As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many Americans feel that the country is increasingly polarized, distrustful, and disconnected. But are we really as divided as it seems? Karen Lundquist will explore the systems, incentives, and historical forces shaping modern civic life—from dark money and social media outrage to declining institutional trust, government dysfunction, and the challenges of rebuilding a shared sense of civic responsibility. Blending history, law, public policy, and storytelling, this non-partisan talk examines how Americans arrived at this moment, why trust in institutions has eroded over time, and what it might take to strengthen democracy and move toward a “more perfect union.”

Karen Lundquist is a Bloomington-based attorney and owner of Attenza Law, a law professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, and the founder of The Civic Thread Project. She brings more than 35 years of teaching experience across different settings and disciplines. Through her visual storytelling work and workshops at The Civic Thread Project, she creates spaces for people to think more deeply about democracy and how it actually works in practice. She is actively involved in animal advocacy and local civic initiatives, including serving on the board of Animal Folks, a nonprofit that works to reform the Minnesota civil and criminal justice systems to better protect animals, and the Bloomington League of Women Voters.