- JONAH ZACKS
Founding Civics 2030 Steering Committee Member
Jonah Zacks is 17 years old, and St. Louis, Missouri. At CU, he's known for keeping a Word of the Day. Outside that work, he is the founding president of Notary Connections, and organization dedicated to helping voters find notaries to absentee vote in Missouri. He remains committed to serving the people of the Civics Unplugged community, because that's the part of it that truly matters.
In service of the Civics 2030 Campaign, I pledge to...
- Represent Civics 2030 and raise the value of the name for everyone who carries it;
- Ensure that it is possible for people who want to follow in my footsteps to do so, but with more success than me;
- Put the needs of Civics 2030 above those of myself;
- Raise the level of public debate in my communities.
I have joined the Civics 2030 Campaign because...
- I want to give voice to my vision in the hopes that others will do the same and we may study the one great subject that is life itself.
To me, a flourishing democracy is one...
where a person's voice is dictated by them alone; it is not heritable, and it is not derived from wealth,
where all peoples votes are equal in weight and value,
where debate is not accepted, but sought after.
To me, a flourishing community is one...
where all members feel free to take tasks,
where the results of decisions and actions may be permanent, or irrevocable, but never both, and
where there is shared investment and payout by everyone in the community.
In my development as a Civic Superhero, I strive to embody...
Pursuit of knowledge: To learn more for its own sake, more for the learning than for the knowing that comes after
Dedication: To understand that the needs of others should come before those of myself.
Idealism: Being an idealist means you're disappointed a lot, but mostly with yourself.
Commitment: Once I am part of a community, or say I will accomplish something, I work to make that community better.
Creativity: I try to see all situations from multiple angles.
By 2030, I pledge to have contributed to the flourishing of the following communities:
Civics Unplugged Fellowship
Missouri Scholars Academy
My school community
By 2030, I pledge to have played any, many, or all of the following roles in service of creating a brighter future for my communities and American democracy:
- Human rights lawyer
- Political operator
Long Term Goals
- By July 4th, 2021: Found a way I will be able to travel to a country where I don't speak the language without my family.
- By July 4th, 2022: Found an organization in College that I want to be involved with, and taken on responsibility in that organization.
- By July 4th, 2025: Pursue some form of education beyond my undergrad degree that will give me the credibility to effect change.
