In one of the most contentious elections of our time, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump to become the next President of the United States. In what was an extremely tight and partisan race across all chambers of government, people around the world tuned in to watch democracy in action, the foundation upon which America was born.
And what a display of democracy it was - with record voter turnout and a free and fair election, despite the stresses of COVID-19. The 2020 election was truly a stress test of our democratic process and our system functioned as designed, carrying our nation’s tradition of a peaceful transfer of power into 2021.
But just like our nation, democracy is ever-evolving. As is the tension around our democratic system. So what exactly is democracy? And how did democracy become so emblematic of our American ideals?
Adapted from the Ancient Greek concept of democracy, the United States was founded upon a system of representative democracy, where representatives, chosen by the people, drive the government.
Granting power to all people, however, has not always come easily. Voting rights were at first limited to property-owning white males, restricting the voices of women and non-white citizens for over two centuries. And despite all the progress that has been made, barriers still exist today that prevent many minority populations from letting their voice be heard.
The democratic process continues to be fine-tuned with each evolution of history. But while our voting process may look a little different each year and our ballots filled with more initiatives than ever, the constant rests on this - representation matters. No matter your beliefs, your ideals, your gender, or your skin color, our system is designed to represent the voices of “we the people”. And while that doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone, true democracy is allowing all voices to be heard, counted, and protected. To realize a goal of creating systems that are by, and for the people.
Civic Dinners was built as a tool for democratic engagement and created to celebrate all voices. For us, true representation is all about the opportunity to connect across our communities, to share lived experiences and to build a future that includes all stakeholders.
The driving force behind Civic Dinners’s profound impact is in its democratic design. It was founded on the premise of bringing people together over divisions to give equal opportunity for both sharing and listening. Across all of our communities - from cities, to companies, to schools, to kitchen tables. That’s why we created The Inclusive Series, to give citizens, employees, students, and volunteers a safe space to share, to listen and to work together to create a brighter, more representative future.
We believe in representation not just because our country is founded upon it, but because we all benefit when our voices are heard and our communities are healthier, happier and more connected.
Interested in hosting a conversation within your community or your organization? Learn about how Civic Dinners can be a tool for change here.