The South Dakota Humanities Council has released a book called, "What Makes a South Dakotan?", inspired by civic reflection gatherings across the state. The response to the book and the discussions has been so powerful that the South Dakota Humanities Council is planning to continue civic reflection discussions and community conversations about the topic over the coming months.

Prior to the November elections, the Center for Civic Reflection and Mikva Challenge joined with WBEZ to invite Chicago residents to think and talk together about how we participate in democracy--and what we hope for when we do. Three weeks after the election, on November 29th, a group of thirty community members, students, and civic leaders convened to explore what happens next. Voting is one form of participation, but how does it stand next to other forms of involvement as we move forward? How else can we act to improve our city and our world, and what, however we express ourselves, are we hoping to get done?