Transcript
Transcript begins.
When I think about the power of philanthropy to shape our democracy for the next 250 years, I think at the most hyperlocal level: How are we working with communities and our local governments to make that possible?
“Democracy for the people” has to be felt. People need to feel like—at the most basic level—that what matters to their government is serving the public good, and they need to experience that in the most material way in their daily lives.
We in philanthropy have a role to play, not only making sure public systems deliver, but that people believe in their power to make that change possible.
“Democracy for the people” is the people having the power to believe in their own agency, to shape public systems, and to ensure that government serves the public good.
That’s democracy by, for, and of the people.
[The Ford Foundation logo is stacked in a bold black serif font, then transforms into a single letter “F” set inside a black circle.]
End of transcript.
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“We in philanthropy have a role to play, not only making sure public systems deliver, but that people believe in their power to make that change possible.”
Rickke Mananzala
Additional For The People Voices
Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, reflects on how America’s creatives have shaped our complex cultural history and can build a better future for the next generations.
Jennifer Ching
Jennifer Ching, executive director of North Star Fund, reflects on the power of daily, local-level advocacy. By addressing community-specific concerns and our shared future, she argues that democracy locally can inspire people to pursue change at a mass scale.
Sarita Gupta
Sarita Gupta, Ford’s vice president of U.S. Programs, reflects on how economic inequality erodes American democracy, and calls for building a fairer economy that centers and broadens workers’ rights.
Troy Jackson
Troy Jackson, co-founder and executive director of UNDIVIDED, calls for the Church to unite across racial and political divisions. By doing so, the Church can strengthen democracy and become a powerful force for hope, justice, and dignity.
Noorain Khan
Noorain Khan, Ford’s chief innovation officer, shares that a healthy democracy requires a thriving civil society, which depends on resilient nonprofit organizations. These groups are essential for collective action, enabling people to pursue shared causes and amplify individual power.
Roy Swan
Roy Swan, Ford’s Mission Investments program director, calls for “patriotic capitalism”: investments that prioritize the common good, widen opportunity, and expand worker ownership.
