When people think about civic engagement, they usually think about voting. And yes--casting a ballot matters.
But real engagement is more than showing up on Election Day. At Ednium, we believe in the power of alumni and community to shift systems, not just by voting, but by advocating, organizing, volunteering, testifying, mentoring, and leading.
Our work is about reimagining democracy itself and uplifting alumni-driven priorities locally and statewide.
Local civic engagement often decides what opportunities are available to young people. And the most meaningful change happens when community ideas become policy, then practice.
This is why accountability matters. It’s not enough to celebrate a win. Passing a policy or securing funding is only the beginning.
Our financial literacy work began as an alumni-driven policy at the district level. After advocating for and assisting in the passage of graduation requirements through the board of education, we collaborated with the district to implement the class and held leaders accountable for standards and progress. We continue this partnership today. This work directly led to the statewide push for a new state law, which was passed earlier this year. Now, we are continuing to work with the Colorado Department of Education and other stakeholders to ensure this policy is implemented in every district and that students have access to this knowledge.
Through our work with alumni and community partners, we’ve learned that engagement in the system is essential. As a 501(c)(3), we do not endorse any particular candidate; however, we use four Levers of Impact to guide how we identify and create real change.
These levers are how we participate in shaping city priorities to reimagine how systems serve people. When these levers work together, alumni and community voices move from ideas to influence to action.
The school board election is one example of where this work shows up. School boards are part of the larger civic ecosystem. They are directly responsible for the superintendent and the progress they make in school district decisions. And we can’t forget that school board members are elected representatives. They work for us—not the other way around.
That’s why we’ve spent the past month engaging in real conversations with DPS candidates in our School Board podcast series. Words matter. Commitments matter. And we intend to hold leaders accountable to the promises they make.
We’ve done the same in citywide conversations, from the Denver mayor’s race to broader civic priorities, all grounded in building a city that invests in homegrown talent and gives alumni a seat at every table.
Our policy agenda is built by alumni and students who’ve lived the systems we’re trying to change. Our approach moves from advocacy to implementation, because ideas alone don’t shift systems.
As the election approaches, here’s my challenge to you:
Because democracy doesn’t live in election seasons; it lives in the daily actions we take to make our systems work for everyone.