Upcoming Events in The Commons
Post-election, what is the future of efforts to strengthen democracy? Democracy Fund president Joe Goldman joins Chronicle of Philanthropy CEO Stacy Palmer on Wednesday, November 13, at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss his work with dozens of funders to ensure nonprofits on the front lines — including advocacy organizations and journalism outlets — have the resources they need to meet the challenges ahead. And they’ll explore what issues must rise to the fore now that ballots have been cast.
Over the past decade, Democracy Fund and its 501(c)(4) affiliate, Democracy Fund Voice, have committed more than $425 million to work that seeks to create a more vibrant and diverse public square, free and fair elections, effective and accountable government, and a just and inclusive society.
The event is free on LinkedIn. Registration is required to watch.
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PBS NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff joins Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Stacy Palmer on Wednesday, December 4, at 12:30 p.m. ET for a post-election conversation about what it will take to bring the country together. They will discuss Woodruff’s reporting for the “America at a Crossroads” series, which examines the country’s fractures and the role of nonprofits and philanthropy in developing solutions.
📣 Join the conversation! The event is free on LinkedIn. 🎟 Registration is required.
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We share the thoughts of some of the contributors to The Commons and those we’ve reported on. Some commented before the election and some after. Links are provided to their full comments when available. Pictured above, from left: Nwamaka Agbo, Kataly Foundation; Kristen Cambell,
Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement; Deepak Bhargava, JPB Foundation.
“For many of us, the outcome of today’s election involves life or death stakes. My hope is we remember our history. For myself, I am going to put my energy towards what has always brought about transformation: organizing and building community, rooted in solidarity and love. What will you put your energy towards?”
— Nwamaka Agbo, Kataly Foundation, November 6
“Our work is rooted in an understanding that democracy is not just about elections but, more broadly, requires building enduring power so that communities can advance their interests and protect their rights. We don’t know who will win the election — but we do know that, no matter what, we must stay in this work for the long term.
— Deepak Bhargava, JPB Foundation, November 4
“It’s too soon to say what meaning we should and shouldn’t make from all of this. The question for me is: ‘What do these results tell us about what’s happening in America’ — and not in a way that reconfirms our own prior biases or assumptions or jumps to oversimplified conclusions. But what helps us know and understand something new, something that we can’t, or won’t, or are not currently willing to see and consider.”— Kristen Cambell, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, November 6
“Our nation is in a moment of soul searching. Politicians, political parties, the media, and others are asking important questions. Nonprofits should be part of and maybe at the center of that soul searching. … We don’t get an out because we’re a soup kitchen or because we plant trees or because we’re focused on climate change. We have to commit to what the schools aren’t doing. We have to commit not just to teaching civics but doing civics, not just teaching democracy but doing democracy.”
— Sam Daley-Harris, Results, November 6
“We elected a president based on complete disinformation. This is such a devastating indictment of our media ecosystem.”
— Leah Hunt-Hendrix, Solidaire, on X, November 6
“Presidents can make things worse — in a hurry. But it remains the case that only we can make things better — slowly. Whatever happens tonight or once the outcome is known, we get to/have to awaken more people to their ability to make a society where we can all live together and thrive together.”
— Eric Liu, Citizen University, November 4
“No matter the election outcome, your friends and family who disagree with you are not your enemies. The opposite of this thinking is what got us here in the first place. If you want to change people’s minds, start with a conversation based in empathy and relationship.”
— Manu Meel, BridgeUSA, November 5
“It will do you good to be reminded that the American spirit is continually renewing and resurrecting, even when it feels like the sun just got extinguished. Yes, of course it matters who occupies the Oval Office. But America is just as much the setlist of a Springsteen show as it is an executive order from the Resolute Desk.”
— Eboo Patel, Interfaith America, November 6
“The failure to engage with men’s issues is proving to be a costly mistake, particularly in our politics and culture. The challenges facing many men, especially working-class men and men of color, are not the confections of the online “manosphere.” They are real. But they have not been sufficiently addressed, or sometimes even acknowledged. This has left a vacuum, which has been filled, in many cases, by more reactionary voices from the manosphere.”
— Richard Reeves, American Institute for Boys and Men, November 6
“We must name this moment clearly: This election was fundamentally about identity and power. The results reflect a clear choice by a majority of voters to embrace white supremacist and sexist ideologies and policies that directly threaten our (and, in some cases, their own) communities.”
— Edgar Villanueva, Decolonizing Wealth Project, November 6
