Watch party: Grab your popcorn, relax, and learn how much community groups juice up democratic power.

Knowledge precedes change. Two decades ago Robert Putnam’s groundbreaking book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, showed readers how fundamental community groups were to the health of democracies around the world. For a quick shot of inspiration into why this is true, you can start with this 2023 film that reviews the legacy of the book’s impact and examines the state of American community today: Join or Die: A Film About Why You Should Join a Club (And Why the Fate of America depends on it!). It is available on Netflix.

Don’t just think. Do.

Powerful ideas can create big waves of attention, but if these ideas are not implemented, their power sinks to the sea floor, forgotten under the waters of indifference. Robert Putnam saw this happen after Bowling Alone became a bestseller, initiating thousands of book clubs, and inspiring civic study groups, including a conference led by then President Obama and attended by other power political leaders. Despite all the fireworks, nothing materially changed in the realm of community building in America. Join or Die peers into this disappointing outcome and then digs into the history to show how and why our time may be ripe for an American communal renaissance.

If this film inspires you, but you are not yet a member of some kind of community group (political or otherwise), please consider finding something to join, or create something you need and invite others to join you. The fate of our world just might depend on it.

This is how we do it.

For quality guidance on how to start a politically-oriented group, check out Red, Wine and Blue’s Trouble Nation where you can find intelligent ideas and tools to help you start a group and make it successful in having an impact in your community. Whether you’re just getting started or already highly skilled, they’ve got what you need. While ostensibly Red, Wine and Blue is led by women and is for women seeking to create political change, their materials are detailed and founded on an impressive base of knowledge. They can be used by anyone.

For a less gendered approach, check out these ideas from Seeds for Change, which offers excellent guidance on creating affinity groups for taking non-violent action in the face of rising authoritarianism. Additionally, you can start, or join, a local Indivisible group. At this stage I would be surprised if you do not know about Indivisible, but even if you do, you might not know about their weekly “What’s the Plan” national Zoom meetings, which are inspiring and highly informative and can help you feel a part of a national family.

Remember: You matter.

Your presence, your voice, your ideas, your involvement–these are the things that will make a difference. It just takes enough of us lending our individual power to the growing national movement. Together we can create more than a blue wave, we can become a tsunami of change.