Welcome back!
We don’t write long, boring newsletters here — we’re very cutesy, very demure.
If you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about…good, that means you’re less chronically online than I am. For reference, here’s the original TikTok vid.
The trend has made its way through corporate America and to the democracy space.
Check out Jocelyn Benson, Cisco Aguilar, and States United CEO Joanna Lydgate partaking. And here’s an excellent breakdown of brat vs. demure from Made By Us (they engage Gen Z in civcs education through museums and run civic season).
Speaking of the chronically online: how do we get young men (and other folks on Discord) engaged in civic life? And what does digital civic infrastructure look like in the 21st century?
Hollie Russon Gilman, Sarah Jacob, and Maresa Strano of New America’s political reform program answer that question in Democracy Takes.
Democracy Notes 8/22
What’s happening in philanthropy:
($$$)
Get money to help raise money? We love it! New grant opportunity from the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to help US-based outlets experiment with new approaches to their year-end campaigns. ($5K-$20K awards, 20 grantees.)
JPB Foundation president Deepak Bhargava’s monthly letter was a masterclass in thoughtfulness and transparent philanthropy, as always. Some highlights:
Since last fall, JPB has moved (or is finalizing) ~$54.2M in rapid response grants towards civic engagement and pro-democracy efforts.
Their board unanimously agreed to continue to spend far above the 5% required minimum payout over the next five years.
Given threats to the safety of frontline leaders and organizations, JPB is supporting the Trusted Elections Fund (TEF).
Another supporter of TEF? Democracy Fund. DF president Joe Goldman wrote about their approach to the security needs of grantees in the Chronicle of Philanthropy recently.
Goldman highlights a few organizations essential to the violence prevention and protection space, as identified by TEF: Over Zero, Common Ground USA, Digital Defense Fund, and the Bridging Divides Initiative.
What to read:
(The big news)
We’ve got heaps of useful resources for election officials this week!
Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection pulled together an excellent election hub. It includes videos, explainers, and other resources on topics like:
Guidance on police at the polls,
Anti-militia laws by state, and
Guidance for election officials to prevent voter intimidation.
Protect Our Election’s We Are Democracy program is a pro bono suite of digital services and tools specifically designed for local election officials. (Includes online identity protection.)
The Center for American Progress put out a great report on election threats. It dives deep into risks, including that:
Partisan officials might refuse to certify the election,
A new cohort of Trumpian election workers might tamper with the results or prevent people from voting, and
Congress might overturn the Electoral College results.
What to watch/listen to/attend:
(Events, podcasts, and more)
Calling all right-of-center folks! Registration is open for next year’s Principles First Summit, Feb 21-23 in DC.
Two parties, too many problems? Great 45 min Lee Drutman podcast interview on multiparty democracy in the US.
30 min podcast episode on the future of local media with Common Cause California’s media & democracy program manager.
Where to work:
(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)
To kick things off, a particularly interesting 6-month part-time Fellow role ($25K stipend, 10-15hrs/week) working with the Truman Center and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University on a new high-level task force to lay the foundation for a comprehensive US strategy for democracy protection at home and abroad. More info here.
CIRCLE at Tufts University (civic learning) Executive Director — Massachusetts, $125K-$189K
New American Leaders (remote):
Director of Communications — $80K-$100K
Communications Intern — monthly stipend
Civic News Company Senior Manager of Development, Local Markets — Detroit, $85K-$90K
Campaign Legal Center Legal Counsel, Voting Rights — DC, $105K-$142K
UVA Karsh Institute for Democracy Practitioner Fellow — Charlottesville, VA, $38K
Bipartisan Policy Center Associate Director, Elections Project — DC, $110K-$130K
Race Forward Director, Evaluation and Research Strategies — remote, $98K-$109K
National Urban League Extremism Analyst (part time) — New York, $22K-$24K
LION Publishers (Local Independent Online News) Membership Services Manager — remote, $85K
William Penn Foundation Program Officer Democracy and Civic Initiatives — Philadelphia, $102K-$108K
Bridging Divides Initiative (Princeton University):
R Street Institute Fellow, Governance — DC, no $ info
Constructive Dialogue Institute Fractional Chief Growth Officer — no location or $ info (3 month position)
Transitions, transitions:
(Where are the movers moving and the shakers shaking?)
Simone Bermudez is Race Forward’s new SVP of Development and Partnerships. She joins from Jewish Vocational Service.
Becky Bullard is leaving her role as Communications Manager of the Texas Chapter of the Sierra Club to run a non-partisan, creative voter engagement project called The Civic Mystics. It’s a collaboration between Democrasexy (which Bullard founded), Deeds Not Words, and URGE, with support from the Center for Artistic Activism.
Jill Carey is Move for America’s new VP of Programs.
Submit your job transitions here!
As always, thanks so much for your attention.
Take care,
Gabe
You see how he keeps his newsletters brief? He’s not like these other girls. He’s not out here doing too much. He’s very informative. Very respectful. Very demure.
Eeee thank you Democracy Notes for mentioning my new project, The Civic Mystics! I love that one of my other favorite programs, Made By Us, got a mention, too. Keeping very cutesy company this week! (insert hair-flip emoji)