Thrive 2026 is the essential virtual summit empowering cross-sector leaders to forge practical solutions for democratic resilience. Join us to gain actionable skills, build global partnerships, and drive real-world impact in strengthening democracy.
Thrive 2026 takes place virtually over the course of Wednesday, March 4th and Thursday, March 5th. For more information, click here. 
Catherine Morris will represent the Media Education Lab in a session called "Why Media Literacy Matters for Civic Engagement & Democracy." In this session, we’ll model a lesson plan that can be used in settings with middle and high school audiences. This lesson has two components:
- First, a short lecture exploring why media literacy matters in a democracy. Takeaways include:
- Democracy is mediated. Our representatives speak to us through tv, news, and social media.Â
- Social media gives us all a voice, for better or worse.Â
- We are all exposed to various forms of media, almost all the time.
- What follows is an interactive activity called “Walk the Line,” which invites students to reflect on their feelings and thoughts about the topics presented while also sharing with and listening to their peers. This activity allows them to consider how intellectual humility and curiosity can look in practice.Â
Date: Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Time: 12:30pm ESTÂ
Location: Online. Register for the conference here in order to attend this session.Â