May 16, 2025

Civics

How to fully participate as vested citizens in American democracy

Naturalization Ceremony, Hartford Public Library, April 12, 2018.

Naturalization Ceremony, Hartford Public Library, April 12, 2018. 

The American Place (TAP) is a program at the Hartford Public Library designed to welcome immigrants and refugees and support their successful integration into the community. TAP provides an array of free or low-cost services, focusing on education, legal assistance, workforce readiness, and community engagement.

They assist with citizenship applications, green card renewals, and public benefits. Trained and accredited staff offer legal advice.

TAP also offers free English and citizenship classes, high school exam prep, and basic computer training. Youth programs like an after-school English Academy help young learners integrate and participate in the community. Job seekers can access career services, certifications, and job search support.

To help others to adjust to life in the U.S., TAP trains volunteers as Cultural Navigators who offer guidance and mentoring. The program also builds community through events and partnerships. Services are offered in several languages with flexible hours for working adults.

Welcome, neighbor.

WEBPAGE: The American Place

Civics

The news feels hopeless; my neighborhood doesn't.

ARTICLE: The Antidote to Despair Is Finding our Role in Community Building

Civics

How shared hardship reveals our innate capacity for belonging, agency, and interdependence

Book: Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

Civics

"Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war. Too many people still expect it to look like war."

INTERVIEW: Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here

Civics

What does it take for a society to grow?

BOOK: A Way of Being