“A good life is what we all want. Making human flourishing our north star is how we achieve it for everyone.”
~ Angela Glover Blackwell
Dear John,
Summer is a time to lean into a good life, but what does a good life mean? I’ve been thinking a lot about the possibility and promise of a good life — for all of us. It’s an idea that I delve into deeply in my new six-part podcast series, Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, which is now fully available for listening and download.
In the series, 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. 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, environmental leader Denise Fairchild, among many others.
The specifics of a good life are for each of us to define, but there are things we all need to be able to have to ensure a good life: good jobs, affordable housing, high quality schools, safe communities, a sustainable environment, and accessible healthcare.
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.
To learn more about the series, check out our promo video. Please listen and subscribe to Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, and share the series with anyone you think needs a hopeful vision of what is possible for our collective future.
Many Thanks,
