Building a More Perfect Union: Turning Empathy into Civic Action

How can educators move students from empathy to civic action in just minutes a week? In this hands-on workshop from the Courage Museum, participants engage with a short film from the Empathy Mirrors exhibit and use simple, classroom-ready tools to analyze the systems behind real-world challenges. Educators will practice plug-and-play routines, including empathy reflection, root cause mapping, and rapid action planning, that integrate across English Language Arts (ELA), social studies, and the arts. Grounded in students’ lived experiences, this session equips participants with practical strategies to foster empathy, deepen civic understanding, and support meaningful action in classrooms, libraries, and museums.