Black Voters Matter · Civic learning experience

THE PEOPLE’SPLAYBOOK.

From Civic Knowledge to Community Power.

A little history. A few powerful stories. A clearer picture of how it all works. Take the journey, then build a voting plan that fits your life.

Let's get into it ↓

Six acts. Your pace. Nonpartisan civic education.

The People’s Playbook / 2026

PRESS PLAY. GET CURIOUS.

KNOW THE
STORY.
MAKE A PLAN.

History → Stories → The system → Your next step
Explore on your own or bring the room along.

REMEMBER / BELIEVE / SEE IT / KNOW / STEP INSIDE / PLAN

01 / Follow the trail

Every stop opens
a new perspective.

Watch a story. Try a prompt. Keep moving. Jump to any act whenever you want.

The stories / Go deeper

Two stories.
A closer look at public power.

Explore the CROWN Act and Target: St. Louis Vol. 1 through film, questions and hands-on civic learning.

THE CROWN ACT

From a personal experience
to a public conversation.

The guide uses the CROWN Act as a case study in connecting lived experience to storytelling, organizing, coalition building and policy advocacy. Explore how each piece fits together.

Supplied video: Detangling the Vote · Watch on YouTube ↗

Follow the policy journey.

Open each step to explore the process. This is a learning framework, not a complete legislative history.

01 / Lived experience

Start with the experience of hair discrimination. What happened? Whose experience is being heard? What questions need more evidence?

02 / Storytelling

Personal stories can help explain an issue. What does a story reveal, and what additional facts would you want to understand?

03 / Organizing & coalitions

People and organizations connect their knowledge and experiences. How might a coalition listen across different workplaces, schools and communities?

04 / Advocacy & legislation

Trace a proposal through the relevant legislative body: introduction, committee consideration, debate and votes. Ask who has authority at each stage.

05 / Implementation & accountability

After a policy is adopted, ask how people learn about it, who administers it and how its effects can be evaluated. Legal protections vary by jurisdiction.

Discuss: What changed when an individual experience became a shared policy question?

TARGET: ST. LOUIS VOL. 1

Who experiences the problem?
Who makes the decision?

The guide introduces Target: St. Louis Vol. 1 as a starting point for environmental justice conversations. Watch the supplied official trailer, then explore the connections among neighborhoods, health, public decisions and accountability.

Official trailer: Target: St. Louis Vol. 1 · Watch on YouTube ↗

Trace a decision.

Choose a lens. These are research questions to take into a public meeting or use while learning about an issue.

Discuss: Who experiences the problem, who bears the cost, and what records could help explain the decisions?

Explore the offices ↓

02 / Meet the decision-makers

Who handles what?

Tap an office to explore its job. Which offices appear on your ballot depends on where you live.

General U.S. civics overview. Powers and election schedules vary by jurisdiction; verify with your election office.

03 / Make it yours

Your day. Your way. Your plan.

Use official resources to confirm your details, then put the practical pieces in one place.

The listening room / Choose your soundtrack

The People's Playlist

Freedom, resilience and joy. Choose a song below, then press play. Switch tracks whenever the mood moves you.

Now selected

Open with the music provider ↗

Press play to enable sound. Pause music while watching a story video. Availability depends on the provider; some tracks contain explicit language.

04 / Your resource desk

Check the details.
Go to the source.

Rules, deadlines, hours and eligibility depend on your state. Confirm them through official election resources.

Registration & voting

Find official registration information and your state election office.

Start at Vote.gov ↗

Where, when & how

Explore voting options, polling places and election information.

Official voting resources ↗

Bring your community

Explore Black Voters Matter's work and resources.

Visit Black Voters Matter ↗

Hosting a watch party? Open the room guide.

1. Invite participants to open this page on their own phones.
2. Play one film at a time; turn the music off while watching.
3. Pause for each discussion prompt. Let participants pass if they prefer.
4. Explore the offices together, then allow time for private planning.
5. Check details with official election sources. Ask participants to keep their personal plans.

Additional comedy clips were supplied as a shared folder; they are not embedded because individual playable files were not supplied.

Open supplied comedy folder ↗