Sandra  Day  O’Connor   Phoenix,  Arizona   October  23,  2018       Friends  and  fellow  Americans,     I  want  to  share  some  personal  news  with  you.     Some  time  ago,  doctors  diagnosed  me  with  the  beginning  stages  of  dementia,  probably   Alzheimer’s  disease.    As  this  condition  has  progressed,  I  am  no  longer  able  to  participate  in   public  life.    Since  many  people  have  asked  about  my  current  status  and  activities,  I  want  to  be   open  about  these  changes,  and  while  I  am  still  able,  share  some  personal  thoughts.     Not  long  after  I  retired  from  the  Supreme  Court  twelve  years  ago,  I  made  a  commitment  to   myself,  my  family,  and  my  country  that  I  would  use  whatever  years  I  had  left  to  advance  civic   learning  and  engagement.         I  feel  so  strongly  about  the  topic  because  I’ve  seen  first-­‐hand  how  vital  it  is  for  all  citizens  to   understand  our  Constitution  and  unique  system  of  government,  and  participate  actively  in  their   communities.    It  is  through  this  shared  understanding  of  who  we  are  that  we  can  follow  the   approaches  that  have  served  us  best  over  time  –  working  collaboratively  together  in   communities  and  in  government  to  solve  problems,  putting  country  and  the  common  good   above  party  and  self-­‐interest,  and  holding  our  key  governmental  institutions  accountable.       Eight  years  ago,  I  started  iCivics  for  just  this  purpose  –  to  teach  the  core  principles  of  civics  to   middle  and  high  school  students  with  free  online  interactive  games  and  curriculum  that  make   learning  relevant  and  remarkably  effective.  Today,  iCivics  (www.icivics.org)  reaches  half  the   youth  in  our  country.    We  must  reach  all  our  youth,  and  we  need  to  find  ways  to  get  people  –   young  and  old  –  more  involved  in  their  communities  and  in  their  government.      As  my  three   sons  are  tired  of  hearing  me  say,  “It’s  not  enough  to  understand,  you’ve  got  to  do  something.”   There  is  no  more  important  work  than  deepening  young  people’s  engagement  in  our  nation.     I  can  no  longer  help  lead  this  cause,  due  to  my  physical  condition.    It  is  time  for  new  leaders  to   make  civic  learning  and  civic  engagement  a  reality  for  all.    It  is  my  great  hope  that  our  nation   will  commit  to  educating  our  youth  about  civics,  and  to  helping  young  people  understand  their   crucial  role  as  informed,  active  citizens  in  our  nation.    To  achieve  this,  I  hope  that  private   citizens,  counties,  states,  and  the  federal  government  will  work  together  to  create  and  fund  a   nationwide  civics  education  initiative.    Many  wonderful  people  already  are  working  towards   this  goal,  but  they  need  real  help  and  public  commitment.  I  look  forward  to  watching  from  the   sidelines  as  others  continue  the  hard  work  ahead.         I  will  continue  living  in  Phoenix,  Arizona,  surrounded  by  dear  friends  and  family.    While  the  final   chapter  of  my  life  with  dementia  may  be  trying,  nothing  has  diminished  my  gratitude  and  deep   appreciation  for  the  countless  blessings  in  my  life.    How  fortunate  I  feel  to  be  an  American  and   to  have  been  presented  with  the  remarkable  opportunities  available  to  the  citizens  of  our   country.  As  a  young  cowgirl  from  the  Arizona  desert,  I  never  could  have  imagined  that  one  day  I   would  become  the  first  woman  justice  on  the  U.S.  Supreme  Court.       I  hope  that  I  have  inspired  young  people  about  civic  engagement  and  helped  pave  the  pathway   for  women  who  may  have  faced  obstacles  pursuing  their  careers.    My  greatest  thanks  to  our   nation,  to  my  family,  to  my  former  colleagues,  and  to  all  the  wonderful  people  I  have  had  the   opportunity  to  engage  with  over  the  years.       God  bless  you  all.