Mara Liasson on What Gives Her Hope: Young People and Civic Education
Another highlight of Words to the Wise 2026 was the fireside chat with Mara Liasson, honored as SVUDL’s 2026 Speaker of the Year for both her journalism and advocacy for a free press and civic engagement. Lisa Van Dusen, a longtime SVUDL champion, interviewed her on stage and began with a question: when did Mara first realize her voice could have an impact?
Mara described growing up in a family that valued talking and listening. In fact, her mother spoke to her in the baby carriage as if she were an adult. Mara also credited her teachers who were critical yet supportive, and mentors who made her feel her ideas were worth hearing. “Mentors are important,” she said. “They lead to bravery. They told me that my ideas were worth listening to and when I often felt that I had said the wrong thing, they were there reminding me that there will be a next time to do it differently.”
She suggested that persuasion starts with listening. “Good arguments come from good thinkers, and the most persuasive people are the ones who make others feel understood before offering a different view.”
She urged everyone in the room to make the effort to establish and maintain a balanced news diet. “The issue is that many people consume news for affirmation, rather than information. When civic education is revived in K-12 schools, it should include media literacy. We need students to learn how to spot a reliable source, how to tell opinion from analysis, and how to recognize a conspiracy theory. AI has put misinformation on steroids.” She also passed along advice she attributed to President Obama: if you are tired of arguing with someone on the internet, consider having the conversation in person.
Mara said SVUDL is an integral part of renewing civic education and that students can bring back what has become a disappearing art in politics. Her advice for finding and using a voice? “Listen, read, and just get up and do it. If you have a fear of speaking in public, once you do it, you will be less scared the next time.”
“What gives me hope is the young people here tonight!” she said. She hopes to see more shared civic experiences and civic education in the future. “Let’s make voting a national holiday,” she urged. “What if more people entered adulthood with these civic skills? More people would listen and more would run for office. It would improve politics tremendously. We wouldn’t have a generation that is cynical. They would know they can make a difference and make things better,” she said.
Next, Andrew Gold, SVUDL Board Member and Chair Emeritus, took the stage to make the case for support for SVUDL’s fundraising goal. He opened with a photo of himself at 16 in front of a Dodge Dart Swinger. He started debating at 15, competed through high school and college, and later coached debate at Stanford University.
“Speech and Debate was the single most important part of my education,” he said. “It taught me how to research an issue deeply, distinguish a strong argument from a weak one, listen to someone I disagreed with, stand in front of a room, and make my case. But it gave me something even more important. It gave me confidence in my own voice.”
In 2026, SVUDL reached 22 high schools and over 3,500 students. Independent research has shown that participation in SVUDL programming is linked to higher GPAs and graduation rates, stronger executive functioning and leadership skills, and deeper civic engagement. Nearly 100 percent of participants go on to college. SVUDL delivers all of this for only $1,200 per student a year.
Finally, it was time for paddle-raising. Franco Finn, Hypeman and Host for the San Francisco 49ers and the Golden State Warriors, kept the energy high as auctioneer. A shy child, Franco found his voice through Speech and Debate at Sacred Heart High School. He wrote a student body president speech that won the election. Inspired by the content of the evening, and catalyzed by Franco’s animated voice, guests exceeded the $430,000 goal to close the opportunity gap for under-resourced high school students in Silicon Valley so that more students can find their authentic voices and, in Mara’s words, just get up and do it.
This extraordinary evening was made possible because of our community. SVUDL thanks:
Our hosts, Michael and Jill Gold
SVUDL Co-Founders Jennie Savage and John Dawson
Our Board of Directors and Advisory Committee members
Our staff and volunteers
Our Speaker of the Year, Mara Liasson, and our moderator, Lisa Van Dusen
Franco Finn
Musicians of the San Francisco Opera
Our sponsors, listed below:
