Our Common Purpose: Strengthening Civic Culture in Arizona

In December, the Arizona Civic Life Partnership, a partnership between Center for the Future of Arizona and the Flinn Foundation’s Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, convened Our Common Purpose: Strengthening Civic Culture in Arizona. In collaboration with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and with support from Vitalyst Health Foundation, the gathering brought together Arizona and national leaders for a shared conversation about democracy and civic culture.

The program featured a panel with Eric Liu, Co-Founder and CEO of Citizen University; Sam Gill, CEO of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Ben Klutsey, Director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University; and Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President and CEO of CFA. Drawing on Habits of Heart and Mind, a new report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences featuring Arizona-based examples, panelists shared practical lessons civic leaders can use to strengthen civic culture and bridge divides.

		Pictured left to right: David Martinez of Vitalyst Health Foundation; Ben Klutsey, director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University; Dr. Sybil Francis, chair, president and CEO of CFA; Sam Gill, CEO of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; and Eric Liu, co-founder and CEO of Citizen University at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The convening also offered a first look at how the Arizona Civic Life Partnership is exploring ways to measure and strengthen civic health statewide, inviting reflection on shared priorities and how this work can spark collective action to build a stronger civic culture in Arizona.