Ready, Set, Go!
New Year, New Roadmap
It’s 2025. If you’re new here, welcome! If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you for sticking with me!
Route 24 is your civic education stop for stories driving public trust. It’s a space for policy debates, immersive storytelling, and social innovation. Though I personally identify with the values of liberalism, Route 24 is not an echo chamber. I will read and recommend sources I disagree with, as much as those I do agree with. Why? To debate persuasively, you must do your research and understand the arguments of your opponent. The road ahead involves issues beyond the limits of partisan polarization. Explore your blindspots!
Join the conversation as a free or paid subscriber.
In this issue: Minnesota Public Radio News recently released Talking Sense: Having Hard Political Conversations, Better — a practical guide to substantive policy debates. It breaks down key styles of argumentation and shares different situational contexts that better equip everyday citizens to explore lanes of disagreement more effectively. With that in mind, here’s what to expect from Route 24 in 2025:
Editorial Calendar and Focus: Route 24 will now park in your inbox on Tuesdays (Driver’s Ed) and Sundays (Scenic Route & Rest Stop). To accommodate the twice-weekly calendar shift, I’ll be folding the Rest Stop column into the Scenic Route column that circulates on Sundays. Rest Stop, which hits the brakes on current news cycles and test tracks for inspiration, will become a section of the Scenic Route issue, which merges immersive storytelling and politics to help you find a better view. This will help me stay consistent amid production and performance demands and keep Route 24’s editorial calendar feeling fresh. It will also allow me the space to write about global issues on here and in other publications.
Subscription Drive: Route 24’s subscription rates have been adjusted. Paid subscriptions to Route 24 now start at $7/month or $70/year, or for founding members, $280/year. Starting today until February 7th, Route 24’s goal is to raise $25,000 from one-time contributions or paid subscriptions with funds going towards artist fees, travel and promotion, experiential activations, fulfillment, and contingency demands. Please consider making a contribution however you’re able. More fundraising updates soon-to-follow!
Fresh Look: Route 24 has a new look. Let me know your thoughts on this new font and accent color in the comments or send me a direct message.
Programming: Consider joining Route 24’s Navigators Circle to stay in the loop on upcoming programming and, if you’d like to team up on a guest column or other collaborative avenue, get in touch with Sam by e-mail at: route24@substack.com.
Come Along for the Ride: Learn more about
and what’s next in Millennial Ethics’ media adventures by following along on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
However you show up for Route 24, thank you for being here!
Stay the course,
Sam