When David McCullough Looked at Me
Over the last nine years, more than 200 stakeholders have brought the mission to inspire American unity to life. Thank you to all of you for your shared passion! We all want leaders who make our country stronger. We want a basic sense of sanity and justice. We want quality craftsmanship, and we want to make the next generation stronger.
For nine years, Liberatus has benefited Americans who work in politics or government by giving them a creative outlet to converse and write about how we heal, unite, and move forward. We've created both digital and printed content for Americans across the country to participate, and we've passed on funding to three partner organizations.
In total, 19 writers have been published, representing the full political spectrum. 60 people have been part of content creation. 131 people have donated, and we've shipped or hand-delivered 215 copies of Volume One, offering inspiration for American unity to Americans in 21 states. We did this by connecting with each other in real life and creating together through deep, thoughtful, intentional conversations--not by building a viral sensation "out there."
And now, which way forward?
With nine years behind us, I want to quote David McCullough from a speech he gave in 1994; you can find the full text in The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For (pp. 38-39, 42):
"We find ourselves worrying and taking stock as a nation, in ways we've not before. Who are we? What do we want? Which way forward? And what of our values? Is it only by our possessions that we wish to be known? Does what we have matter more to us than what we do?
"No, I don't think so. I think what most of us want--as most people everywhere want more than anything--is to be useful. This and to feel we belong to something larger than ourselves. What is needed now, especially in this momentous change of scenes in world history, is a common understanding of what that larger something can be. What we Americans need above all is leadership to define the national ambition."
At the conclusion of the speech, he says this: "Sometime, somewhere along the line, do something for your country."
When David McCullough looked at me
When I sat down next to David McCullough at the Library of Congress after he spoke for the launch of another book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, I mentioned that my grandmother on my dad's side was from Paris as he signed a copy for me. He looked up at me with deep curiosity, respect, and intrigue. I have never seen anyone look at me that way, or demonstrate such a deep commitment to history and how it shapes us today.
As I think about the way forward for Liberatus, as we create inspiration for American unity, that's the kind of posture I hope to take.
The faith-rooted lifestyle actions we hope to inspire
Because of what Liberatus donors have given so far and the creative energy of all our participants, over time the creative pursuit of truth and beauty -- the point from which we launched in 2015 -- has led to identifying what we believe the American idea is: we make our country more just and free when we collaborate and build trust, and build endurance.
As we offer inspiration for American unity, we hope to inspire three faith-rooted actions to choose unity:
1. Collaborate: Be inclusive of other Americans and their lived experiences.
2. Build trust: Stay grounded in wisdom by always searching for it, and uphold the Constitution.
3. Build endurance: Create new solutions and culture over time for the next generation.
Nothing changes if nothing changes
When we take up the infinite pursuit of these actions, we become leaders for American unity. We reject the intentional cycle of dysfunction: choosing divsion over collaboration, ideology or significance over trust and wisdom, and chaos and burnout over creativity and endurance. When we reject and reverse the cycle, we make our country more just and free for the next generation.
Catching up and moving forward
On December 28, 2021, at the culmination of the crowdfunding campaign for Volume One, I woke up in a hospital and found out I had been struck from behind by a runaway horse on a hiking trail.
Today, I have more physical therapy scheduled for my leg. I'm still making notes about a list of brain-related changes as a result of a traumatic brain injury. In time I may share the full picture--for now, I am continuing to pursue treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, to repair several areas of my brain damaged by getting pummeled to the desert floor by a running horse.
The injury and its aftermath, and the loss of income it caused, has changed the way I live life. It has affected how well and how often I can connect with Liberatus stakeholders, and it has controlled how I spend my time and what I focus on--and my ability to focus.
As my brain power returns, it's my hope to rebuild social and professional connections. I have a big vision and objectives outlined to take Liberatus to the next level, and improve all aspects of our creative cycle to serve our team and stakeholders.
Some have said that Liberatus is just an idea. I say our shared efforts are more than that--it's a mission. How we use our power matters--and we should use ours to organize in a new creative way to make our country more just and free. Ultimately, we have accomplished at best 2% of what I think we can.
An immediate goal: $2,000 in monthly contributions
As I navigate recovery and which way forward, what do you believe in and what mission do you wish to move forward?
Nine donors are giving a combined $210 a month to keep Liberatus online.
Our next goal is to reach $2,000 in monthly contributions. The bigger goal is to publish biannually, and to do that we will need to raise $1m over five years. Your support to reach 12% of that goal will both repair some of the fallout from my injury and it will mean I can actually focus my time on serving our stakeholders. If you have financial questions, reach out to me through the form at the bottom of the page; I can connect you with our treasurer, Jon McCay. As of now I expect that the additional $1800/month will cover basic expenses like food and rent, and it will make the consistency that I lost because of the injury possible again.
Specifically, with $2,000 in monthly contributions I can focus on:
-Volume Two, including compiling your responses to these one-question interviews
-Leader training to build out the team and empower it to reach a stronger flow
-Properly reconnecting with you, our stakeholders, and potential partners. During the campaign for Volume One, I personally made contact with 184 people.
-Creating new digital content focused on leadership for American unity to build towards our larger funding goals
Finally, I encourage you to journal or pray in nature about your vocation and calling, and what you hope to create with the time you're given. I believe we make our country more just and free when we collaborate and build trust. I believe we should have creative spaces to write the story of how we do that, as a contribution and service to the way that we govern for our fellow Americans. Think of Liberatus as a grandchild of The National Geographic Society and the Center for Action and Contemplation--and imagine the creative, cultural force we can have as we elevate the craft of in-depth, well-researched stories and endlessly seek to live the lifestyle actions we hope to inspire.
In whatever you pursue, "somewhere along the line, do something for your country."
Thank you for your consideration. You are welcome to reach out to me using the form at the bottom of the page. You can sign up as a Liberatus Advocate here.
Build endurance,
Caleb
wEEKLY aCTION pOINT:
Take a look at the vision overview as we look to produce a biannual publication. Take time to pray in nature about your vocation or calling. Then, you can set up a monthly recurring donation as a Liberatus Advocate at the tab below. You can also write Volume Two with us by responding to a one-question interview. We will compile responses to the question about the future you imagine into a new vision asset to guide the stories that we tell, the research that we include, and the partner organizations that we fund.
Mission: Inspire American Unity
Create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today.
Journal Entry #134
ISSUE 020: WHICH WAY FORWARD? - PART 1