WATCH: Civics 101: How you can save democracy

By Amie Rivers, Iowa Production Staff

November 12, 2025

Ever wonder what’s keeping this whole thing—you know, America—from just totally falling apart?

It’s not the folks yelling on TV or trolling online: It’s the quiet work happening in local communities like ours.

Watch our latest Civics 101 video, written by COURIER Newsroom’s Ryan Pitkin, and follow Iowa Starting Line for more.

Amie Rivers,

Amie Rivers is Iowa Starting Line's newsletter editor. She writes the weekly Worker’s Almanac edition of Iowa Starting Line, featuring a roundup of the worker news you need to know. Previously, she was an award-winning journalist at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier; now, she very much enjoys making TikToks and memes and getting pet photos in her inbox.

Have a story tip? Reach Amie at [email protected]. For local reporting in Iowa that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Amie's newsletter.

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