The Civic Courage Journaling Project creates opportunities for individual reflection and group conversations about personal experiences that have important, often hidden civic dimensions. Civic Courage, identified by the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Theory of Change as one of the capacities necessary for active and engaged citizenship, encompasses the ability to take risks, work through tension, be patient in the face of challenges, stay open and engaged, take responsibility for the foreseeable consequences of one’s actions, face changes bravely, and act in accordance with one’s core values and beliefs.

UMBC student, faculty, staff, and alumni journal bearers respond to prompts from the Center for Democracy and Civic Life by creating entries in their journals. Many journal bearers also share their reflections publicly through social media posts like this, art projects, or conversations at monthly gatherings.

We hope to see you at this month’s gathering of participants in the Civic Courage Reflective Journal Project. The reflection prompt is shared the week before with journal bearers via email. 

If you’d like to be involved with the Civic Courage Journaling Project, send us an email: civiclife@umbc.edu.