7th Annual Guiding Lights Weekend sparks National movement to reimagine citizenship March 8–10 in Seattle

By Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly

On March 8–10 in Seattle, hundreds of leaders and change-makers from across the United States will participate in the Guiding Lights Weekend conference on the art of great citizenship.

Guiding Lights was founded in 2005 by former White House speechwriter and author Eric Liu (author of “The Gardens of Democracy”). To many, the weekend has become known as one of the nation’s most creative, cross-sectorial convening of civic activists, educators, and entrepreneurs.

“This is the moment for Americans to reclaim what it means to be a citizen,” said Liu in a release. “At Guiding Lights Weekend, we teach with a playful spirit — and we are sparking a serious movement to reimagine citizenship. It is all about taking seriously how we make an unum from the pluribus. It’s about committing again to the American creed, and sharpening the skills that we need to live up to it.”

The Guiding Lights Weekend is in its seventh year. The following are this year’s conference speakers:

• Van Jones, green energy activist, founder of Rebuild the Dream
• Annie Leonard, co-director of The Story of Stuff Project
• Jose Antonio Vargas, journalist and co-founder of Define American
• Mary Gordon, founder and president of Roots of Empathy
• Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, co-founder and director of MomsRising.org
• Ai-jen Poo, founder and director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance
• Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law professor and campaign finance reform activist, and Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler. Both will discuss building left-right alliances to reclaim politics for everyday Americans
• Gerda W. Klein, celebrated author, holocaust survivor, and proud naturalized citizen

Dozens of other leaders will conduct hands-on workshops on the skills of citizenship, from storytelling and organizing to building movements. New York City performance group “Elevator Repair Service” will premiere an adaptation of Supreme Court oral arguments for the stage. Guiding Lights will host a naturalization ceremony for new Americans citizens and will premiere a sworn-again American ceremony, a recommitment for long-standing citizens.

Four hundred attendees from across America are expected at the event this year. (end)

For more information, visit www.guidinglightsweekend.com.