Katie spoke to the producer of Citizen Nation about how America’s youth are approaching politics.
I sat down recently with Kyra Darnton to talk about Citizen Nation, a new PBS show that airs Tuesday nights in October. She was my producer at 60 Minutes, and I was eager to hear more about the series from the nonprofit journalism organization she runs called Retro Report. The show follows a group of extraordinary teens who participate in a national civics competition and reveal how rewarding it is to show up, be civil, and tackle the big issues straight on. Watching it is like taking a deep breath of fresh air in this intense political moment.
Katie Couric: Why did you decide to make this show?
Kyra Darnton: There’s so much discourse about this election deciding the future of this country, and yet we rarely hear from young people who have the most at stake. We wanted to find out how our first-time voters are wrestling with the profound social, political, and economic issues we face as a country. And we wanted to also capture their sense of humor and fresh perspectives. We found a high school competition that really drills down on the founding principles of the Constitution and an understanding of how our government works, and we thought, what could be more perfect? We worked with high schools competing in the “We the People” competition, and we cast a wide net all across the country, looking for the most dynamic, articulate, open students we could find. We fanned out to eight different regions from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Sistersville, West Virginia, and Las Vegas, Nevada, to East Brunswick, New Jersey.
And then we sent teams of filmmakers to spend ten months with them and their teachers, living with them, basically, as they went through the highs and lows of prepping for the competition and advancing — or not — through different rounds. And it all comes to a head in a final showdown in Washington DC, where these kids put it all on the line, and we were right there with them.
Were you surprised by what you found?
Yes! They were so refreshingly open-minded and eager to understand how a democracy works and the guardrails that the Constitution sets up. We found students whose political beliefs upended stereotypes and who were able to really convey a depth of nuance that stands in stark contrast to the polarized discourse prevalent among adults. It made us all feel really good about the country’s political future. These young Americans tackled deep, difficult issues with a sense of humor and an untarnished point of view. Their energy, and the energy of their dedicated civics teachers, was something to behold. We documented, in real-time, students transforming themselves into informed citizens. It was thrilling! These students, and what some of them have gone through, will steal your heart.
What’s the message that you hope viewers take away from this series?
It’s a profoundly optimistic portrait of our country and a peek at our future leaders. It also shows the value of civic education as a way forward out of the current polarized landscape. What is so remarkable is that when these kids get put in a room, face to face, for hours they confront these divisive issues with so much more thoughtfulness and empathy than you would ever think by living in social media or watching cable news. These kids and their heroic teachers offer so many lessons for the rest of us about how a democracy should work — and fill me with hope for the future.
Why is this important during an election year?
My hope is that Citizen Nation will energize people to take pride in this great experiment of our democracy. This is a show that every parent should watch with their middle- and high-school-aged kids. It will inspire everyone — and it’s a great conversation starter about the political ideals that matter, especially around the election!
You can watch it on PBS starting on October 8 at 9 p.m. ET for four weeks or stream it on Amazon Prime Video or YouTube.
