Defend an Institution. Adopt a Nonprofit. Reclaim Your Power

By now, you’ve probably felt it—that hum of helplessness running under the noise of headlines. Institutions and the communities they serve are under increasing pressure.

Historian Timothy Snyder wrote in On Tyranny: “Do not speak of ‘our institutions’ unless you are making them yours by acting on their behalf.” Institutions are not marble buildings. They are not self-sustaining. They exist because we create, nurture, and defend them. And they in turn inspire, educate, motivate, serve, enrich, protect and connect us in every conceivable way.

Here in Santa Cruz, we have something rare: an entrepreneurial ecosystem that blends the arts, technology, nature, and community. At SantaCruzWorks we pride ourselves on connecting “Innovators, Investors, and Jobs,” but our next iteration must add one more word to the link: Community. This is our moment as a 12,000-plus member strong body to continue to prove that the Santa Cruz we have chosen to be our home is committed to the values and missions our unique institutions and communities serve.

How?

So here’s the call to action: Adopt a nonprofit. Make it yours. Give it just half a percent of the passion you bring to your startup or your job. You don’t need a five-year plan or a 40-hour commitment. You just need to start. Buy a ticket to their event. Subscribe to their newsletter. Show up.

There are over 530 nonprofits in Santa Cruz County that qualify for tax-deductible donations. Arts groups. Libraries. Advocacy orgs. Science centers. Food banks. Institutions that reflect the soul of this place. To obtain a list of local nonprofits, click HERE.

Why? Because civil society doesn’t collapse all at once. It dissolves slowly, with each budget cut, each cynical law, each nonprofit that closes its doors because it didn’t have enough community behind it.

And if we, the people with influence, money, networks, and startup muscle, can’t step up to defend these institutions, who will? What good is a successful company or an impressive exit if the community that nurtured you becomes unrecognizable? What’s the point of building the next big thing if the local paper shuts down, or the science museum your kids love disappears?

Call to Action

The fight ahead is not just legal or political—it’s cultural. It’s about protecting the things that tether us to meaning and one another. And if the strategy of the moment feels like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” chaos, that same strategy—when wielded in our favor—can also be mass-scale action.

Santa Cruz has long stood for unique inspiration, natural beauty, and positive innovation. Let’s add one more virtue: a fierce commitment to our institutional treasures. Don’t let them slip through your fingers. Take a hike, go to a tidepool, buy a ticket, make a call. Reclaim your power.