Join or Die Community Screening
Mon, Sep 22
|Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts
Join or Die is a film about why you should join a club—and why the fate of America depends on it. Follow the story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of Robert Putnam, whose research into American community decline may hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis.


Time & Location
Sep 22, 2025, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT
Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts, 602 S 5th St, Brainerd, MN 56401, USA
About the event
Join or Die is a film about why you should join a club — and why the fate of America depends on it. In this feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis. Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Eddie Glaude Jr., Raj Chetty, and Priya Parker — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it?
The screening will be followed by a Q & A with the film's producer, Rebecca Davis.
FREE and…
