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Lessons in civic power with host Eric Liu

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About Citizen University TV

Citizen University TV offers an up-close look at lessons in civic power and engagement.

Eric Liu is founder of Citizen University and executive director of the Aspen Institute Program on Citizenship and American Identity. He was a speechwriter and deputy domestic-policy adviser for President Bill Clinton. He is the author of You're More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen and A Chinaman's Chance, and co-author of The Gardens of Democracy and The True Patriot. For 11 years, Eric interviewed hundreds of Seattle's leaders for Seattle Voices on Seattle Channel. He is a regular columnist for CNN.com and a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com. 

Citizen University TV: Beyond liberation at Civic Saturday
Citizen University TV: Beyond liberation at Civic Saturday
2/2/201959:29

Citizen University visits El Centro de la Raza for a special edition of Civic Saturday. As the country celebrates Black History Month, host Eric Liu cites the readings of abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglas to provide context to the term liberation. But Liu goes a step beyond, exploring the full arc that runs from slavery to liberation to freedom. He reminds us that liberation is not freedom. Liberation is only the removal of oppression. Freedom, on the other hand, is much more than the removal of restraints. With freedom comes great responsibility. Liu provides a vivid example, sharing a personal story from his childhood in upstate New York. Civic Saturday is the civic analogue to a faith gathering. It celebrates the American civic tradition with a "Beyond Liberation" address by Liu, special readings, small-group discussions and reflection.

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