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Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

September 24, 2024

Young Adults in this Election Year: Rebuilding Broken Trust in Institutions and Leaders

As the United States faces a divisive presidential election in November 2024, there is a crisis of trust in our nation, especially among young people. Younger generations are losing trust in government, economic institutions, media, and organized religion. This dialogue will explore root causes of diminishing faith in political and social institutions through the lens of Catholic social thought.

Four remarkable leaders shared and explored how media narratives, political missteps, public policy, and other forces have contributed to growing distrust and how young people can hold institutions accountable and help restore integrity and rebuild confidence in these institutions.

This gathering had three parts:

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Welcoming Happy Hour 
Meet and network with other young leaders over food and drink

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Dialogue
A conversation on “Young Adults in this Election Year: Rebuilding Broken Trust in Institutions and Leaders” with four leaders

8:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Reception
Continue the conversation with other young leaders over food and drink

Anna Gordon, program director of the Initiative, moderated the conversation.

Resources

This Salt and Light Gathering was for Catholics under 40 years old in Washington to help them explore links between faith, Catholic social thought, and their lives and work. Learn more about the Initiative’s Salt and Light Gatherings online.

Participants

Yuval Levin

Yuval Levin

Yuval Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. He served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush.

Sr. Eilis McCulloh, HM

Sr. Eilis McCulloh, H.M.

Sr. Eilis McCulloh, H.M., is the grassroots education and organizing specialist at NETWORK Advocates for Catholic Social Justice, where she works with religious congregations and their sponsored ministries to develop advocacy skills.

Brandon Vaidyanathan

Brandon Vaidyanathan

Brandon Vaidyanathan is a professor of sociology and director of the Institutional Flourishing Lab at the Catholic University of America. He is the author of Mercenaries and Missionaries: Capitalism and Catholicism in the Global South (2019).

Justin Vassallo

Justin Vassallo

Justin Vassallo is a writer specializing in American political development, political economy, party systems, and ideology, as well as a columnist at Compact magazine and contributor to Commonweal magazine.

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