The Case for Co-Governance: A Narrative Series
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence finds democracy at a crossroads in the United States. How can we defend and reclaim American democracy, and how do we build new strategies and structures that can truly honor its unfulfilled promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for all? Race Forward and Partners for Dignity & Rights are curating a narrative series from multiple voices looking at how co-governance can offer solutions to this question.
This summer, invited partners from around the country will share their experience and insights in response to our foundational arguments in “The Case for Co-Governance”:
- Co-Governance Combats Authoritarianism
- Co-Governance Builds Civic Trust
- Co-Governance Helps Communities of Color Build Power
- Co-Governance Delivers Better Outcomes for Everyone
- Co-Governance is Proven: History and Practice Show it Works
- Co-Governance Builds Legitimacy by Making Democracy Something You Do, Not Just Something You Receive
Some responding writers are practitioners doing co-governance on the ground in places across the country, while others are researching or writing about it from an ecosystem perspective or connecting it to important and relevant issues of our day. All responding pieces will be published across various media outlets and then reposted on this page to stitch together a full view of the collective writing.
We encourage you to read and explore all of the different perspectives shared throughout this narrative series as we collectively determine how to live up to the values articulated in our nation’s founding documents: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Check out more from the narrative series below:
FOUNDATIONAL ARGUMENT:
RESPONSES:
This Juneteenth let’s build systems to protect those most impacted by harm by Candace Moore, Race Forward’s Vice President of Place, Policy, and Power; published in the Afro News on Jun 19, 2026.
REPORTS:
Co-Governing Toward a Multiracial Democracy by Race Forward and Partners for Dignity and Rights
