Drive-In
Pull up, park, and find the stories that make America have a soul again.
Route 24 is your civic education stop for stories driving public trust.
Since 2017, I’ve been researching traffic stop data, policing trends, and the communities most affected. This is where I share some of what I’ve learned and how it shapes civic education at the national and international levels.
Scenic Route parks in your inbox on Fridays to merge the lanes of immersive storytelling and politics and help you find a better view.
“I wish we would get over this peculiar American schism between youth and old age. Youth is afraid of old age because it thinks old age is going to blame it for everything. Old age is afraid of youth because it thinks youth is going to reject it. If we could all realize each has something the other lacks, we might do much better. This could be a role for middle age. Middle age could do more to bring old age and youth together, in a new reciprocity.”
From Marjory Stoneman Douglas. As published in Voice of the River, VI. Human Nature — Old Age, p. 256.
Swing by Route 24’s latest reads:
In this issue: A constitutional crisis. A juncture in American politics. A peculiar schism. When I first announced Route 24, it wasn’t that I thought we’d end up living in a Christopher Buckley novel exactly, but I did believe it to be probable.
I embarked on this road trip to test a theory: can stories make America have a soul again? This was the general road map:
Invite as many divergent perspectives into the conversation as possible
Workshop a new genre of writing (flash fiction)
Persuade the disillusioned to exercise and evaluate their vote
I wrote in a style to reach people from different walks-of-life, but especially those who may have been too exhausted by their real-life obligations to get through more substantive news analysis or highbrow literature. I wrote for the people the media usually misses.
And I failed. And I tried again. It took a few test drives, but eventually I found that when the stories I shared did reach people with lived experience, it helped them feel seen. If you think that sounds pollyannaish, it’s worth pausing to consider where we’d be if those people who didn’t vote in 2024 actually had.
This week, I’ve curated a list of stories that help you to refuel. So, pull up, park, and let ‘em play.
Learn the full story of how Florence Reece wrote the anthem, “Which Side Are You On?”
Explore the Code My Crown open-source guide for more inclusive digital representation in video game design.
Take a hilarious leap of faith with R.J. Matson.
Watch Cleo Abram test drive a Formula E car on a Miami racetrack.
Learn more about Formula E racing and gender parity in On Track.
Defend democracy with Viola Davis in G20.
I’ll see you back on this road next week. Thanks for coming along for the ride!
Stay the course,
Sam
Sam Reetz, is a filmmaker, performer, and founder at Millennial Ethics, creating narrative solutions to complex issues.
Follow her work on Bluesky, Substack and Instagram.
