# Citizen Joy!

> When we come together, we build a stronger, more vibrant democracy, one voice at a time. American democracy needs YOU!


## Posts

- [Promoting the Joy of Voting](https://citizenjoy.org/promoting-the-joy-of-voting/): When we first settled on Citizen Joy as a name, we assumed that we were hardly the first group to emphasize the importance of joy in motivating people to participate in civic life. I recently ran across a Seattle-based organization with a webpage promoting “The Joy of Voting.” The organization is Citizen University, co-founded by Eric P. Liu. This article touches on many of the points which we have been making at Citizen Joy. On its home page, Citizen University says that the organization is “focused on equipping citizens around the country with the tools, ideas, and relationships needed to […]
- [My First Time](https://citizenjoy.org/you-never-forget-your-first-time/): Agency. One of the fundamental questions about democracy that we at Citizen Joy! ask is: “What choices are you able to make that are dear to your heart?” Everything we enjoy in our lives flows from one simple precept: America is a country where the people are sovereign, where the leaders serve at the pleasure of the governed. The greatest right we have is to vote and have that vote counted. Every other right is secondary. I value voting above all other choices. I will always remember voting in my first presidential election. The candidates were Jimmy Carter versus Gerald […]
- [The Origin of "Uncle Max"](https://citizenjoy.org/the-origin-of-uncle-max/): I created The “Uncle Max” character to carry the message of joyful celebration of democracy in 1995. I conceived Uncle Max, as a combination of my Maternal Grandfather and my Father (and maybe some Aunts too, you should live and be well!) He debuted as a voice-over character for my voice submission tape that I gave to talent agencies. After Donald Trump became president, I started a YouTube channel and Facebook Page called “What The Hell Just Happened?” This was a way for me to rail against what I saw as injustice and burgeoning autocracy. I eventually started writing a […]
- [The Power of Joy](https://citizenjoy.org/the-power-of-joy/): When we started working on Citizen Joy, we always assumed that we would be discovering people and organizations out there whose work involved tapping into the power of joy. Here are two examples I’ve discovered recently. First, there’s the work of Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of the 2019 book, The Aesthetics of Joy. On the website for her book, Lee has a great summary of why joy can be such a powerful force, in a piece entitled, “Joy is an Act of Resistance: How Celebration Sustains Activism.” Writing a year before the 2020 presidential election, she identifies six ways that […]
- [Keeping Joy Alive](https://citizenjoy.org/keeping-joy-alive/): Political pundits of all persuasions are struggling to deal with the explosion of joy in Democratic ranks with Harris’ ascension to the nomination. It didn’t take long for them to start questioning what they claimed was a lack of “policy” coming from the Harris campaign. They warned that it was just not possible for a candidate to hope to ride “joy” all the way to the White House. This complaint is particularly ironic coming from supporters of the Trump campaign. Because back in 2020, the Republican Convention did not adopt a new party platform; they elected instead to recycle the […]
- [Joy Over Anger](https://citizenjoy.org/joy-over-anger/): Stevie Wonder calls on Democratic Convention to "choose joy over anger" to get to "Higher Ground."
- [Joy Takes Center Stage](https://citizenjoy.org/joy-takes-center-stage/): When we first conceived Citizen Joy late last winter, we were looking at a political landscape that was far from joyful. Donald Trump’s campaign of negativity was on a roll, and there were growing concerns about Biden’s ability to win. People were not happy with government in general. In January 2024, Gallup polling showed that “satisfaction” with government was at all-time lows for Republicans (17%), Democrats (38%), and independents (27%). It was no coincidence that the idea of flipping the destructive energy of Trump’s negativity came from a group with a professional clown, Jeff Raz. Why not work to get […]
- [How to Get Involved in Elections](https://citizenjoy.org/get-involved-in-elections/): ➡️Choose your candidate/campaign: you can focus on the presidential election, senate races, house races (your own or a nearby district that’s more contested), or local races.  ➡️You can sometimes have more impact by choosing a local race.  For example, county District Attorneys and Sheriffs are key players in criminal justice issues and those races are often ignored.  ➡️Connect to national organizations who have done the research for you: Activate America focuses on senate and house seats in key states; Sister District works on state legislatures and governor’s races in key swing states; Vote Save America targets key races in a […]
- [Sanchez Art Center invites California artists to celebrate democracy](https://citizenjoy.org/sanchez-art-center-invites-california-artists-to-celebrate-democracy/): Sanchez Art Center, a Citizen Joy partner, invites all California artists age 18 and over to submit their work for a juried, in-gallery exhibition of art that celebrates democracy, by exploring these three themes and questions: Interested artists in all fine art disciplines will be able to submit work for Citizen Joy: a Celebration of Democracy via CallForEntry.org beginning on July 27 and through October 15. Artists are encouraged to post on social media about their work and their creative process using #citizenjoy and #citizen joyful. Citizen Joy is a national coalition of artists, arts organizations, and educators from all […]
- [Traffic is an Emergency](https://citizenjoy.org/373-2/): Guest Blogger — Citizen Joy partner Micheal Weiser “Citizen Joy.” Both words give me warm feelings – “citizen” and “joy.” Once I heard there was a group to support citizen joy, I wanted to connect. In my 40-years of bringing humor and music to Chicago area hospitals and senior centers, I’ve found joy is readily available in these sometimes heart-breaking and oppressive places.  Unfortunately, as I drove to and from hospitals, senior centers, and to my job as a computer analyst, my show business became slow business. Traffic congestion made two-hour one-way trips all too common. What could I do to change […]
- [The Legacy of "Bucky" Fuller](https://citizenjoy.org/the-legacy-of-bucky-fuller/): R. Buckminster Fuller, an innovative American architect, inventor, and philosopher, championed the concept "Emergence By Emergency," influencing societal inventions through necessity, exemplified by his Geodesic Dome.
- [In the beginning,](https://citizenjoy.org/in-the-beginning/): Citizen Joy! was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all performers and artists had something to say about democracy. Jeff Raz is the founder of this project. YOU are the content contributors. Stand by for more exciting news in days ahead. Project launch date: 7/27/24 #citizenjoy
- [Coming Soon: More Joy](https://citizenjoy.org/a-committment-to-finding-joy-in-our-community/)

