More Perfect Union unites the country and enhances communities through social connection, service, and civic engagement. Pulse 2.0 interviewed More Perfect Union co-founders Jake Harriman and Garrett Cathcart to learn more about the non-profit.
Formation Of The Non-Profit
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): How did the idea for the non-profit come together?
More Perfect Union (Jake): I had been living and working overseas combating violent extremist groups that threatened U.S. National Security for fifteen years – first as a Marine in combat and then as the leader of Nuru International. I returned to the U.S. to participate in the inaugural class of the Presidential Leadership Scholars. When I got home, I was shocked by what I saw. I didn’t recognize the country I left to fight for in 2000. Fear and hatred were ripping our country apart. Extremism had crept into our politics and was destroying the agency of the American people. I became very saddened by the new state of the country I had fought for. All of us had been downrange fighting to protect the idea of America, only to realize that it wasn’t going to be ISIS or Al Qaeda that defeated us…it was going to be us. Then I got really angry – I wasn’t about to let the sacrifice my buddies had paid go in vain. I couldn’t allow us to tear each other apart while our enemies sat on the sidelines laughing and stoking the divisions. I knew I had to do something to take on this terrible divisiveness.
Favorite Memory
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What has been your favorite memory working for the non-profit so far?
More Perfect Union (Garrett): One of my earliest and most cherished moments at More Perfect Union happened in a small Texas town at one of our first rural events. Back then, we were still learning how to build Brickyards (or local chapters where people come together to serve their neighbors, build trust, and bridge divides) in places where everyone knows everyone, and where new ideas can sometimes feel like unwelcome strangers. The Glen Rose, Texas Brickyard leader was a Marine Corps spouse, someone who knew how to lead and how to connect. She organized an incredible event, pulling the whole town into her vision. She used her relationships and a deep sense of purpose to organize a clothing and toy drive for families who needed a little extra help. And, as if that wasn’t enough, she donated one of her own pigs for a hog roast. Her friend—wearing a More Perfect Union hat—smoked that pig for 18 hours. I remember the smell: it carried across the park, mixing with laughter and music and the kind of casual kindness that can only happen in small towns.
The event occurred in the town’s park, right between a Cherokee Nation gathering on one end and a Master Gardener workshop on the other. Dozens of people came—some for the food, some for the clothing drive, some just to be there, surrounded by neighbors and strangers alike.
I spoke with one woman who mentioned she’d skipped her “Patriot League meeting” to attend. I pieced together that the “Patriot League” was an armed group training to protect their town—a response to the fear that can grow in the absence of connection.
Then, I saw something I’ll never forget. A family of Mexican immigrants, new to Glen Rose, came to the event. Their kids were shy at first, standing close to their parents, but soon, they were sorting through toys with the help of that same Patriot League member. I watched as she sat down with the family, shared a meal, and smiled at their children.
In that moment, something shifted for me—a lightbulb moment. This is what MPU is about: connecting people who might never have met, people who might think of each other as “other,” and giving them a chance to see each other as human. If we can take what our Brickyard leader built in Glen Rose and scale it to towns and cities across America, we can achieve something extraordinary. We can unite this country. We can strengthen communities.
And maybe, just maybe, we can replace fear with trust, one meal at a time.
More Perfect Union (Jake): Every movement has a beginning. My favorite memory was our first-ever event – the Atlanta Brickyard Breakfast Club. I was exhausted, having flown in late the night before from donor meetings on the other side of the country. But I remember walking into the event and being overwhelmed by the number and diversity of the crowd, and the energy in the room was electric. Roughly one hundred civic leaders from all demographics across Atlanta had gathered together to chart a better path forward for their city and the country. We had veterans, healthcare professionals, local government officials, NGO leaders, and journalists. We had leaders from all races, genders, political parties, and socioeconomic status. We discussed the power of servant leadership at this moment to help the city and country heal. We gave a call to action for leaders to step forward and drive the Brickyard movement in Atlanta, and four talented leaders stepped forward to answer the call that day. It was a powerful start to a movement that has grown to 35,000 members in every state since that first gathering of 100.
Significant Milestones
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What have been some of your non-profit’s most significant milestones?
More Perfect Union (Jake): At More Perfect Union, we’ve been fortunate to achieve several key milestones that reflect our work’s impact and our mission’s growth.
One of the most notable is our Fellowship program at the University of Montana, which serves as a cutting-edge leadership development initiative. This program equips future leaders with the skills and mindset to foster connection, trust, and service in their communities, setting a new standard for civic leadership.
We’ve also experienced significant growth in our team, expanding to seven full-time staff members with diverse and impressive backgrounds. Each team member brings unique expertise and a shared passion for uniting communities and strengthening civic bonds.
On the ground, our impact is evident in the 31 cities across the country where we’ve established Brickyards.. This network supports our 35,000 members nationwide, each contributing to a renewed sense of community and civic spirit.
Perhaps most inspiring are the countless stories that emerge from our work—stories of service, connection, and transformation. From individuals overcoming deep divides to communities rallying together for shared causes, these moments remind us of the profound power of bringing people together in real life.
Each of these milestones represents a step closer to achieving our mission: uniting the country, depolarizing communities, and inspiring a renewed civic spirit in America.
