Waging Democracy

For years our democracy has been deteriorating. From our political to electoral to judicial systems, there have been cracks and decay that threaten the security of racial, religious and ethnic minority communities. That's why JCRC is launching a non-partisan democracy initiative and will be hosting Waging Democracy.

Sunday, October 14, 2018
8:45am-5:00pm
University of San Francisco

[Download the Full Schedule]

Featuring: Ian Bassin, Protect Democracy Project; Kristen Cambell, PACE (Philanthropy for Civic Engagement); Audrey Cooper, San Francisco Chronicle; Gloria Duffy, The Commonwealth Club; Mickey Edwards, The Aspen Institute; Marisa Lagos, KQED; Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, National Institute for Civil Discourse; Lindsay Morris, National Council of Jewish Women; Yascha Mounk, Harvard University; and Wendy Weiser, Brennan Center for Justice; and more!

Keynote Speaker: Aziz Huq, assistant professor at the University of Chicago Law School and author of How to Save a Constitutional Democracy (2018)

Co-Chairs: Leslie Katz, Greenberg Traurig; Kristin Olsen, Stanislaus County Supervisor and former Minority Leader at the California State Assembly; and Professor Dan Schnur, University of Southern California and UC Berkeley

Opening Session, Our Democracy: What is the state of our democracy? What is happening to our norms and institutions? Who is/isn't our democracy working for and why? And what areas are at risk at this time? Moderator: Gloria Duffy, Executive Director, The Commonwealth Club. Panelists: Ian Bassin, Executive Director, Protect Democracy Project; Wendy Weiser, Director, Democracy Program, Brennan Center for Justice; Mickey Edwards, Vice President and Program Director, The Aspen Institute

Workshops: Choose from these interactive workshops:

• "Organizing for Democracy" with Helen Greico, Common Cause
• "You be the Judge" with Lindsey Morris, National Council of Jewish Women
• "Every Vote Counts!" with Kimberley D.C. Schroder, Resistance Labs

Partners: Protect Democracy Project, University of San Francisco’s Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, and The Commonwealth Club

Co-Sponsors: ACLU, Brennan Center for Justice, KQED, Office of the Assessor-Recorder for the City & County of San Francisco, Recology, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, San Francisco Human Rights Commission, San Francisco State University, ADL, Catholic Charities San Francisco, Congregation Emanu-El, Congregation Sherith Israel, J. The Jewish News of Northern California, JCCSF, JFCS East Bay, Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Jewish Federation of the East Bay/The Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, National Council of Jewish Women, Peninsula Jewish Community Center, San Francisco Interfaith Council, USF Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice, and United Religions Initiative

Financial support provided by: Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Fox Rothschild LLP, Morrison & Foerster Foundation, Sideman & Bancroft LLP and Zander Family