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PUBLIC SQUARE CONVERSATIONS
Discussion Leading to Action
CAPA is committed to making 2025 and beyond a period of deeper engagement with our membership and the broader community. With this in mind, we are hosting a series of Public Square Conversations, to provide a space for connecting with community, engaging in dialogue, and generating ideas for action.
Each Public Square Conversation will focus on a different topic, but the overarching theme is to explore how we can build a society where human dignity is our guiding principle. See our upcoming and past conversations listed below!
*UPCOMING*: MAY 20TH, 2025: "Personal Power and Collective Action"
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL 60660
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
Democracy is not going to save itself—it needs all of us. Join us for CAPA’s next Public Square Conversation where you’ll connect with others who are ready to get off the sidelines and into action. Together, we’ll explore how civil resistance has prevented the backslide of democracy around the world—and how it remains our best shot at stopping the rise of authoritarianism here at home.
We’ll discuss Gene Sharp’s insight that power depends on the cooperation of ordinary people, not just the decisions of elites, and how that truth can guide us now. You’ll have the chance to reflect on how you want to engage, what resistance looks like for you, and what steps you’re willing to take to stand for human dignity and justice. If you’re tired of feeling outraged but unsure what to do, this is your invitation to do something—and to do it together.
MARCH 27TH, 2025: "Pillars of Democracy"
Lake Street Church, Evanston, IL
Our second Public Square Conversation focused on a discussion of these and other questions:
1. What are the pillars of democracy? 2. What forces and phenomena weaken a democracy? 3. What are our tools for fighting to uphold democracy?
Click here to read some of the main takeaways from our conversations. In addition, a cross-section of CAPA members have offered up the following resources for exploring the topics of democracy and authoritarianism. The views represented here are not endorsed by all CAPA members but are meant to spark discussion and invite further inquiry:
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”How Democracies Die,” Truth Dig, Jan. 13, 2020, Chris Hedges.
How Democracies Die, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, 2018.
The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World, Noam Chomsky and Nathan Robinson, 2024.
“The New Authoritarianism,” The Atlantic, Feb. 2025, Steven Levitsky.
A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn, 1980.
Tyranny of the Minority, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, 2023.
JANUARY 14TH, 2025: "Share Your Ideas on the Public's Role in a New Political Era."
Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL
Our inaugural Public Square Conversation focused on hearing what was most on community members’ minds in our new political era. All voices were welcomed to share their current hopes, fears, and plans for action.
Click here to read some of the main takeaways which emerged from our conversations, as well as actions we can take to make change.
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