A Season of Reflection: CEO Update

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk has left us stunned. Heartbroken for his family, friends, and colleagues. That someone would take a life simply for words and beliefs that many of us share. The more I thought about Charlie, the more I wanted to know. And the more I learned, the more I realized what a big impact he truly had and how much more I wanted to know.

I didn’t know that Turning Point had grown far beyond campus recruitment into a cultural force for civic courage. I didn’t know that he carried his message abroad – to Israel, Korea, Japan, and England – spreading the principles of faith, freedom of speech, and American exceptionalism. And I didn’t know he wrote one of the first checks to Run Gen Z, giving young leaders the chance to step into public service.

Since his death, young people are coming forward to say that Charlie’s voice pushed them back to church, back to family, back to enduring values. His voice was never just about politics, but about rediscovering meaning and purpose. That kind of legacy cannot be measured in headlines or clips. It lives in the commitments of the next generation. I didn’t know.

Charlie’s life is also a reminder of something our Founders understood. That talking is better than fighting, listening is better than shouting, and persuasion and dialogue is better than force. They risked everything for the dream of a free nation built on debate and dialogue. As we prepare to honor our 250^th birthday, that lesson is just as urgent today as it was in 1776.

Last month, we also paused to remember September 11^th. Twenty-four years ago, nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the most devastating terrorist attack in our history. Yet in the days that followed, Americans stood together in unity. Flags flew from every porch. Strangers became neighbors. And a wounded nation became resolved once more to defend freedom. That spirit carried us forward then, and it must guide us now.

But remembrance alone is never enough. Too many Americans no longer understand the basics of our history and civics, as far too many schools have abandoned those lessons. That is why I was proud to join Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Turning Point USA, and more than 40 other organizations to launch the America 250 Civics Education Coalition. This landmark effort is dedicated to restoring civic knowledge, inspiring patriotism, and renewing a shared understanding of our founding principles in classrooms across the nation as we celebrate America’s upcoming 250^th birthday.  Based on the message that “to know America is to love America.”

That same spirit is reflected in our latest States 250 episode featuring New Hampshire Representative Jeanine Notter. Rep. Notter tells the story of the Pine Tree Riot of 1772, one of the earliest sparks of the American Revolution. Colonists refused to let the Crown claim their tall pines for their ships, and in that act of defiance, we see the seeds of liberty take hold.

On a personal note, I was honored recently to be named by Washingtonian magazine as one of the most powerful women in Washington, DC. That recognition is not about me, but about the work we accomplish here at ALEC – the policies we advance, the legislators who blossom into leaders, and the families who are stronger because of it. This is not my award. It is our award, shared with every member of this remarkable national network.

As fall moves in, we enter a season of reflection and change. Football is back. Thanksgiving is on the horizon. And our States & Nation Policy Summit in Fort Worth is just around the corner. From December 2-4 in Fort Worth, Texas join us for a dynamic collection of speakers, task force meetings, and the opportunity to explore new model policy. This promises to be an event you don’t want to miss, so if you haven’t registered yet, now is the time.

Let us embrace this season of reflection and change. Let us remember those we have lost – like Charlie – and what they taught us. Let us welcome those lessons and continue building an America worthy of the next 250 years. For when you truly know America, you cannot help but love America. That is why we must keep the stories of Charlie, of September 11^th, and of the Pine Tree Riot alive for generations to come.