The Fierce Urgency of Now

A 2018 survey found that Americans reported shockingly low levels of civic engagement over the previous year. Almost half surveyed said they did nothing: no petitions signed, no volunteering for a cause, no political donations. Is 2020 the year when all that changes? Find out from three authors who have studied and practiced activism. Eitan Hersh, in Politics Is for Power, calls out folks, especially liberals, for feeling like they are being political when often they are merely political hobbyists, consuming news and virtue signaling on social media. More is needed, he cautions, if we want change. In Why We Act, Catherine A. Sanderson uses neuroscience to explain why some people are capable of exhibiting moral courage and standing up for what’s right, while others go along with the group. Sanderson believes it is possible to learn to be brave in the face of wrongdoing. In 2014, DeRay Mckesson quit his job, moved to Ferguson, and spent four hundred days on the streets demanding justice. In On the Other Side of Freedom, this civil rights activist, co-founder of Campaign Zero, and host of Pod Save the People explores the nature of resistance and gives an insider’s look at the Black Lives Matter movement. Tonya Mosley, co-host of Here & Now on WBUR, will lead this not-to-be missed session on a topic critical to our current moment. 90.9 WBUR is the media sponsor for this session.