Eric Liu on why citizenship is more than a status

By Chloe Wynne,

Published November 5, 2026 at 7:15 AM EST

Citizenship is about more than voting or citizenship status. Eric Liu, co-founder and CEO of Citizen University and author of “Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Your Country,” What it means to be an engaged member of a community.

It’s election week, and civics are top of mind.

But citizenship is about more than voting or citizenship status. Eric Liu, co-founder and CEO of Citizen University and author of “Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Your Country,” joins us to talk about what it means to be an engaged member of a community.

Eric Liu, co-founder and CEO of Citizen University and was a White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser to President Clinton. Author of “Live like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Your Country.”

He shares how growing up as a second-generation American shaped his worldview and explains his formula for citizenship: power plus character. It’s about understanding how decisions get made, learning how to create change and building the habits that help communities thrive.

Guests:

Eric Liu: co-founder and CEO of Citizen University and was a White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser to President Clinton. Author of “Live like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Your Country.”

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