Fuel Citizen Kate's Fight Against Apathy

Citizen Kate at the DNC and RNC: An Experiment in Journalism

How many people have you heard say they cannot bear to watch the news? How many friends will not go to the polls, claiming their votes do not matter? President Biden’s rematch with Donald Trump seems to be fanning the flames of voter apathy while, at the same time, posing powerful threats to institutions we depend on and care about.

So, if you are like me, a student of history, following credible news sources, you want to do something to break the apathy and get out the vote. I created “Citizen Kate” in 2008. (Take a look at the showcase of past and present episodes) Kate was a phenomenon on the campaign trail – a youthful independent voice covering the election. She commissioned the Butter Cow Lady of Iowa to sculpt a “butter bust of Obama,” made international headlines and probably helped him win Iowa. I re-launched Citizen Kate in 2016 to equal acclaim and now we are seeking financial backing to put Kate back on the campaign trail in 2024 and at the conventions, through our fiscal sponsor, Chicago Filmmakers, a 501c3.

In 2024, Citizen Kate (played by comedian Roxanne Acree), is an authentic voice, a citizen journalist connecting with Gen Z and fellow Millennials through consistent posts on social media where her generation consumes their news. Her mission is very precise: to unpack voter apathy and reignite political excitement on the most common issues: inflation at the grocery store, the high cost of housing, regulation of the internet, reproductive health, access to voting, etc. A young millennial herself, Citizen Kate, is played this year by stand-up comedienne Roxanne Acree, a progressive Southern Baptist who hails from Kentucky and Indiana. Post-debate, she, like most women who are worried about losing even more rights on her body, is in a quandary about whom to support.

In the last month, @RealCitizenKate has filed dozens of original, filmed pieces for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. My team includes Chicago born and bred including Director, Jeff Michalski, a globally sought-after improv coach, theater owner, and character actor who’s taught Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Chris Farley at Second City, to name a few; Creator/Producer, Carey Lundin, the creator of Citizen Kate, a TV producer, filmmaker, park creator, and former Chicago democratic political consultant (Adelstein/Liston) who has been on the campaign trail thrice; and consulting producer, Andrea Miller, (she’s from New York) whose experience spans both news (The Media Beat, CNBC) and comedy (Indecision ’92 with Al Franken and Roger Ailes), and the dynamic political media team of Chicago’s Kurth/Lampe. The rest of our team includes Gersh, one of the world’s top talent agencies, Caravan Management, and TSMA: The Social Media Agency, who are developing our social footprint and strategy.

Our goal is to raise a modest $20,000 to cover filming Kate at the RNC and DNC conventions. Before the DNC, Kurth/Lampe plans to hold a media party at the Billy Goat to introduce Citizen Kate to Midwest and national media where she will interview famous people who attended the ‘68 convention and compare it to this historic convention.

Let’s keep Kate on the road because any impact is worth it. Donations are tax-deductible via our fiscal sponsor, Chicago Filmmakers, a 501c3. We appreciate your consideration.

How your money will be spent: Travel costs for our lean team of three people, labor costs for our team to set-up interviews, coverage of the stakeholders and swing voters, and funding to support a dedicated social media person.