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Our Learning and Leadership Development Philosophy

What We Believe

Without grassroots leadership and community solidarity work, our democracy is merely aspirational. Through workshops and leadership development practices, Democracy North Carolina hopes to create spaces and opportunities for mutual learning, peer respect and leadership growth with our supporters and partners. For a society to be truly democratic, the people must participate as agents for their own self-determination and then for the broader community.

“A long-range goal to me is a direction that grows out of loving people, and caring for people, and believing in people’s capacity to govern themselves.” – Myles Horton

Our Principles and Approach

Principles

Democracy North Carolina is committed to providing learning spaces that facilitate a deep understanding that voting, community organizing and public service are pathways to be fully engaged in a democratic society and that holding policymakers accountable is vital to fostering equitable and just communities. We are also committed to supporting learning spaces that are cross-cultural, inter-generational, cross-class, progressive and grounded in an anti-oppression analysis.

Goals and Approach

  • Increase the knowledge and skills of community leaders working on voting rights efforts
  • Strengthen the number and capacity of people who will be champions for voting rights in this and future generations
  • Build a diverse network of leaders and community members who have the ability to communicate and work in partnership across the lines of difference (race, class, gender, sexuality, age, region, educational background, etc.)
  • Create spaces–virtual and in-person — where issues and policies related to voting rights and democratic reform can be addressed by sharing lessons from our history as a state and nation,  exploring what is happening in governmental structures,  and developing new strategies and innovative practices