The Civic Literacy Project: Brief Government 101

By Maqube Reese, MSW, LSW, Founder|CEO, Tribe Consulting Firm

The Civic Literacy Project| August 5, 2026

Welcome to day five! If you missed anything, you can find the fourth article here. If you’re new, I’m glad you’re here. Feel free to catch up with this article. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. If we were together, I’d offer you coffee, tea, or iced water. (I love a homemade brown sugar latte.) We’d sit around the table and talk about democracy, aiming to make it clear and relatable. We’re here to learn, listen, and turn what we learn into action. The goal is to help you feel more confident about civic literacy. To learn more about these series, check out this article here: Why I’m Writing Every Day before the 2026 General Election

Civic Literacy Project: Government 101: This topic can get a little dense, so thanks for sticking with me. I’ll do my best to keep things lively. If you’re a Hamilton fan like me, watching Hamilton on Broadway is a way to dive deeper into Government 101. I still find myself singing, “I wanna be in the room where it happens.” I really love Hamilton! Today’s post will be about five solid paragraphs, and if you want to learn more, I’ll share some of my favorite book recommendations at the end of this project.

This is a space I like to call harmonious truth tellers. I like to think of this space as a place for honest conversations. We can appreciate America's democracy while also recognizing that our country hasn’t always treated everyone fairly. Learning about both sides doesn’t weaken our democracy; it helps us take responsibility and work toward reconciliation by strengthening the values we believe in.

Today, August 6, 2026, is an important day in our history. It marks the anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, one of the most significant laws passed in America (Voting Rights Act (1965), 1965). This law banned racial discrimination in voting and removed unfair barriers. For example, literacy tests were once used to stop some Americans from voting, but these tests were found to be unconstitutional (Voting Rights Act of 1965, n.d.).

Goveremnet 101: The main purpose of our government is to help Americans solve problems and provide services that protect our safety and rights. Government organizes society by making laws, protecting people, keeping the public safe, and investing in things like schools, roads, and other infrastructure (The Purposes of Government, n.d.).

The US has federal, state, and local governments, and people elect representatives to make decisions for them. To keep any one person or group from having too much power, the government is split into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets them. These branches use checks and balances to hold each other accountable (Branches of the U.S. government, 2026).

Here’s something important I want to share: government isn’t just about who we elect in Washington, DC. It also includes your state, county, city, school board, and other local leaders who affect our daily lives. My mom always said, WE THE PEOPLE are the government. When we realize the power we have as citizens, we can help shape a democracy that works for us. So today, I encourage you to think about what affects you and your community, and make a plan to vote for the values you believe will strengthen our democracy.

References

(1965). Voting Rights Act (1965). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act

(n.d.). Voting Rights Act of 1965. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act

(n.d.). The Purposes of Government. Civics Renewal Network. https://www.civicsrenewalnetwork.org/resources/the-purposes-of-government/

(2026). Branches of the U.S. government. USAGov. https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government

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About the Author

Maqube Reese, MSW, LSW, is the founder of Tribe Consulting and an award-winning civil rights leader, educator, and strategist committed to strengthening democracy. She believes civic literacy, leadership, and public service are essential today. Maqube received the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General Award for her civil rights work and the NAACP Indiana Youth and College as the inaugural award winner of The Jason Hayes Presidents Award, recognizing her dedication to empowering young leaders. 

As a former Conciliation Specialist with the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service under the Biden and Harris administration, she addressed complex challenges in civil rights, public safety, and conflict resolution. Reese also served as an Associate Faculty at Indiana University Bloomington, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. She was an Associate Director for the Kelley School of Business, recruiting and retaining top talent across the nation. Her experience with real-world practice, coupled with academic scholarship, provides an opportunity to introduce real challenges and navigate a solution-focused mindset.  

Reese currently works at Indiana Black Expo, Inc. as their Director for Youth and Family Programs, a statewide organization, and her belief in democracy is strongest when people understand how and why it CAN work. The principle of Vincent Harding, a predecessor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., historian and peacemaker, guides her. As historian and civil rights scholar Vincent Harding reminded us, "We are all a part of each other." Democracy is not an individual act but an interconnected responsibility. Every election, every conversation, and every generation inherits the work of strengthening the human experience.