Civic Saturday Akron

10/13/2026

Our documentary Everybody Eats: Akron's Longest Table is a 2x finalist for the Anthem Awards! We would LOVE if you'd take a moment and create a free login to vote for Everybody Eats in both categories (see the comments for quick links):

- Documentary Film: Belonging and Inclusion
- Documentary Film: Humanitarian Action & Services

We are up against Aljizeera, ABC News, PepsiCo, GoFundMe and more, but I think with your help, we can make this a win (or 2!) for Akron!

Thank you for voting and sharing!

10/12/2026

We are honored to welcome Eric Liu, co-founder of Citizen University and the original Civic Saturday, to Akron for a very special Civic Saturday Akron Halloween Edition on October 31.

Some of us have had the great privilege of learning from Eric through the Civic Saturday Fellowship program, and if you’ve come to a Civic Saturday in Akron, you’ve been impacted by his work. 💫

At Civic Saturday Akron 10/31, Eric Liu will share reflections from his new book LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN. Citizen University is generously donating free copies to attendees. RSVP for free tickets and your copy of LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN, “a spiritual guide to creating hope and healing in American civic life.”

Here’s a photo with Eric and a handful of your fellow Akronites in Seattle for the Citizen U Alumni Homecoming last year. 💛

We hope you’ll join us in giving a big Akron welcome to Eric Liu on October 31. Come early to get your copy of the book and say hello! Doors open at 10AM, grab a seat by 10:30. RSVP for free tickets at the link in comments.

ABOUT ERIC LIU
Eric Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University. He’s the son of immigrants and an author, creator, and civic evangelist. Eric is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including most recently Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Our Country, published in October 2026, and Become America: Civic Sermons on Love, Responsibility, and Democracy — a New York Times New & Notable Book.

Liu served as a White House speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and as the President’s deputy domestic policy adviser. He was later appointed by President Barack Obama to the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Liu was elected in 2020 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences where he co-chaired the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, compiling the report: Habits of Heart and Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture. The report includes the principles of civic joy and civic love at the center of Civic Saturday Akron’s mission.

Eric lives in Seattle, where he has served on the boards of the Seattle Public Library and the Washington State Board of Education.

ABOUT LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN:
A spiritual guide to creating hope and healing in American civic life.

We live in a time of fracture and lost faith. But most Americans don’t want this feeling. Most of us, the exhausted majority, want to be invited into something better. That’s the call of Live Like a Citizen: to give everyone the tools to turn away from the resentment and cynicism eroding democratic life. To turn toward a healthier way of living together. Eric Liu, CEO of Citizen University, gives readers eight deep practices for rekindling our belief in democracy—and our own humanity.

10/10/2026

We love when our community shares stories that reflect who we truly are as Akronites! Thank you Akron Community Foundation for helping spread the word!

10/10/2026

Join us October 31, for a special Civic Saturday Akron Halloween Edition featuring guest speaker Eric Liu, founder of Citizen University and the original Civic Saturday (10 years ago in Seattle!)

RSVP for free tickets AND a complimentary copy of Eric’s new book “Live Like a Citizen” 📚( thank you !)

Never been to a Civic Saturday? It’s a great way to meet neighbors, enjoy breakfast snacks and coffee on the house, and get to know what’s going on in our city!

10:00 AM coffee, donuts, conversation ☕️
10:30 AM seated gathering ✨
12:15 PM Civic Matchmaking 🤝

Stay afterward for Civic Matchmaking to connect with community groups, non-profits and clubs like Unify Akron and League of Women Voters of the Akron Area offering resources and ways to make a difference.

Have a community group or know one that should be here? DM us or sign up at https://action.civicsaturdayakron.org/

WHAT IS CIVIC SATURDAY AKRON?
In 2024, a handful of neighbors in Highland Square began hosting gatherings to celebrate community and build shared civic power. We spent time listening to each other to understand the needs in our community and the resources we could bring together to meet those needs.

From the beginning, we involved local organizations and community groups in what we call Civic Matchmaking, where local groups offer resources and ways to get involved, giving everyone a chance to connect and make an impact.

We’ve hosted over 50 local orgs since then, with a group of 19 Civic Saturday Akron Fellows who have studied with Citizen University in Seattle to host gatherings that foster connection and civic responsibility. These Fellows range in age from 22 -79 and represent multiple communities throughout Akron.

In everything we do at Civic Saturday Akron, we hope to inspire:

• Civic joy - the commitment to creative possibility in the face of pain and struggle. ❤️‍🔥
• Civic love - the bond of trust and affection that turns strangers into neighbors and place into home. 💝

10/05/2026

CIVIC MATCHMAKING call for orgs + groups to REPRESENT at Civic Saturday Akron Halloween Edition 10/31 in Highland Square!

NOMINATE a local club, non-profit, or initiative to be showcased at Civic Saturday. Civic Matchmaking org participants CONNECT with the community in a meaningful way, offering resources and ways to MAKE AN IMPACT beyond the event. Tag your favorite local group, club, or initiative, or SIGN UP HERE:

Share your gifts, resources, time, or experience with Civic Saturday Akron.

09/24/2026

Join us for the virtual premiere of Everybody Eats: Akron's Longest Table -- tonight at 8PM on YouTube! https://youtu.be/AU8R80NF6zo?si=4SKQZ9u0Zzy7TOLQ

09/19/2026

Reckoning with hunger and its root causes, getting creative in the face of pain and struggle, discovering shared abundance through mutual aid, finding your place at the table, a place to call home.

Meeting neighbors you never knew you had, sharing recipes, sharing food, sharing hope for the future. Recognizing the power of gathering together in a time when it feels like everything is falling apart.

This is Akron’s Longest Table. And it’s just one of many.

Watch the new documentary EVERYBODY EATS: AKRON’S LONGEST TABLE premiering September 24 at 8PM ET on YouTube.com/

09/09/2026

CIVIC SATURDAY returns OCT 31 to HIGHLAND SQUARE! We haven’t gathered officially since the Longest Table and we’ve got lots to catch up on, so save the date for a special (spooky!) Civic Saturday October 31 🎃 RSVP at civicsaturdayakron.org

Ways to get involved 💫

✅ RSVP for October 31 – your presence is everything! (bonus if you come in costume!) 👻

💌 Invite your neighbors, bring your friends – drop off postcards, post flyers at local businesses and bulletin boards, help spread the word IRL.

💐 Use your social power – share the Eventbrite invitation, Facebook event, and Instagram post, or make a video personally inviting your people.

🙌 Nominate a group for Civic Matchmaking – with an emphasis on hyperlocal mutual aid, we’re spotlighting small grassroots initiatives, community groups and clubs – the niche, fun, and sometimes unsung endeavors that bring us together and keep us from falling apart.

🍩 Donate snacks or drinks – chefs, local restaurants and purveyors, if you have fare to share, we’d love to shout you out and spread the love!

💝 Give resources, supplies, or time – Civic Saturday is entirely volunteer-powered with no financial backing. Historically, our costs have included printing signs, postcards, and programs, offering food and refreshments, and paying our artists. This Civic Saturday, we’re leaning into community and mutual aid, potluck-style. We believe that together, we have everything we need to make a difference and have a great time too! 🦄

To step up in any of these ways, go to action.civicsaturdayakron.org or DM us and we’ll be in touch!

Thanks so much Akron — see you at Civic Saturday! 💖

📸 Mal McCrea

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/civic-saturday-akron-tickets-1999852390334