Today we bring you Story #6 in our Week of Citizening. We’ve already shown you how people are rethinking democracy through libraries, labor, and school boards. Now we’re headed to a place often overlooked but brimming with democratic possibility: West Virginia.

See the visuals and links to all these stories here: https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/dont-wait-for-better-leaders-become 

We’re told politics is about picking the lesser of evils. Ordering off a fixed menu. But what if we left the table… and headed for the kitchen? That’s what the folks behind West Virginia Can’t Wait are doing. And it’s a clear sign that democracy is evolving.


They’ve passed legislation that’s rare even in liberal strongholds


They don’t run candidates but communities


They help hold elected officials accountable and offer ongoing support

This is what Jon Alexander calls the shift from Consumer Democracy to Citizen Democracy. Not just new processes like Citizens’ Assemblies or Participatory Budgeting (though we love those too) — but real people getting a grip on the systems we’ve got, starting from where we are.

“One of the things I’m most proud of in my career is helping to demystify politics. It’s just everyday work for everyday folks.”

— Rosemary Ketchum, West Virginia Can’t Wait

This isn’t happening in some liberal stronghold. This is Appalachia — a place many assume to be too red, too rigid, too far gone. But that’s just not the whole story. I’ve seen firsthand the level of commitment and creativity in Appalachia through my recent travels there for my PBS America Outdoors show. Trust me, these stories are happening in all sorts of underestimated places.

💬 Who else is opening politics to everyday people?

Sign up to share and discover more stories like this: https://stories.howtocitizen.com

Video Produced by: Tess Novotnoy

Week of Citizening Collaborators: Baratunde Thurston, Jon Alexander, Shira Abramowitz, Elizabeth Stewart

Today we bring you&nbsp;Story #6&nbsp;in our&nbsp;Week of Citizening.&nbsp;We&rsquo;ve already shown you how people are rethinking democracy through libraries, labor, and school boards. Now we&rsquo;re headed to a place often overlooked but brimming with democratic possibility:&nbsp;West Virginia.
See the visuals and links to all these stories here: <a href="https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/dont-wait-for-better-leaders-become">https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/dont-wait-for-better-leaders-become</a>&nbsp;
We&rsquo;re told politics is about picking the lesser of evils. Ordering off a fixed menu. But what if we left the table&hellip; and headed for the kitchen? That&rsquo;s what the folks behind West Virginia Can&rsquo;t Wait&nbsp;are doing. And it&rsquo;s a clear sign that&nbsp;democracy is evolving.
<ul>
<li>
They&rsquo;ve passed legislation that&rsquo;s rare even in liberal strongholds
</li>
<li>
They don&rsquo;t run candidates but communities
</li>
<li>
They help hold elected officials accountable and offer ongoing support
</li>
</ul>
This is what Jon Alexander calls the shift from&nbsp;Consumer Democracy&nbsp;to&nbsp;Citizen Democracy. Not just new processes like Citizens&rsquo; Assemblies or Participatory Budgeting (though we love those too) &mdash; but&nbsp;real people getting a grip on the systems we&rsquo;ve got, starting from where we are.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;One of the things I&rsquo;m most proud of in my career is helping to demystify politics. It&rsquo;s just everyday work for everyday folks.&rdquo;
&mdash;&nbsp;Rosemary Ketchum, West Virginia Can&rsquo;t Wait
</blockquote>
This isn&rsquo;t happening in some liberal stronghold. This is&nbsp;Appalachia&nbsp;&mdash; a place many assume to be too red, too rigid, too far gone. But that&rsquo;s just not the whole story. I&rsquo;ve seen firsthand the level of commitment and creativity in Appalachia through my recent travels there for my PBS America Outdoors show. Trust me, these stories are happening in all sorts of underestimated places.
💬&nbsp;Who else is opening politics to everyday people?
Sign up to share and discover more stories like this: <a href="https://stories.howtocitizen.com">https://stories.howtocitizen.com</a>
Video Produced by: Tess Novotnoy
Week of Citizening Collaborators: Baratunde Thurston, Jon Alexander, Shira Abramowitz, Elizabeth Stewart

How To Citizen with Baratunde reimagines the word “citizen” as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power. So many of us want to do more in response to the problems we hear about constantly, but where and how to participate can leave us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Voting, while critically important, simply isn’t enough. It takes more to make this experiment in self-governance work! Listen in to learn new perspectives and practices from people working to improve society for the many. Join writer, activist, and comedian Baratunde Thurston on a journey beyond politics as usual that will leave us all more hopeful, connected, and moved to act.

How To Citizen with Baratunde

Don't Wait for New Leaders. BECOME Them

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/60b7546a-5093-49f3-8cd7-b2c40149854b/transcript

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