Meet three activists from Dayton, Ohio, who’ve found a way. With a high-stakes midterm election right around the corner, we’re highlighting the work of local community members who’ve been thinking about and working on election engagement for years.
Host Alex Lovit is joined by Destiny Brown, Robert Mackey II, and Kevin O’Donnell, all of whom have been working to educate and empower voters in the Kettering Foundation’s hometown of Dayton, Ohio. All three of them are Dayton Democracy Fellows. The fellowship supports and connects everyday people who are dreaming big dreams about what we can be together when we are brave, creative, and steadfast. Learn more about the fellowship here.
Destiny Brown is a community organizer and joined the Kettering Foundation as a program associate for Democracy and Community in June 2026. She was part of the Dayton Democracy Fellows cohort in 2024.
Robert Mackey II is an author, youth advocate, and program coordinator at Sunlight Village, a nonprofit focused on the mental health and well-being of underserved youth in Dayton. He was selected as a Dayton Democracy Fellow in 2025.
Kevin O’Donnell is a social studies teacher at Dayton Public Schools and coordinator with Bilingual Nation, a language learning co-op. He was selected as a Dayton Democracy Fellow in 2025.
Check out Robert’s new book here: https://www.steadfastlifestylesinc.org/post/welcome-to-steadfast-lifestyles
Sunlight Village is holding a fundraising gala in November. Tickets are available here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sunlightvillageinc1/2307275
The Youth Voter Guide that Kevin’s students created is available here: https://www.promotethevoteohio.com/
October 19 at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC. Featuring Kettering Senior Fellow Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II:
Do you ever watch the news and wonder, “How did we get here?” Or think to yourself, “Things are bad . . . What can I do?”
The Context is here to help. Our show breaks down the ideas, history, and trends that are shaping democracy. And you don’t need to be an expert to follow along. Every other Tuesday, host Alex Lovit talks about timely topics with big-picture thinkers and hands-on practitioners, like activists, writers, historians, and community leaders.
The topics are heavy, but we try to have fun along the way. To build the future we want, we’ll need knowledge—but also camaraderie and joy.
We hope you’ll join us.