.webp){kind=logo}
There’s a better way for communities to solve their problems.
It’s called a Democracy League, and it’s a simple idea: local leaders ask community members to help think through big problems. Residents come together to learn about the issues and build consensus on the best way forward.
Democracy Leagues build trust between residents and work in partnership with local government to turn ideas into action.
It’s not a club or a committee. It’s more like a habit. A long-lost habit of self-government, making a comeback.
Less fighting!
More fixing.
The usual tools of debates and elections aren’t helping us tackle our toughest challenges. The loudest voices dominate, trust between residents and leaders erodes, and big problems go unsolved.
Democracy Leagues are a new kind of civic institution grounded in the oldest democratic idea: We, the People, can solve our own problems.
.png)
A new old tool:
Civic Assemblies
One tool a Democracy League puts to use is the Civic Assembly. Remember that whole “government by the People” idea? This is that, but with snacks and better facilitation.
Unlike elected officials, Assembly members don’t have to answer to donors, party leaders, or the media. They’re regular people who come together to learn, deliberate, and find answers to hard problems.
It’s working, too. More than a thousand Civic Assemblies have taken place around the world in the last twenty years.
People
Civic Assemblies aren’t town halls with the usual suspects. Assembly delegates are selected by lottery to reflect the demographics and politics of the community.
To make participation possible, members receive support like stipends, childcare, meals, transportation, and translation.
Process
Assembly members learn the issue from all sides, hear from experts, and work together to understand what’s really at stake.
With trained facilitators guiding the way, they listen, deliberate, and weigh tradeoffs, building toward a broad consensus.
Power
Civic Assemblies aren’t just talk. From the start, local leaders commit to seriously considering the Assembly’s recommendations, and to explaining their decisions publicly.
Why? Because leaders who want to get things done know it’s easier when the public is your partner. And when the public is your partner, the public wants to keep you in office.
Unify Akron: a Civic Assembly in Action
After a busy year of building local partnerships, earning support from community leaders and elected officials, and inviting residents to step forward, Unify Akron is launching its first Civic Assembly this spring (like, right now).
In the weeks ahead, residents of Akron, Ohio, will come together to tackle a critical local challenge: expanding access to safe, well-maintained, and affordable housing.
This isn’t a pilot on paper. It’s a Democracy League taking shape in real time, with real residents, real leaders, and real decisions on the table.
See how it’s going
Before Akron, there was Montrose, Colorado, where we helped residents run a Civic Assembly tackling the community’s childcare shortage.
Is a Democracy League right for your community?
We’re looking for local leaders ready to take the next step:
You want residents more involved in shaping local decisions.
You have civic leaders willing to champion the work.
You’re facing a pressing issue where public consensus could move the needle.
You’re committed to sustaining the work beyond a single event.
You can mobilize local partners to recruit and host residents.
Want to build a Democracy League where you live?
We partner with civic leaders and local institutions across the country. If you’re exploring a Democracy League for your community, we’d love to talk.
