In this episode of Sunday Civics, L. Joy begins class with a passionate and deeply reflective narrative challenging the traditional expectations of leadership. She urges us to stop looking “up” — to Congress, celebrities, civil rights icons, or trending figures — for salvation or answers during uncertain times. She then brings someone who exemplifies the idea of bridging policy and protest, former Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal to the front of the class.

Welcome to class! To begin, L. Joy shares exciting personal news—she is now the President of the NAACP New York State Conference of Branches. She then reflects on the evolving role of the courts in the civic landscape, especially when other systems of accountability fail or are actively undermined. She also brings president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Damon Hewitt, to the front of the class discuss navigating legal battles under hostile conditions and the concept of a third reconstruction.

Welcome to Sunday Civics, where L. Joy goes beyond the headlines, the doom and despair, to discuss civic engagement and taking action. Yes, there is a growing frustration with elected officials and the lack of visible leadership. But, she’s challenging us to reflect on our roles—are we waiting for leadership, or are we actively engaging, organizing, and holding officials accountable? If the public isn’t actively pushing for change, officials won’t feel the pressure to act. She highlights a recent example where grassroots organizers created a 24-hour State of the People event, demonstrating that true leadership comes from the people first, not from politicians.

L. Joy points out that frustration without action isn’t a strategy—it’s a delay tactic. She brings  Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas, to the front of the class who shares her journey into civic engagement, moving from frustration to action. Their discussion blends political insights with laughter, offering a much-needed balance of inspiration and joy.

In this episode, L. Joy opens by emphasizing the urgency of civic engagement in today's political and economic landscape. She shares the grassroots organizing efforts of her assistant and one of her thoroughest girls, June, who is advocating for truly affordable housing in Harlem. Through tenant organizing, attending community meetings, and holding landlords and elected officials accountable…Expanding the conversation to corporate accountability, L. Joy urges listeners not to focus solely on national companies, but also on local businesses, landlords, and developers. And calls for sustained pressure on elected officials because business is not usual, and leaders must be held to account for their decisions, campaign contributions, and legislative priorities.

L. Joy taps into her “inner church girl” to deliver a powerful civic lesson in this show opening. She draws from First Samuel 8, where the people of Israel, despite having freedom, security, and self-governance, demanded a king to rule over them—ultimately trading their autonomy for oppression. L. Joy makes a compelling parallel between this biblical story and our modern political reality, asking: Have we, too, relinquished our civic power by expecting elected leaders to “save” us while failing to engage in governance ourselves? Then L. Joy expands on the theme of reclaiming power—not just in governance but also in the economic sphere in light of the calls for economic boycotts around the nation.

In this episode of Sunday Civics, L. Joy takes listeners on a metaphorical "field trip" to a workshop where we have all the tools at our disposal to build a more equitable future. Using the Reconstruction Era as inspiration, she emphasizes the importance of both protecting democracy and actively constructing the future we want, even amidst political and social chaos.