Public records make accountability possible.
Accountability builds legitimacy.
And legitimacy holds democracy together.

For generations, institutions like the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian have operated with independence and care.

Colleen Shogan joins us on #TheContext to remind us that this independence didn’t happen by accident, and it isn’t guaranteed.

Wondering what we can do to restore our democracy? Our 2025 CFK Global Fellows have witnessed the impact of efforts from around the globe. Here are their tips:

Democratic backsliding is coordinated. Our response must be too.

2025 CFK Global Fellows Flávia Pellegrino, @gscheiring.bsky.social, and @ivejvoda.bsky.social share the alliances and shared strategies needed to confront rising authoritarianism today.

Authoritarians rely on our despair. Hope is a form of resistance.

We asked our 2025 CFK Global Fellows what keeps them hopeful. Here are a few of their favorite things:

🎁 Courage is the gift that keeps on giving.

As KF Senior Fellow @kelleyjrobinson.bsky.social puts it, “courage is contagious,” and it’s something we build together when we lift up stories of hope alongside hard truths.

When this episode of #TheContext with @ecetemelkuran.bsky.social first aired, her warning about rising autocratic power felt urgent. Now, the threat has only accelerated.

This conversation helps make sense of how we got here and why engagement matters.