- We The Purple Teaming with Media Organizations and Major Institutions to Promote Rediscovery and Recommitment to American Democratic Values
- Announcing First Major Public Initiative for Month of November, including ways to participate leading up to “The Great Thanksgivingtaking”
NEW YORK and WASHINGTON , Nov. 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Purple Project for Democracy announces the launch of We The Purple, a national non-partisan movement of unprecedented scope looking to “brand” democracy, above party lines, and free from politics. With the support of major media organizations, along with major political and social institutions, We The Purple seeks to restore faith in American democracy by turning apathy into education, community, and a new paradigm for civic engagement. The movement launches on the heels of unprecedented support and encouragement for The Purple Project for Democracy since the non-profit was announced in July.
“We are thrilled to launch We The Purple, one of the most ambitious movements ever undertaken, with the goal of bringing back trust in democracy,” said Sterling Speirn, Purple co-organizer and senior fellow at the National Council on Citizenship. “With this initiative we seek to encourage not just pride in our democratic institutions in principle but civic engagement among Americans of all ages.”
We The Purple will devote special attention to Millennial and GenZ Americans, offering them the civic literacy that most schools no longer provide and the power and platform, through a series of colorful initiatives, to make their voices heard. The first of these initiatives, will include a variety of activities and calls to action throughout the month of November to raise awareness and participation in the movement. The initiative will culminate on November 28th with “The Great Thanksgivingtaking,” when the younger generation will be encouraged to lead family discussions during Thanksgiving meal with older generations.
WethePurple.org is the clearing house for content created by Purple Project partners, social media activities, a calendar of events from around the country and a list of ‘76 Things You Can Do Right Now’ to bolster democracy. Purple is premised on the idea that the health of the democracy resides in citizens willingness to participate. The Purple campaign is a hearts-and-minds effort leading ultimately to a geo-sensitive platform for civic engagement that confers a social benefit in the form of purple badging for active citizenship.
“Just as friends no longer let friends drive drunk,” said Purple co-founder and president Bob Garfield, “in 5 years, if we are successful, friends won’t let friends check out of civic participation.”
Purple is teaming up with an ever growing list of content partners as varied as The Washington Post, iCivics, New York Public Radio and the OVID streaming platform, along with by major institutional supporters representing the breadth of politics and society. Among those who have contributed support are the Freedom Forum Institute, the American Enterprise Institute and the News Media Alliance. Purple will also team with educational organizations such as iCivics, NAMLE, The National Judicial College and the National Council for the Social Studies to promote the most effective existing civic-and media-literacy curriculum modules to state school authorities, local districts, teachers’ unions and the PTA. The Purple “brand” hopes to bring attention to the work of these and many more non-profit groups who, often out of public view, work tirelessly to bolster non-partisan democracy.
About The Purple Project for Democracy:
Purple is a non-partisan media and education campaign of unprecedented scope undertaken by a coalition of leading American institutions to renew faith, interest, understanding and enthusiasm about our nation’s democracy. It is hosted under the non-profit auspices of the National Conference on Citizenship. The organizers are Rebecca Winthrop, senior fellow and director of Brookings’ Center for Universal Education; Yoram Wind, the Lauder Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Sterling Speirn, senior fellow of the NCOC; Bob Garfield, co-host of public radio’s On the Media, Roberto Orci, founder and CEO of Acento Advertising; and Ona Dosmunu, executive director of the California Lawyers Association.
Purple is made possible by grants from the National Council on Citizenship and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and donation of services from Acento Advertising, BAV Group, Digitas, EGC Group, Gerris, GS&P, JellySmack, Montclair State University School of Communication and Media, Ready Education, Slash Management, Vivoom, Walrus, and WIT Strategy.
CONTACT:
Mallory Edmondson medmondson@witstrategy.com