The Moment is Now:
A National Convening by Everyday Democracy
December 8-10, 2016, Baltimore, Md.
The mission of Everyday Democracy is to support people who are creating connection, voice, and participation with
explicit attention to racial equity. Our ultimate vision is a democracy that values everyone’s voice and participation and
works for all.
Everyday Democracy’s National Convening will build awareness of the breadth and depth of efforts across the country to
do democracy differently. People from all regions of the country and working on many different issue areas will have
the chance to learn from national leaders, connect with others doing similar work, and strengthen their practices of
engagement, racial equity and community change.
In a critical moment after a divisive national election, the convening will provide an opportunity to figure out what we
can and must do together to move our country toward greater connection, greater racial equity and stronger
participatory democracy.
The Convening will also feature the release of Everyday Democracy’s newly revised discussion guide on communitypolice relations.
Why now?
This is a critical moment for our democracy – we face serious challenges and the very fabric of our democracy seems to
be splitting in two. As a country, we don’t know how to talk about race and class, and we’re living with the results of our
denial. There is an astounding lack of social trust among people of different views and backgrounds, and a profound lack
of trust in government. The toxic rhetoric of this year’s election season is fanning the flames of racism, division and
violence.
This is the moment to take action. There are signs of hope, and we must build on them – right now, on a national scale:
 There are growing examples of people coming together across divisions for honest, productive dialogue on
tough issues and then solving problems together. Through honest sharing, active listening and respect for
everyone’s voice and perspective, they are improving their schools, their neighborhoods, their police
departments, their food systems and the delivery of health care and mental health services.

People of all backgrounds are finding ways to take on the difficult task of addressing the structural racism that
underlies the issues we face. They are deepening their understanding of the systemic structures rooted in
racism and how they are standing in the way of making progress on all types of issues. They are finding that
creating racial equity opens a pathway to creating other forms of equity -- related to class, gender, age, sexual
orientation, religious background and immigration status.

These opportunities are being built by a diverse combination of people. Everyday people, grass-roots leaders,
those who work in community-based institutions, and those who work within public institutions such as schools,
police departments, mayor’s offices, health departments and social service agencies. Perhaps most importantly,
young people are taking leadership roles in bringing about a stronger democracy.
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Many people across our country are showing the way for changing the culture and practices of democracy. Their work
at local, regional and state levels is creating pockets of hope. Now is the time to connect them for greater national
impact. The possibility that we can work together to create a democracy that values everyone’s voice and participation
needs to penetrate our national awareness.
Why we are organizing this event
For the past 25 years, Everyday Democracy has coached and learned from diverse leaders, supporting them as they
expand and sustain their efforts. We are using these lessons to begin working with state-level, regional and national
organizations to support even more leaders and communities across the U.S. We also work with other democracy,
participation and racial justice organizations to advance a vision, movement and diverse leadership for democracy that
works for all, and to take practices of participation to scale regionally and nationally.
Who should attend this convening?
This convening is for people from all walks of life who are creating participation and equity in their own communities or
who would like to learn more about doing so. We welcome those changemakers we have worked with already, and
those who will be new to our network. The convening is also for researchers, storytellers and national partners who
want to celebrate and learn from all the good work that is happening, and who want to be part of building a movement
for participatory democracy with a racial equity lens.
What will the convening be like?
This will be a collaborative, arts-oriented, multi-cultural and aspirational space. The first day will begin with a small
convening dedicated to the communities in our Communities Creating Racial Equity initiative. The full Convening will
begin at 1pm on Thursday, December 8, and plenary speakers and interactive sessions will run through Saturday
afternoon at 2 pm.
Other noteworthy features include a keynote speech by John W. Franklin, to highlight the connections among racial
equity, democracy and community engagement; a bus trip to Washington, D.C. at the end of the conference, for a
concluding reception at the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington,
D.C.; and a real-time photo exhibit that powerfully portrays the voices and stories of those who attend.
Because the event will take place in Baltimore, Md., young leaders from the Baltimore community will be highlighting
their work on community voice and equitable policing. Young leaders from other cities will also highlight their work.
What does it cost to attend?
We have a sliding scale for registration, to enable greater participation. Please visit everyday-democracy.org for
complete details and registration information.
We are also looking for additional funding to provide scholarships for participants, to offer award money for postconvening projects, and to enable us to create videos to help spread the stories and message of the convening. Please
contact Val Ramos at (860) 727-5967 if you are interested in sponsoring young leaders to attend the Convening. In
addition to making our own investment in this convening, we are grateful to The Whitman Institute for its support.
75 CHARTER OAK AVENUE
SUITE 2-300
HARTFORD, CT 06106
|
T 860-928-2616
F 860-928-3713 | WWW.EVERYDAY-DEMOCRACY.ORG