Neighbor, got a Cup of Sugar?

In search for ingredients to create the sweet taste of democracy for the 21st century

Just like the ingredients that make a cake delicious, claiming one’s freedom, like deciding what ingredients one wants to use, creates space for the laws and policies of a democratic society. Hellos & chats over a cup of sugar sometimes include what you notice and what I notice about how life in America is going for us and our neighbors.

  • "I’m politically neutral, but like the recipe idea. It really makes you think ...I can use that in several situations."

    — Woman at the dog park

  • Saying hello to a woman I recently met, I asked her, “Is there anybody in your life who says, ‘I’m not political!’ Tons!”, she instantly replied. “Friends who live in Florida!” She then asked me for Cup of Sugar cards.

    —Lisa

  • I asked him how he felt. He knew voting for Kamala was right but felt conflicted, like he was supporting genocide in Gaza. I think it's important to acknowledge those feelings and consider if it's possible to do both. I also mentioned that one side is actually listening to the protests."

    -Dan in Philadelphia while a barista made him coffee

  • I know so many people who have given up on voting.

    —Elder, with Cup of Sugar card in hand now eager to talk with friends

  • What is one thing that you can do to bring the recipe that you want to the table?

    —Woman asks a voter

  • I don't know what to expect with the new administration.

    LGBTQ+ Individual

Do you know someone who says they are not political? Someone who is too swamped with work or family to pay close attention? (And anyway, it's all too upsetting.)

“My idea of freedom involves creating the conditions for good fortune for as many people as possible. And then, within the expansive frontiers of a shared borderland of the unpredictable, we thrill to the elevating grace of the individual.”

—Timothy Snyder

It’s easy. You know what tastes good to you.

Freedom makes possible everything from the fun of jokes to highways.

What values do you hold close to that are made possible by the freedom you claim?

What’s your recipe for staying calm in this political turbulence? (One distraction we love is swing dance competitions on YouTube.)

Share your recipe!

gotcupofsugar@gmail.com