Listen

To this story on our podcast

Watch

Ali Velshi and Maria Ressa on fighting authoritarian regimes

Get Involved

Engaged citizens strengthen democracy

One of the founding tenets of The Philadelphia Citizen is to get people the resources they need to become better, more engaged citizens of their city.

We hope to do that in our Good Citizenship Toolkit, which includes a host of ways to get involved in Philadelphia — whether you want to contact your City Councilmember about the challenges facing your community, get those experiencing homelessness the goods they need, or simply go out to dinner somewhere where you know your money is going toward a greater good.

Find an issue that’s important to you in the list below, and get started on your journey of A-plus citizenship.

Vote and strengthen democracy

Stand up for marginalized communities

Create a cleaner, greener Philadelphia

Help our local youth and schools succeed

Support local businesses

Listen

Ali Velshi on How to Hold the Line Against Dictatorship

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member interviews Filipina journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, author of How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future

Listen

Ali Velshi on How to Hold the Line Against Dictatorship

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member interviews Filipina journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, author of How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future

As Donald Trump begins calling for the prosecution of journalists and “political enemies,” appointing loyalists to key cabinet positions and making plans to strip government agencies of experts and policymakers, Ali Velshi recognizes the strongman playbook that other dictators have used. His guest, Filipina journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, is the author of a very important book we should all be reading now, How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future.

“We’re seeing the ‘Philippinization’ of America,” Ressa observes. The Philippines was only second behind the United States when the Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed compromised social media accounts spreading lies, hate, and fear in order to interfere with elections. The global rise in illiberal leaders being elected democratically is the direct result of the corruption of our information ecosystem.

It took six months to crumble the institutions of democracy in the Philippines when Rodrigo Duterte took over in 2016. Ressa has important advice for Americans who want to preserve democracy through and following Trump’s presidency: “Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate. Reach across, stand by your values, hold the line.”

LISTEN: VELSHI AND RESSA ON SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE U.S.

 

WATCH: STANDING UP TO DICTATORS

 

MORE FROM MSNBC’S ALI VELSHI

Maria Ressi talks with Ali Velshi about how to stand up for to a dictator through a democracy

The Philadelphia Citizen will only publish thoughtful, civil comments. If your post is offensive, not only will we not publish it, we'll laugh at you while hitting delete.

Support Your Local Journalism. "With your help, we can be the antidote to the failures of big media, the bitterness of national politics, your post-election malaise and the confusion about what to do now" - Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, Executive Director, The Philadelphia Citizen. Button that says Give that leads to a donation page for end of year fundraising. Your gift will fund independent, local journalism and solutions for Philadelphia.

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.