AMAC Constitutional Advocacy Academy Has Strong First Showing

The AMAC Foundation’s new partnership with the Leadership Institute got off to a powerful start this month with the first official webinar of the Constitutional Advocacy Academy. The response from AMAC members has made clear that Americans are hungry for serious, principled civic education.

More than 700 people attended the live webinar or viewed it online afterward, with strong audience engagement. Participants submitted more than 1,600 comments, questions, and responses throughout the session, reflecting not only enthusiasm but a deep desire to better understand how citizens can responsibly and effectively engage in America’s constitutional system.

The webinar marked the opening phase of the year-long Academy, a joint effort of the AMAC Foundation and the Leadership Institute, designed to equip AMAC members with the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools needed to become informed, credible advocates in their communities and beyond.

From the opening moments of the webinar, the tone was set by grounding modern civic engagement within the broader context of American history. The webinar began with one of the most famous exchanges in the nation’s founding story – Benjamin Franklin’s response when asked what form of government the Constitutional Convention had created: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

That conditional phrase – “if you can keep it” – served as the central theme of the session.

Rather than treating civic engagement as optional or symbolic, the Constitutional Advocacy Academy emphasizes that the Founders expected active, ongoing participation from citizens. The Constitution, participants were reminded, was designed for a people willing to speak up, stay informed, and engage their elected representatives – not merely vote every few years and tune out the rest of the time.

A major focus of the discussion was Article I of the Constitution, which establishes Congress as the first and most prominent branch of government. That placement, attendees learned, was intentional. The legislative branch was meant to be closest to the people and most responsive to their input. Citizen advocacy, therefore, is not a modern invention or a fringe activity, but rather a core feature of representative government.

The webinar also devoted significant attention to the First Amendment, particularly the often-overlooked right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Participants explored how free speech, assembly, and petition work together as a system that protects lawful, orderly civic engagement. Advocacy, the presenters stressed, is not about outrage or intimidation, but about disciplined, persistent communication rooted in respect for the rule of law.

Throughout the session, attendees were encouraged to move from passive frustration to purposeful citizenship. Interactive polls and exercises invited participants to reflect on their own role in the constitutional system, the state of civic engagement in America today, and how they might more effectively communicate with lawmakers.

One recurring theme that resonated strongly with the audience was the idea that effective advocacy is a skill that can be learned over time. Participants were introduced to practical frameworks for engaging elected officials, including how to ask thoughtful questions, how to frame issues around priorities and trade-offs, and how to hold representatives accountable without sacrificing credibility or civility.

The chat stream was lively, thoughtful, and often personal, with participants sharing experiences from across the country and expressing appreciation for an approach that treated them not as spectators, but as stewards of self-government.

That emphasis on historical continuity – placing today’s AMAC members within the long tradition of American civic participation – was central to the webinar’s success. From the Founding era to the present day, liberty has always depended on informed, engaged citizens willing to do the hard work of “keeping” the republic.

This first webinar represents is just the beginning. The Constitutional Advocacy Academy is a 12-part, year-long program, with future sessions building on this foundation to provide deeper instruction on legislative processes, ethical advocacy, coalition-building, and community leadership.

If the Academy’s opening event is any indication, AMAC members are more than ready to take that next step, armed with history, guided by the Constitution, and committed to being active participants in America’s civic life.

You can learn more about the Constitutional Advocacy Academy and sign up for the first course HERE.