$20M ‘One Small Step’ campaign aims to rebuild American pride ahead of 250th anniversary

EXCLUSIVE: Limited-government nonprofit Americans for Prosperity kicked off its version of an America250 project with a $20 million "One Small Step" initiative, hosting the first of 12 marquee events beginning in Philadelphia.

The event in America’s birthplace featured 1981 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl quarterback Ron Jaworski, the "Ruthless" podcasters, and Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer and 2026 Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Joining with Concerned Veterans for America and the LIBRE Initiative, AFP’s "One Small Step" plays off Neil Armstrong’s famous words as it works to build a national movement reconnecting Americans to their history and founding principles and encouraging them to become more civically engaged.

At the event, AFP President Emily Seidel spoke about why it is important now, on the advent of the U.S.’ 250th birthday, to launch such a wide-scale effort.

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"I do think that we do have to have a sense of urgency about defending freedom because we've been crowing a lot leading up to this year about how people's pride in America is at an all-time low and that is a huge red flag," she said.

"People's belief that they can reach the American dream is declining," she said. "It's not a coincidence that those numbers are going down as the size and scope of government is going up — that loss of agency is really harmful for a free society."

The "One Small Step" initiative will soon move on to other cities, while AFP state chapters will be challenged to take "250,000 Steps for Freedom" and complete 250,000 actions to promote policies that advance the freedom and opportunity voiced by the Founding Fathers.

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As the "Ruthless" podcasters discussed at the Philadelphia event, 40 door knocks in the community to campaign or spread the message could account for 40 "actions."

"For 250 years, freedom and opportunity have defined the American spirit, unleashed prosperity for millions, and led to awe-inspiring innovation that has changed the world," AFP said in a statement. "Our mission at AFP is to ensure the freedom and opportunity our nation was founded on endures and expands for the next 250 years. That will only be possible with the small but critical steps of millions of people."

Some of the other marquee events will be held in Springfield, Illinois – home of Abraham Lincoln – and Washington, D.C., as a way to counter declining pride in what it means to be an American.

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The events are intended to inspire Americans to take action this year and get involved civically 250 years after the Founders did.

Eight-figure digital and TV ad buys will accompany the initiative, telling stories of Americans past and present and highlighting "digital toolkits" that every American can take part in to help celebrate founding principles.

"One Small Step is our effort to build a long-term national movement celebrating the founding principles that make America so exceptional: liberty, dignity, and opportunity. If we want to change the trajectory of Americans’ pride in this country, we need to remind people of our shared values and what it means to be American," Seidel told Fox News Digital.

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"These principles aren’t just part of our past; they are essential to navigating our future. This is not about loving America louder — it’s about understanding America better. Freedom doesn’t sustain itself. People do."

Sandra Benitez, executive director of the LIBRE Initiative, which aims to engage Latino Americans in civics, added that Hispanic communities understand the promise of America in a "deeply personal way."

"Freedom, opportunity and dignity aren’t abstract concepts; they are the principles that inspired our families to come to America in the first place," she told Fox News Digital.

"One Small Step invites Americans from every background to see themselves in the nation’s story — because that story continues with all of us."