Most separate, we gather.
American democracy has always been bottom up. Now’s when we double down.
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Jan
Jan 27, 2026 @ 7:00 pm
Dr. Theodore Johnson: Pride, Reckoning, Aspiration
“Pride includes a faith in the nation’s ability to learn and improve and atone. Reckoning implies faith in a fundamental goodness to which the appeals of justice can be made.”
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Innovating democracy in American hometowns
Join us by giving a tax-deductible donation of $76 or more to become a yearly member. The American experiment has never been about the ruler, it’s about the people. We’re going to need to get back to it.
Recent Podcast Episodes
SquareCast Episode 123
Flying Pig Academy: Walk Away from That Box OR Why Fixing Civil Discourse Requires Less Politics, not more
Recent News and Updates
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In the News
Study shows Floridians are not civic minded. That needs to change.
In the past, Northwest Florida has stepped up to address this civic challenge. Tallahassee’s Village Square has rebuilt civic trust amidst polarization.
via Tallahassee Democrat
Blog
Less fire, more water. Less darkness, more light.
It’s by gathering with people who don’t look or think like we do that we see the humanity in each other – and the good intention, despite the disagreement.
In the News
Newfangled Ways to Spark Old-Style Civic Life: 4 Groups Show the Way
“Joyner describes the mission of Village Square — rebuilding civic trust amid increasing polarization — as both “impossible and mandatory.”
via The Chronicle of Philanthropy (Photo: Leon County Government)
Our Story
Building the town hall of the 21st century across the partisan divide
The Village Square (noun): A nervy bunch of liberals and conservatives who believe that disagreement and dialogue make for a good conversation, a good country, and a good time.
