“Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” is a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution that examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government “of, by and for the people,” and how each generation since continues to question how to form “a more perfect union.”

This 11 a.m. activity merges civics education with creative self-expression and community action, helping kids to build a brighter future and an inclusive, just, and sustainable democracy. This traveling exhibit will be appearing at the Martin Public Library in Martin, Tennessee from 10/7/2023-11/19/2023. On Thursday, Oct. 19, a program in partnership with the traveling exhibit will be Discovery Park of America. This program is called “The Story of Kidizenship: Where Young Citizens Come of Age.”

Amanda Little is a professor of journalism and science writing at Vanderbilt University and a columnist for Bloomberg News. She is the founder and director of Kidizenship, a non-partisan media platform for kids and teens interested in civics and politics. Kidizenship publishes the national youth civics magazine, Watch Us Rise.

Little has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, TIME and the New Yorker. She has interviewed several figures across the political spectrum from Barack Obama to John McCain. She even has TED Talk that has more than 1 million views.

Amanda Little will be coming to Discovery Park of America to share the story of Kidizenship with us and discuss the relevance and importance of young voices in local communities and national democracy. She will explore the power and potential of creative youth civic programming inside and beyond the classroom.

She will work with students during her visit on a creative project in which they can explore and express their own ideas about civic life in their region, towns and communities.

Questions for Amanda? Email her at amanda@amandalittle.com.