Is trust the foundation of the future?

In this episode of How We Future, Lisa Kay Solomon sits down with Zoë Jenkins, Director of Civic Trust and Recruitment at Civics Unplugged, to talk about how the next generation is reimagining democracy from the ground up.

Zoë’s journey started early—she joined Civics Unplugged as a high school fellow, went on to write her own job description fresh out of college, and now leads programs helping young people build community through civic trust, a term you’ll learn all about in this episode.

Zoë and Lisa cover:

• Why democracy depends on trusting your neighbors, not just voting with them
• How young people are turning frustration into innovation
• The difference between attachment and affection, and why it matters
• How flattening hierarchies and “breaking the model” unlocks leadership at every age

This episode is a call to action for anyone who wants to strengthen the bonds that hold our communities—and our futures—together. Zoë reminds us that democracy isn’t just a system. It’s a daily practice of showing up, listening, and believing in one another.

Links from the show:

• Zoë’s TEDx Talk on “Saving the World in an Empathy Crisis”
• CBS This Morning segment featuring Zoë and Generation Change
• Learn more about Zoë on her website
• Zoë’s partnership with Aerie to speak about “How to Contribute to Social Justice”
• Article from More in Common about the role of sports fans in democracy