“In the struggle to build a more perfect union, there is a through line from resistance to creation, from rebellion to invention.”

~ Angela Glover Blackwell

Dear John,

I’ve been advocating for racial justice and equity all my adult life. But for most of those years, I never really spent much time thinking about the fragility of our democracy. I took democracy as a given in the US. It was a bedrock of the nation. Of course, I understood that our democracy was deeply flawed, and that equal rights and opportunities were a myth — a tantalizing set of promises that has never been fulfilled. That’s why I’ve spent more than a half-century doing the work that I do.

But now, we all know just how vulnerable our democracy is.

In my new podcast, Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, I explore how to realize the potential of our democracy to achieve a good life for all, focusing on one of the most unlikely of places: Los Angeles, California. 

In this six-part series:

• 1 | Democracy Dreamin' (listen now)
• 2 | There's No I In Leader (5/9)
• 3 | The We In Power (5/16)
• 4 | Labor of Love (5/23)
• 5 | Shift Happens (5/30)
• 6 | Hope Is A Discipline (6/6)

I turn to organizers and leaders on the ground in LA, to see how they transformed critical moments of rebellion into powerful grassroots coalitions aimed at building a democracy that serves everyone, even within the context of profound differences. You’ll hear from economist Manuel Pastor, elected officials Mayor Karen Bass and CA Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and historian Robin D.G. Kelley. I also talk to labor organizers Kent Wong and Roxana Tynan, and environmental leader Denise Fairchild, among many others. Los Angeles doesn’t have all the answers, but I explore what it can teach us about building a multiracial democracy that represents ALL of us.  

Soon, no single racial group will be in the majority in the United States. This means that for democracy to endure, it must be multiracial. But I want democracy to do more than endure. Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life offers a vision for how we can realize the fullest potential of democracy – a radically inclusive, thriving multiracial democracy in service of human flourishing, so we can all have a good life. 

Please listen, subscribe, and rate Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, found wherever you get your podcasts. Share the series with anyone you think needs a hopeful vision for our collective future. 

Many Thanks,

Angela