L. Joy taps into her “inner church girl” to deliver a powerful civic lesson in this show opening. She draws from First Samuel 8, where the people of Israel, despite having freedom, security, and self-governance, demanded a king to rule over them—ultimately trading their autonomy for oppression. L. Joy makes a compelling parallel between this biblical story and our modern political reality, asking: Have we, too, relinquished our civic power by expecting elected leaders to “save” us while failing to engage in governance ourselves?

In this episode of Sunday Civics, L. Joy takes listeners on a metaphorical "field trip" to a workshop where we have all the tools at our disposal to build a more equitable future. Using the Reconstruction Era as inspiration, she emphasizes the importance of both protecting democracy and actively constructing the future we want, even amidst political and social chaos.

On this episode,  L. Joy explores the concept of power—not the kind from the federal government but the kind built at the local and state levels. Focusing on empowering listeners to engage locally, L. Joy emphasizes the importance of shaping policies, influencing local budgets, and participating in municipal and state elections. She brings New York City Council Member Chi Ossé and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, to the front of the class discuss the vital role of local and state governments in effecting change. And they share their recommendations on civic engagement.

In this episode of Sunday Civics, before she delves into the lesson, L. Joy reflects on her recent trip to South Carolina to participate in Furman University’s MLK Breakfast. She spoke to the group about the importance of reclaiming the power of civic engagement. During her speech, she highlighted the historical and contemporary significance of Black activism, and emphasized that civic engagement must be active, not passive- drawing lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life to inspire action.

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” Now it is time to get active, get engaged, and participate in shaping your community and our collective future. For our first #SundayCivics class of 2025, L. Joy shares her civic engagement roadmap for 2025. Four points she’s highlighting are personal advocacy, community engagement, legislative advocacy, and electoral engagement.

This episode, L. Joy is focusing on us charting a path forward for our communities. To discuss strategies for organizing using effective communications to enhance civic engagement and empowering communities to embrace their full agency, she brings Leslie Mac, digital organizer and strategist and Chelsea Fuller, managing partner and senior strategist with Black Alder LLC to the front of the class.

In this episode, L. Joy emphasizes the importance of understanding who holds power at all levels of government, particularly as key caucuses, coalitions, and federal appointments shape policies. For the Do Now, she reminds us that despair is not a strategy and calls for focused, strategic advocacy tailored to critical issues like housing, equity, and justice.

The episode transitions to a conversation with Jessica Mackler, president of Emily’s List, at the front of the class, highlighting recent wins for pro-choice women in politics, including the historic milestone of two Black women serving in the U.S. Senate simultaneously.

In this episode L. Joy highlights the value of local engagement by explaining the concept of "state engagement tables," where coalitions work together on various issues at the state level, supporting each other’s priorities year round. To break down this concept and share their experiences, she brings Tamieka Atkins, Executive Director of ProGeorgia, Brad Christian-Sallis, Director of Power Building at the Nebraska Table and James Hayes, Co-Director of Ohio Voice to the front of the class.

The outcome of the 2024 election has left so many of us feeling a mix of emotions, from disappointment to determination, but as L. Joy always says, “civics doesn’t begin and end of Election Day”. In this week’s episode L. Joy offers a simple reassurance: these feelings are natural, but they need not define us. One election does not determine our commitment to a more equitable society. This is an opportunity for resilience and a renewed focus on what truly matters.

We are hours away from the culmination of the 2024 election season and L. Joy invites the Sunday Civics community to the front of the class to share closing thoughts before Election Day. She begins with a heartfelt open letter of appreciation to poll workers and election administrators. These unsung heroes are vital to the democratic process, working tirelessly to ensure our elections run smoothly. In a departure from the usual format, this segment invites a range of voices from across the nation to share their feelings as election day approaches. From optimism and excitement to anxiety and hope, these personal accounts offer a comprehensive view of the electorate’s mood.