Kyle Park
Conversation with Civics Advocate Glenn Cort
September 18, 2026
Glenn Cort is the founder of Getting Along Academy, a nonprofit empowering young people to practice civil disagreement. Glenn started his career as a prosecuting attorney and a criminal defender before spending nearly three decades with his family’s business. A 2020 volunteer teaching stint with the Boston Public Schools changed that trajectory. Glenn expected to connect with students over a shared enthusiasm for learning but was met with the opposite: “It was as if we all agreed that the world had changed in ways we couldn’t understand. Students had a look of cynicism on their faces--a loss of trust in the community, institutions, and where the country was heading.” This experience motivated Glenn to leave his business and explore ways to rebuild civic trust, turning what began as a birthday letter to his teenage son into Letters to Mikey: Messages of Hope and Optimism for Young Americans and, ultimately, Getting Along Academy.
One of the main pillars of Glenn's work is “The Fantastic Truths Which Could Unite Us,” a discussion-based civics curriculum currently being piloted with educators nationwide. The nonpartisan program encourages students to explore the social forces—from social media incentives to extremism—that shape how citizens interact. Glenn hopes these resources can develop humility and “shared humanity where we are willing to just give another person a chance.” He has built on this approach through 4Humanity.net, an AI-powered “National Positivity Portal” that launched earlier this year. The platform connects and displays the everyday work of nonprofits, making visible the civic leadership and progress Glenn believes are often obscured by a public culture rooted in conflict.
I am excited to see Glenn's projects develop and look forward to continue partnering with him to advance civic engagement, particularly among the youth. For the full conversation with Glenn, please visit the Youth Civic Impact Collective's podcast page.
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