Coming to Rochester in a few weeks is an event called Civic Saturday.
"It's not church," said Eric Liu, "it's not synagogue or mosque, but it is about the creed of American ideals and values that we all say we believe in, and it's about the question, how do we actually make good on that creed?"
Liu, a former speechwriter and domestic policy advisor for President Bill Clinton, is a co-founder of Citizen University, a national movement designed to inspire and teach ordinary citizens to claim their power and make a difference in their communities.
The movement is also an attempt to conquer the widespread cynicism and division in America.
"To remember that we're not alone and isolated, just atomized into these little camps that are full of hate online," Liu said as he described the initiative. "Actually, we are neighbors. We are friends. We are woven together, and the health of a community, the health of a city like Rochester, depends on us rebuilding some of that citizen muscle."
Civic Saturday is scheduled at Rochester's Central Library on June 8. The event will have the flavor of a faith gathering without the religion. There will be songs, poetry readings, a civic sermon and group discussions.
Jennifer Byrnes, head of the library's science and history division, said that may mean stepping out of a comfort zone for some.
"There's gonna be portions where you're gonna go talk to a stranger," she explained. "You're gonna discuss an issue with someone you've never met before who might not look like you. That's one of the great aspects of this event."
Byrnes attended a training session at Citizen University in Seattle, where she learned how to deliver a civic sermon. She thinks reigniting people's passion and interest in their community, and perhaps inspiring some optimism, can be good for Rochester.
"There's a lot of things going on in our community," Byrnes said, "like the City School District where people are like, 'This is a lost cause,' and have kind of given up on the state of things. That's really disheartening, because this is a great community and we can be better."
Civic Saturday runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 8 at the Kate Gleason Auditorium at the library, 115 South Ave.
It's a pilot event. Additional events may be planned in the future if there's enough interest, according to Byrnes. She said other organizations may be inspired to host similar gatherings based on the Civic Saturday model.
Click on the LISTEN link above to hear an interview with Eric Liu.
