May 5, 2026
A film premiering May 23 was inspired by a sense that men – particularly Black men – are increasingly absent from civic spaces. Are men are no longer showing up in civic life the way previous generations once did?
Hosted by a panel of leaders including filmmaker Sean Eldridge, Patrick Ward and Khary Earley, the morning’s Forum discussion covered themes of burnout, fear, disconnection and the urgent need for unity across communities and generations.
Eldridge, a retired federal agent and Air Force veteran, brings a deeply personal lens to the issue. Raised by nine uncles after an unstable childhood, he describes himself as “the epitome of it takes a village.” His career in Homeland Security, particularly in cases involving human trafficking, revealed to him the transformative power of storytelling.
But it was a different realization that sparked Civic Men: Despite visible leadership in certain spaces, men were largely absent from school boards, city council meetings and grassroots civic engagement.
“Men might show up to be the face of something,” Eldridge noted, “but they aren’t showing up in general.”
Patrick Ward, who appears in the film and serves as a regional director for Phi Beta Sigma, highlighted another barrier: fear. Fear of professional repercussions, of speaking truth to power, and of the unknown consequences tied to civic engagement. “If we are afraid,” he said, “then the whole community is afraid.”
Khary Earley, a political action committee chairman and Morehouse graduate, framed the issue through the lens of unity and strategy. For Earley, the solution lies in coordinated action and political leverage. “Power concedes nothing without leverage,” he said, calling for alignment across organizations and initiatives to drive meaningful change.
The conversation also addressed the role of women in supporting this shift. When asked how women can contribute, panelists emphasized partnership over division. Ward called for continued support and mutual understanding, noting that both men and women are navigating shared challenges. Earley reinforced the importance of unity, pointing to the collective strength demonstrated by Black women in civic participation.
Eldridge said he hopes that Civic Men is not just a film but a catalyst, beginning in Charlotte but extending nationwide, with partnerships in schools and universities to ignite long-term civic interest.
The premiere, set for May 23 at Independent Picture House, aims to do more than draw an audience. It seeks to rebuild a culture of engagement, one where men not only lead in visible roles but actively participate in the systems that shape their communities.