A retired high school teacher in Duluth, Sharon McMahon found her calling on Instagram during the 2020 election. She witnessed friends and followers confounded by misinformation and put her civics teacher hat back on to help explain the state of government in simple, factual terms. The hat stuck. She has amassed more than 1 million followers from all over the world who seek out her honest and nonpartisan take on current affairs. Her fans, “governerds,” stick around to help raise money for teachers, buy a subscription to her private group book club, and listen to podcasts and seminars on political history. Recently, “America’s government teacher” received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen.

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