New Podcast, “Democracy Vibe Check,” Explores How Gen-Z Engages in Civic Season, a New American Tradition

WABE, Atlanta’s home for NPR and PBS, is proud to announce the launch of its latest national podcast Democracy Vibe Check: A Guide to Civic Season. The seven-episode series explores ways young people across the country are engaging in a new American tradition, Civic Season. Democracy Vibe Check begins streaming on wabe.org and other podcast platforms Wednesday, May 24.

Held between Juneteenth and July 4th, Civic Season unites America’s oldest federal holiday with its newest in a summertime celebration of who we are as a nation, how we got here, and where we want to go next. New episodes are slated to premiere on Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. ET through Wednesday, July 5. Listeners can submit their own stories to be included in the final episode. 

View the Democracy Vibe Check: A Guide Civic Season trailer.

Democracy Vibe Check is produced by WABE Studios in partnership with Civic Season and Made By Us. Participating organizations include the Atlanta History Center, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. The series hosts–Maggie Bell, Gabriel Cruz, and Cameron Katz–represent the voices of Gen-Z from Atlanta, central to the guiding values and activation around Civic Season.

“Civic Season is about unleashing access to the complex American story and finding your place in it,” said Caroline Klibanoff, Executive Director of Made By Us. “From Atlanta to the rest of the country, the Democracy Vibe Check podcast is an invitation to join the fun through conversation, games, and activities that help you discover your story.”

Bell is a spirited community organizer who works across the state of Georgia. As a proud HBCU grad, she understands the power of the Black youth vote and is determined to increase political engagement amongst her peers. Bell has a history of advocating for canceling student debt, criminal justice reform, and voting rights.

Cruz (he/him) grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to Atlanta to study biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech. After graduating, he became passionate about learning the history he didn’t learn in school. In his free time, he loves building Legos and playing chess.

Katz (she/her) is the Community Engagement Manager for Made By Us. Through her work, she frequently speaks, writes, and creates content about history, civic engagement, and Gen-Z’s power to shape the future of the United States. Cameron recently graduated from Emory University with a double major in U.S. History and English Creative Writing.

ABOUT WABE

WABE, formerly Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA), operates public media stations WABE (90.1FM) and WABE TV (Channel 30), Atlanta’s original, independent, non-profit sources for news and local stories and choice for NPR and PBS. Our stations deliver fact-based journalism and inclusive, engaging, cultural content that informs, inspires, reflects, and empowers the millions who call the Greater Atlanta area home. WABE’s programs, podcasts, and events make Atlanta’s stories and storytellers accessible and relevant across a variety of platforms for our diverse audience of listeners, viewers, visitors, and members. Go to www.wabe.org for additional information.

ABOUT MADE BY US 

Made By Us is a coalition of more than 150 history museums and historic sites joining forces to inform and ignite Gen Z civic participation powered by history. We connect young people in every corner of the nation with our shared past, present, and future. Made By Us is led by the Atlanta History Center, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, National Archives Foundation, First Americans Museum, Senator John Heinz History Center, New York Historical Society, and Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. 

Note: Civic Season is supported by the Mellon Foundation, Rockefeller Brother Fund’s Our Common Purpose Initiative, the Coca-Cola Company, the Arthur Blank Family Foundation, AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate, the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, and other stewards of democracy and cultural institutions.