Democracy Needs New Skills
Introducing a learning series for anyone working across divides—plus a peek at what I’ve been up to.
I want to take a moment to share what I’ve been working on, invite you into the journey, and let you know how you can plug in—whether you’re here for the ideas, the trainings, or the bigger transformation we’re building together.
I’ve been traveling the country (and Zoom-world), listening deeply to folks across the democracy movement of movements: organizers, bridge-builders, civic tech innovators, and people building participatory democracy for all of us. That listening has shaped two major projects that are now coming into bloom:
a nationwide Democracy Learning Series
a growing local democracy effort here in my neighborhood, Oakland and the East Bay.
And underneath it all is the slow-growing, long-haul work of building a truly Omni-Win democracy—one rooted in participation, care, inclusion, and collective power.
Here’s how it all connects…
The Democracy Resource Hub Learning Series
Organizing. Bridging. Participatory Governance.
In my role as steward of the Democracy Resource Hub—a project of the SHIFT Action Lab—I spent this year talking with dozens of practitioners and civic innovators across the country.
What I heard again and again: we need better tools to work across our silos. We need real skills to collaborate across difference. And we need to move from conversation to coordination to action.
So I've curated a 10-part learning series, built to respond to what I heard. It’s a sampler pack of practical tools from the worlds of organizing, bridge-building, and participatory democracy—designed to be accessible, inspiring, and immediately useful.
🗓 Next up:
Facilitation 101 – Introduction to Dialogue & Deliberation
with Keiva Hummel (Executive Director, NCDD)
📅 Tuesday, December 16th
👉 Click here to register for Facilitation 101
This session is perfect for anyone who’s curious about facilitation, community conversations, or holding space across divides.
🌀 Each session in the series explores a different part of the civic change cycle: how we invite people in, build connection, share power, and take action. You can join one or all. No prior experience needed.
🎓 Check out and sign up for the full lineup here: LearnDemocracy.online
🌿 Local Democracy Is Taking Root
Over the past two years, I’ve been helping build a local democracy model here in my neighborhood in Oakland—supporting neighbors in building trust, listening to each other, identifying shared needs, and taking real action.
This “neighborhood first” approach (which I described in my last article, The Strangler Fig Theory: Growing Democracy from the Roots Up) is now expanding with the support of Better Together America, and gaining momentum across the East Bay.
And next year, I’m exploring the idea of offering a training for folks who want to bring this model to their own communities.
✨ Interested in learning how to do this where you live?
Let me know here.
💛 Supporting This Work
This Substack is one part of a much larger effort:
I’m listening, weaving, designing, writing, facilitating, and working every day to grow the democracy we need—one that actually works for everyone.
If you’ve ever thought about becoming a paid subscriber, now’s a great time. It’s a meaningful way to support this work—and every bit helps me keep going, growing, and sharing.
👉 Become a paid subscriber here
🎙 Curious to explore more?
While I haven’t posted new episodes or videos in a while, there’s a ton of timeless content on my Omni-Win Project podcast and YouTube channel. The topics are just as relevant now—and they offer a deeper dive into the ideas, stories, and conversations that shape all of this work.
There’s a lot more coming soon.
🙌 Let’s Keep Building
Thanks for reading, and for being part of this ecosystem of democracy and transformation. I truly believe this work is most powerful when it’s shared—and that the future we long for is only possible when we all show up, together.
Let me know what resonates.
Tell me what you’re working on.
And stay tuned—we’ve got a long journey ahead of us.