Reflective Democracy

Juneteenth -- the celebration of Emancipation Day a.k.a. America's other Independence Day -- is a good time to reflect on the lingering systemic disenfranchisement that occurred after slavery ended. The prison industry has taken advantage of the “punishment exception” to the 13th Amendment. After the end of slavery, states passed discriminatory laws to arrest and imprison large numbers of freed black people. Incarcerated black people were then leased out or forced to provide free labor to private individuals and corporations. This still occurs today as states across the nation continue to lease out incarcerated people to private corporations.

Broadway's 73rd Annual Tony Awards did not disappoint. It was entertaining, thought-provoking, provided poignant social and political commentary, and in one of its most powerful moments, Tony Award winner for Best Director of a Musical Rachel Chavkin called out Broadway for not having more women or people of color nominated in her category -- a conversation that echoes our reflective democracy work.

Culture often leads politics and the theatre once again reflects uncomfortable truths with Harper Lee's classic, To Kill A Mockingbird starring Jeff Daniels. If you cannot watch the full nine-minute interview then skip to 6:38 and watch the final portion.

Over 38 percent of state and congressional district maps drawn by politicians in the 2010-cycle were struck down by courts, compared to just 11 percent of those drawn by independent citizen commissions with partisan balance. This includes two maps struck down today by a federal Michigan court.

The End Gerrymandering Pledge aims to spur prominent national leaders to advance fair redistricting reform that is transparent, nondiscriminatory and politically impartial across the United States in advance of the 2020 Census. Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States, and Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are among the more than 6,000 Americans who have signed the online pledge.