America and the Magic Order of US (part III)
Part III - The Magic Is US
Fantasy stories remind us that it was never about the numbers, it was about the networks. Dumbledore’s Army. The Fellowship. The Resistance. They didn’t wait for permission. They didn’t wait for someone else. They stepped into the story, scared, unsure, and in motion.
Now it’s our turn. Now it’s your turn.
Maybe you’ve never seen yourself as an activist. Maybe you still don’t. That’s okay. Because this isn’t about activism as an identity, it’s about citizenship as a practice.
And somewhere along the way, we stopped practicing it.
In America, we’ve come to treat citizenship like a spectator sport, something you check into every few years. Something reserved for politicians, pundits, or the loudest voices in the room. But democracy was never meant to be a performance. It’s a collective act, sustained by ordinary people showing up in ordinary ways.
Real citizenship is how we meet this moment, not just in resistance, but in participation. Not just when the stakes are high, but when no one’s watching. Not just in protest of what we’re against, but in active pursuit of what we’re trying to build.
If we want to keep the experiment of American democracy alive, we can’t treat it like someone else’s job. We have to be participants, not spectators.
So, how do we start showing up?
Remember, we’re working with a mosaic. Practicing citizenship looks different for each of us, but here are three ways anyone can begin:
1 - Find Your People. Find Your Joy.
Democracy isn’t just sustained by protests and policies, it’s sustained by relationships. And right now, we’re living through a loneliness epidemic. According to Pew, nearly half of Americans say they don’t have a single person they could call in an emergency, or even trust with a spare key. That kind of isolation doesn’t just erode well-being, it weakens our capacity to care, to engage, to stand up for each other.
So start small. Community doesn’t have to be big to be powerful, it just has to be real.
If you’re looking for ways to start building community, here are a few places to begin:
The Longest Table – A global movement bringing neighbors together over shared meals to build connection and empathy.
National Good Neighbor Day – A national initiative encouraging neighborly acts and stronger local ties.
A Wider Circle – Hosts “Neighbor to Neighbor Day” and other community engagement efforts that foster dignity and mutual aid.
And most importantly, make space for joy. Share meals, laughter, and stories. These aren’t distractions from the work, they’re what the work is for. Even in the darkest chapters of history, people still fell in love. Still celebrated. Still found each other. Because joy, connection, and belonging aren’t extras. They’re part of how we endure. They’re how we honor our shared social contract, to care for one another.
2 - Model the Democracy You Want
Our democratic values don’t just live in constitutions and courtrooms; they live in us. In what we expect. In what we tolerate. In how we treat people, especially those with whom we disagree.
That means refusing to accept injustice, corruption, or dehumanization as normal. And it means calling in, not just calling out: having honest, respectful conversations that challenge harmful ideas while leaving room for learning and growth.
You don’t have to be a politician to shape democratic culture. Just let your values be visible in how you listen, how you speak, and how you engage across differences.
These groups offer tools, trainings, and spaces to help you do that work:
Team Democracy: Encourages citizens to commit to safe and fair elections through their Principles for Trusted Elections Pledge.
Citizen University – Equips people with the knowledge, skills, and spirit to be powerful citizens, promoting civic rituals and education that reinforce democratic culture and norms.
Civic Genius – Makes democratic systems more accessible, with resources for understanding and participating in local governance.
Better Together America – Promotes civic unity by helping Americans engage across political differences, support democratic values, and restore trust in institutions and one another.
One America Movement – Works with faith leaders and communities to confront toxic polarization by fostering relationships across religious and political divides.
3 - Protect the Process
Democracy doesn’t run on autopilot. It depends on systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable, and on people who make sure they stay that way. Protecting the process means keeping those systems visible, responsive, and strong.
That might mean volunteering as a poll worker or helping a neighbor get the ID they need to vote. Or it could mean attending a town hall, tracking how public money is spent, or submitting a comment on a local policy.
Here are some organizations that make it easier to get involved and stay informed:
VoteRiders – Helps voters navigate complex ID laws and ensures access to the ballot.
League of Women Voters – Offers nonpartisan guides and local engagement opportunities.
Power the Polls – Recruits volunteers to serve as poll workers and ensure safe, fair, and accessible elections in local communities.
Open States – Let’s you follow your state legislature and track bills in real time.
These practices aren’t side quests. They’re the main storyline, the way turning points begin – quietly, collectively, and often before we realize it.
And if these stories have taught us anything, it’s this: the arc shifts when ordinary people decide the story is theirs to shape.
As Dumbledore once told Harry, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
We don’t need magic to know what comes next – just the courage to believe that our choices now determine how the story ends.