## Pages

- [Voter Engagement with Citizen Joy!](https://citizenjoy.org/vote/): Democracy is a beautiful thing—it’s the power of our voices coming together to shape the future. By registering to vote, you’re taking a joyful step toward participating in something bigger than any one of us: our collective decision to build a better tomorrow. By registering to vote, you’re embracing the privilege we all share: the power to shape our communities, our country, and our future. We’ve added Vote.org’s award-winning technology to our site, joining a nationwide movement to increase voter turnout. Vote.org tools are here to simplify the entire process and ensure that your community is heard loud and clear […]
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://citizenjoy.org/faq/): Frequently Asked Questions
- [Citizen Joy! - Blog](https://citizenjoy.org/blog/): Watch, Read, Listen and Participate! This is the place to find the latest joy sighting. Citizen Joy! Blog
- [Citizen Joy! - Contact Us](https://citizenjoy.org/contact/): Subscribe today to read and comment. Connect with a community committed to expressing the joy of being a citizen.
- [About Citizen Joy](https://citizenjoy.org/about-citizen-joy/): A commitment to innovation and sustainability Études is a pioneering firm that seamlessly merges creativity and functionality to redefine architectural excellence. A passion for creating spaces Our comprehensive suite of professional services caters to a diverse clientele, ranging from homeowners to commercial developers. Renovation and restoration Experience the fusion of imagination and expertise with Études Architectural Solutions. Continuous Support Experience the fusion of imagination and expertise with Études Architectural Solutions. App Access Experience the fusion of imagination and expertise with Études Architectural Solutions. Consulting Experience the fusion of imagination and expertise with Études Architectural Solutions. Project Management Experience the fusion […]
- [Citizen Joy!](https://citizenjoy.org/): Citizen Joy! is Getting Out The Vote Democracy is a beautiful thing—it’s the power of our voices coming together to shape the future. By registering to vote, you’re taking a joyful step toward participating in something bigger than any one of us: our collective decision to build a better tomorrow. By registering to vote, you’re embracing the privilege we all share: the power to shape our communities, our country, and our future. We’ve added Vote.org’s award-winning technology to our site, joining a nationwide movement to increase voter turnout. Vote.org tools are here to simplify the entire process and ensure that […]
- [Citizen Joy! - Artist's Challenge](https://citizenjoy.org/artists-challenge/): History has always been defined and interpreted by artists. Artists, we need you—now. This year. America is at a crossroads. People are tired. People are scared. They wonder if the dream we were promised still lives—or if it was only ever a story. Artists, musicians, writers, actors, painters, dreamers—you’ve always been this nation’s soul. You’ve told us the truth when no one else would: of broken dreams and second chances, of ordinary people holding onto dignity in hard times. You have the power to move hearts, open eyes, and change what we believe is possible. We need that power now—images […]
- [Citizen Joy! - Partners & Connections](https://citizenjoy.org/partners/): The individuals and groups above are working to help us become better performers, artists and citizens.


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