IDCL: expanding civic imaginations and building bridges across differences through storytelling, research, and education supporting more democratic public spaces through storytelling, research, and education The Institute for Diversity and Civic Life has a mission to create more inclusive public spaces through storytelling, research, and education. We work to expand civic imaginations and build bridges across differences. Our programs harness the power of stories to transform. We create platforms to amplify underrepresented voices, empower Texans to tell their stories on their own terms and in more nuanced ways, and diversify the historical record. Our programs bridge academic and public conversations, cultivate conversations about belonging and recognition, and facilitate collaboration across communities.