to Settle Refugees
The people of Erie, Pennsylvania, have welcomed immigrants and refugees, and believe that their town is better off for having done so.
Is America in a Boiling Fury About Immigration?
Not the America I Have Seen
Documentary: The Truth About American Towns That Welcome Refugees
A documentary about small towns and immigration produced for the American Futures project.
‘America Is a Dream Country’
What does it mean to spend years as a Syrian refugee and then land in a brand new life in Erie, Pennsylvania?
The Education of Ryan Lochte
What he could learn from America's public pools
What’s (Less) the Matter With Kansas
This week’s election news out of Kansas was the defeat in the GOP primaries of some of the hardest-line Tea Party Republicans, at both the Congressional and local- and state-legislative level. The…
Educating Migrant Children in Dodge City
"We're a port of entry 1,000 miles from the border."
A Different Kind of ‘Trump Nation’ Report
Western Kansas, where Deb and I have spent time over the past month, is the heart of Trump Nation in one sense: Trump and the GOP will almost certainly carry…
New Pioneers in Southwest Kansas
Mexican immigrants on the Great Plains try to build new lives, with hope and help.
A Note About Trumpism, From the ‘Real America’
For the past week my wife Deb and I have been in western Kansas — Dodge City mainly, also Garden City, briefly Spearville. There will be a lot more to…
A Good Start: Bobby’s Story
One of my favorite features of our American Futures project is the occasional serendipity of crossing the path of some surprising, remarkable person. Like Jerrie Mock, the Columbus, Ohio, housewife who was the…
Finding Health Care in the Desert
With the closest hospital 100 miles away, Ajo, Arizona's Desert Senita Health Center acts as the region's clinic
Farming in the Desert
A small town in Arizona grows a thriving food scene.
Awards for Civic Engagement: 37 New Examples
A big question in national politics this year is what exactly “engagement” means, beyond showing up at rallies. As Yoni Appelbaum pointed out last week, Donald Trump supporters are notable for…