What happens when we show up | Democracy isn’t built by institutions – it’s built by us

PUEBLO, Colo. — On a snowy April evening, community members gathered at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center for a screening of Join or Die, a documentary that explores the decline of civic engagement in America and the urgent need to reconnect. The film, co-created by Emmy-winning journalist Rebecca Davis and her brother Pete Davis, builds on political scientist Robert Putnam’s work Bowling Alone, which examined the erosion of face-to-face social interaction. The event, organized by the Pueblo Star Journal, also marked the informal launch of ClubCon.org, a new digital platform aimed at connecting local clubs and civic organizations in Pueblo.

Following the screening, Davis joined attendees virtually for a discussion about community building in an increasingly fragmented society. The conversation, like the film itself, avoided simple solutions, instead emphasizing the quiet power of participation—whether by joining a club, attending a meeting, or simply showing up. Join or Die, now nominated for two Emmy Awards, serves as both a diagnosis and a call to action, encouraging a revival of the everyday civic habits that foster trust, cooperation, and shared purpose. In Pueblo, on that snowy night, the message was clear: showing up still matters.