Hi John,

At SiX, we believe in a real, multiracial democracy where the people most affected by policy help shape it from the start, and stay involved every step of the way.

But again and again, people in power have sought to interrupt this vision in order to protect their own wealth and status. This is evident in our county’s history of slavery to the backlash to Reconstruction after the Civil War and in the forward march of authoritarianism today. We know a simple truth: policy alone won’t fix a system built this way.

That’s why we practice what we call collaborative governance: a way of governing that shifts power back to the people by bringing legislators, advocates, and directly impacted communities together as long-term partners, not just as voters or one-time advisors, but as co-creators of ideas, strategy, and implementation.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:
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SiX brought 23 lawmakers to Farm Aid 40 ([link removed]) to learn from farmers and rural organizers, and share collaborative governance success stories. Legislators toured farms and heard directly from farmers about the challenges they are facing.

At Farm Aid’s
Farmer Forum ([link removed]) , state legislators, farmers, and advocates discussed challenges in our farm and food system, and how, through collaborative governance, lawmakers and rural communities build power.

For example,
SiX Cohort for Rural Prosperity ([link removed]) (CROP) member, Illinois Representative Sonya Harper, shared her strategic collaborative governance work championing Black farmers annually during the Illinois Black Farmers and Growers Lobby Day ([link removed]) at the state capitol, and her work with Illinois Stewardship on strategy to advance a wide range of sustainable agriculture and food system bills.

Another SiX CROP member, Iowa Representative Megan Srinivas, and Iowa Farmers Union discussed their collaborative governance practice of hosting a series of cancer listening sessions in rural communities, which ended up defeating a bill that would have ([link removed].) shielded pesticide companies from legal liability for harms caused by their products.

Legislators left the event feeling energized and prepared to work together on farm and rural issues in 2026 and beyond.
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Because SiX sits at the intersection of movements, state legislatures, and partners, we’re uniquely positioned to make this real. With your support, we can:
* Expand collaborative governance practices into more states;
* Train more legislators, staff, and community partners in this model;
* Support deep, ongoing relationships between movements and policymakers; and
* Lift up stories that show what “good governance” can look and feel like.

If you believe that state governments can be engines for justice, equity, and long-term change, we invite you to invest in this vision.

👉Will you make a gift to SiX today to help build the democracy we’ve never had ([link removed]) ?

Whether you’re a legislator, staffer, funder, partner organization, or individual donor, you are part of this ecosystem. Your partnership—and your generosity—help us move beyond business as usual and model a different way of doing democracy.

In solidarity,

EJ Juárez
Executive Director

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