murmuration

This week, we mapped community well-being across the country. What emerged wasn’t the typical story of an urban vs. rural divide or regional stereotypes. Instead, we found a layered picture that shows just how unevenly the promise of community as a place of belonging, safety, and possibility is felt across America. Read the full post and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/gXDMJyGg

Data tells stories about who we are and where we’re going. With our State of Us series on Substack, we’ve been exploring those stories in real time and sharing our findings with you. Now we want to hear from you: what questions do you want to ask the data? What do you want to know about civic life in America? In the coming weeks, we’ll take your questions and share what we find. Ask your questions in the comments below and be sure to subscribe for free so you don’t miss out: https://lnkd.in/gFKMYd3i

Picture turning on the news and hearing there’s a thunderstorm warning, only to step outside and find blue skies. That’s how crime coverage feels in many American cities right now. In cities like D.C., L.A., and Chicago, our data shows a gap between what national headlines say about crime and residents’ lived experiences. If people in “unsafe” cities feel okay, what does that say about how we measure risk in the first place? Read more and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/gb6SdZvk

“It cannot just be that the loudest voice in the room always wins. It cannot always be that the organization with the most money wins. Each community has the right to help to shape its own destiny.” Our Founder and CEO, Emma Bloomberg, recently shared this in a conversation with Denver Frederick discussing the importance of moving beyond top-down approaches to solving problems. At Murmuration, this approach guides our work every day in ensuring communities have the data and tools they need to build power and shape their own futures.

Only 8% of people say they have a “great deal” of impact on local issues. At first, that number feels discouraging. But our Civic Pulse data reveals a more hopeful story. We found that when people talk about impact, they don’t just see it as an individual effort. They think collectively in terms of “we,” not “me.” And those who feel they have the greatest impact are often the ones most connected to their communities—through attending religious services, volunteering, donating, or going to local events. Read more and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/gFGq5z42

As young people across the country head back to school this fall, they're dealing with more than just academic challenges. Our Gen Z research findings point to a growing mental health crisis and widening trust deficit. At SEMAFOR's Youth Wellbeing Challenge summit this summer, our Chief Research Officer Sarah Stamper explained why trust feels shaky and what we can do about it. Check out the full panel recording: https://lnkd.in/g_mHeiRf

In this week’s State of Us post, our Chief Research Officer Sarah Stamper considers Labor Day through the lens of her recent trip to the African bush. She reflects not only on the work we do to earn a paycheck—but also the labor of building and sustaining community. Read on to see how lessons learned on safari connect to the fabric of American civic life: https://lnkd.in/gUmz92hA

We asked Americans what actually stuck in their heads this week. While many people pointed to big headlines that dominate our feeds and news cycles, just as often, they also brought up something else entirely, leading us to places we didn't expect. Read on and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/gjbNzePW

This week's State of Us post examines what happens to the fabric of communities when housing is unaffordable. We found that optimism narrows and trust frays. Yet something surprising also surfaced in our data: empathy for those caught in the same challenges persists amidst this instability. Read the full post and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/edEATpRM

We’ve been tracking how people across the country feel about their financial situation. The shifts were subtle at first, but the past few weeks show a more alarming pattern. Read on and subscribe for free to learn more about how the effects of feeling financially precarious cascade into every part of life and democracy. https://lnkd.in/gCUa_Q9P