Since the beginning, L. Joy has said she believes in the power of storytelling. Sharing our history through storytelling is important to preserving the past and understanding the present. But in the hands of a journalist, stories get the accuracy and analysis we expect from the profession. Journalist Michael Harriot joins L. Joy at the front of the class to discuss truth, storytelling, and history.

Judges. L. Joy has discussed their importance before in our “Who We Elect” series. Whether they are appointed or elected, local, state, or federal, judges are making decisions that affect our lives. But who gets to be considered for a judgeship? What role should citizens play in building a quality, diverse judicial bench? L. Joy has Holli Holliday back at the front of the class and she brought President of the National Bar Association Lonita K. Baker with her to answer those questions and much more, along with giving us the tools we need to build.

Dispelling myths that range from misconceptions to outright fallacies, has been an ongoing theme at the front of the #SundayCivics class. This time, fiercely held myths around capitalism, free market fundamentalism, and regulations are challenged by L. Joy’s guest author and historian of science Naomi Oreskes.

Crime, crime, crime! We all want to be safe, but are our politicians using crime to fearmonger, influencing our choices? What is the truth about bail reform in the states that have enacted it? How do you engage with someone who has been scared by all the fear mongering? To answer those questions and more, L. Joy is bringing Insha Rahman, Vice President, Advocacy & Partnerships at Vera Institute, to the front of the class.

L. Joy’s mission to ensure that we have the history, context, and tools to be civically engaged continues with this lesson with the dynamic Professor Carol Anderson at the front of the class. They take us on a walk through history, discussing Professor Anderson’s books which detail Black freedom, Black citizenship, white rage and much more.

Has L. Joy discussed Black maternal health and reproductive justice before? Yes, multiple times. And as long as there is such deep confusion, much of it manufactured, around the issue, L. Joy will continue to talk about it because the full range of reproductive healthcare links together. For this lesson, she’s bringing a knowledgeable triumvirate to the front of the class to break down the fight on the State level.

Exactly what should we be doing in between Presidential elections? We should be engaging and base building to ensure our communities are knowledgeable and ready to cast their vote as well as advance the issues of concern. Now we know-but the HOW do we engage respectfully is the next question.  L. Joy brings Adrianne Shropshire to the front of the class to break down how Black PAC engages, gathers information, and gives tips we can all use to be better at base building.

Work. We all do it because we have bills to pay. But what happens when an unexpected emergency occurs and you need time away from work-hopefully paid time? To discuss work, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), paid leave, and the possibilities of disconnecting work from benefits, L. Joy brings Executive Director of Family Values @ Work, Josephine Kalepini to the front of the class.

The United Nations is an international organization, but can it be used as a tool on the path to human and civil rights here for Black people in America? To explain if this is possible, L. Joy brings UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent member, Professor Justin Hansford to the front of the class. As a bonus, they discuss Critical Race Theory, answering questions many of us have.

The Constitution, it is said,  is a living, breathing document. L. Joy brings Sherrilyn Ifill to the front of the class to give us a framework to understand the power and obligations of the Constitution, the importance of the Civil War Amendments, and what it means to do the work of citizenship.