Citizen Better, a new eight-part series produced by South Carolina ETV (SCETV), explores offbeat ways young people are participating in the democratic process and how they are redefining civic engagement beyond the voting booth. Streaming on PBS Voices, the PBS Digital Studios’ home for documentaries on YouTube, the series delves into civics in the digital era and highlights unique ways each of us can contribute to the well-being of our communities more regularly.
Hosted by KJ Kearney, a community organizer from Charleston and founder of Black Food Fridays, the series takes viewers on a journey to answer the question, "Is it possible to be civically engaged outside of formal activities?”
Kearney brings a wealth of experience to the series. He has previously run for office, penned a proclamation that established "Red Rice Day" in his city and achieved viral fame on TikTok. As a community organizer for the Charleston Promise Neighborhood non-profit organization, Kearney works to bridge gaps between disparate groups by emphasizing commonalities and addressing unique differences. Kearney is also the founder of Black Food Fridays, a James Beard Award-nominated social media advocacy initiative. Black Food Fridays encourages everyone to support Black-owned restaurants every Friday.
With new episodes premiering each month through August, audiences can also watch Citizen Better on Facebook, PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.
Citizen Better is a production of SCETV for PBS Digital Studios with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The series is a part of Digital Studios’ Regional Digital Centers of Innovation program, through PBS North Carolina.
The Citizen Better trailer, first episode and second episode are available to view.
