Join the RSA US Fellowship community for a conversation with activists Kat Calvin FRSA, Evan Weissman FRSA and Jonathan Lykes on how to create civic action, impact policy, and get every day citizens engaged in their democracy.
This promises to be an inspiring event that shines a spotlight on the remarkable efforts of RSA Fellows in creating tangible civic impact, featuring Kat Calvin, Founder and Executive Director of Spread The Vote + Project ID and author of American Identity in Crisis, Evan Weismann, Founder of Warm Cookies of the Revolution and Jonathan Lykes, Founder/Executive Director of Liberation House. Discover how these dedicated individuals are turning everyday actions into powerful agents of change, influencing policies, and making a difference in their communities.
Learn practical strategies, tools, and techniques that can empower you to become a more effective everyday activist. Let's amplify the impact of small actions and create a ripple effect of positive change in our society.
Our speakers will be:
Kat Calvin FRSA is the Founder and Executive Director of Spread The Vote + Project ID and the Co-Founder and CEO of the Project ID Action Fund. A lawyer, activist, and social entrepreneur, Kat has built a national organization that helps Americans obtain the IDs they need for jobs, housing, and life and that also allows them to go to the polls and is working towards the passage of the IDs for an Inclusive Democracy Act. Her book American Identity Crisis will be released on Amistad by Harper Collins on September 19, 2023.
Kat is one of the TIME Magazine 16 People and Groups Fighting for a More Equal America, 2018 Fast Company 100 Most Creative People in Business, and has been a Business Insider 30 Under 30, The Grio 100, and more. Kat has been featured in the New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, Essence, Glamour, NPR, PBS, BET, Marie Claire and many more print and digital outlets. She has been a guest commentator on MSNBC, CNN, Headline News, Sirius XM, and more. She is a frequent keynote speaker and a sought after voice for her expertise and opinions on politics, voting, ID related issues, and more.
Evan Weissman FRSA is the founding executive director of Warm Cookies of the Revolution, a civic health club that blends innovative arts and culture with crucial civic issues. Prior to founding Warm Cookies of the Revolution, he spent 12 years as a company member of the collaborative Buntport Theater Company, who the Denver Post called 'Monty Python’s anarchist grandchildren', winning over 100 awards as playwright, director, designer, and actor. His work with Warm Cookies includes creating live events, installations, videos, music, and books. He is horrible at drawing and swimming, among many other deficiencies. Evan lives in Denver with his wife Kristin and their kids Ezra Huck and Tavi Scout.
Jonathan Lykes is a Black queer artist, activist and academic. His interdisciplinary approach to art, activism and anti-oppression work, merges policy change, artistic expression and activism. Combining these forms of social transformation—and harnessing their synergy—Jonathan works to create awareness, promote personal healing, surmount institutional barriers and generate systemic change.
Jonathan’s current position as Founder/Executive Director of Liberation House merges his multidisciplinary artistic background with public policy reform, community engagement and systems change work to teach liberation praxis by pushing the revolutionary edge of radical transformative movement work.
Lykes is also the Director of Policy and Programs for Black Youth Project/GenForward Survey. Lykes is also a founding member of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100), a movement of young adults using a Black Queer Feminist lens to advocate for community and institutional change. Through BYP100, Jonathan curated a freedom song and chant album, The Black Joy Experience, helping to teach holistic energy through the Black radical tradition. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, where he also received his master’s degree from the Crown School for Social Work and Policy.
For more info visit: LiberationHouse.org
This event is taking place on Thursday, September 21 between:
- 9am - 10am PDT
- 12pm - 1pm EDT
- 5 - 6pm BST
RSA US Virtual Salons usually occur on the fourth Thursday of each month; they aim to create open dialogue and a space for RSA US Fellows to connect across geography over the issues of our times. Join a Salon to get to know other RSA US Fellows and our interests, passions, and perspectives. Salons are supported through the moderation of a volunteer to ensure that a diversity of voices are heard. We invite all Fellows to join this discussion to deepen the ways we can connect with each other across the country!
Photo attribution: The original image can be accessed via Unsplash and is the work of Clay Banks.
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