
We would like to
acknowledge Joanna Macy for providing a practical and inspirational
framework for the social change work needed for a radical and
systemic change to our society. We have modeled our Program Areas
on that framework.
In order to achieve systemic social change, all of these activities
must be happening at once. Each of these methods build upon each
other - often times a campaign or project can encompass more than
one, or even all of the methods at one time.
At Democracy Unlimited, our Projects all fall under these Program
Areas, with some projects overlapping multiple Programs.
Resisting the Dominant System
Slowing Down Harm (“Fighting Single Issue Fires”)
Fighting “fires” does not bring us systemic change in itself,
however it helps preserve the overall health of our community and
provides the opportunity to demonstrate the reality of corporate
rule. DUHC’s role is to provide a bridging analysis from
single-issues to the systemic issue of our lack of democracy.
Creating New Tools and Strategies that Shift Power to The
People
To create lasting change that moves beyond bandaid solutions, we
must shift power away from multinational corporations and to local
communities. Tools that do this are those that shift both law and
culture, such as crafting ordinances, passing ballot initiatives or
enacting legislation that protects community’s and people’s rights
over corporate “rights."
Creating & Nurturing Alternatives
Without alternatives people remain dependent upon corporations and
corporate culture. Models are needed to help foster a culture of
local sovereignty which is fundamental to our work. People need
opportunities to opt out of the corporate capitalist system and to
build a new system to meet our social and economic needs.
Organizing Skills and Education
We can look to past people’s movements to learn the importance of
strategic community organizing in creating lasting social change.
Today we need to craft a vibrant movement for democracy. Drawing on
skills developed by other effective organizers over decades of
movement building as well as our own successes, DUHC teaches
democratic and accountable processes like facilitation, messaging,
coalition building, and campaign development to help others build
more effective organizations and citizen’s groups.
Shifting Culture
The most dangerous threat to democracy is the mistaken belief that
the US is a democracy. People and communities need assistance and
support to believe we have a right to resist corporate rule and to
see that a democratic world is not only possible – but necessary
for the survival of life on earth. Our education work provides an
historical and analytic framework for understanding the mechanisms
ruling elites have used to manipulate our laws, our government and
our culture in order to maintain their power.