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The women who lead democracy reform

Sara Bonk, Jackie Salit, Justine Williams

While women remain significantly underrepresented in government, there is at least one adjacent field in which they have achieved gender parity in leadership: the universe of democracy reform and bridge-building organizations.

In its 2021 Diversity Report, the Bridge Alliance found that half of the executives leading its 100 member organizations are women. (Disclosure: The Fulcrum is a program within the Bridge Alliance, which brings together organizations working toward a healthy democracy.)


To mark Women’s History Month, The Fulcrum is spotlighting just some of the women leading these organizations.

Jillian Youngblood

Executive Director, Our Civic Genius

"I do this work because I know how strong our country is when we work together and draw on our spectacular diversity of opinion and experience. The women inspiring me today are the journalists who help us understand and reflect on the rapidly changing world around us, like Anne Applebaum and Kara Swisher."

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Strengthening democracy: The power of dialogue and deliberation

Hummel is executive director of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation.

In today’s world, democratic values face challenges from rising polarization and declining trust in institutions. At a time when public discourse often feels fragmented, dialogue and deliberation have become essential tools for building trust, bridging divides and fostering community resilience. Democracy, at its core, rests on the principle that all voices deserve to be heard, regardless of political stance.

By cultivating spaces where diverse perspectives can coexist and be respected, dialogue and deliberation offer processes that reflect a broad spectrum of experiences and values.

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Trump speaking on a crowded stage

President-elect Donald Trump speaks in West Palm Beach, Fla., on election night.

Brendan Gutenschwager/Anadolu via Getty Images

Once again I ask: Do presidential elections really matter?

Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

In October 2012, I published an op-ed in the Huffington Post asking, “Do Presidential Elections Really Matter?” In May 2023 I wrote a similar column in The Fulcrum asking the question once again.

Unfortunately, in the 12 years since my first writing little has changed. Both Democrats and Republicans believe if their nominee gets elected, the serious problems our country faces will be tackled with a new vigor, and real change will actually occur. But is this really what history suggests will generally be the case?

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Martin Luther King Jr.

From Abraham Lincoln's soaring Gettysburg Address to Martin Luther King Jr.'s impassioned "I Have a Dream" speech, logos has been the engine of social and political change throughout history.

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Understanding ‘logos’: The power of words

Johnson is a United Methodist pastor, the author of "Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community" and program director for the Bridge Alliance, which houses The Fulcrum.

As the dust settles on another contentious election cycle, Americans are left to ponder the lasting impact of the countless speeches delivered by those vying for our votes. These orations, often derided as mere "campaign rhetoric," are, in fact, far more profound. They represent a timeless exercise of the ancient concept of "logos" — the art of using words to paint vivid pictures, conjure entire worlds and shape the very course of our nation.

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"Latinos for Trump" sign

A "Latinos for Trump" campaign sign posted in Houston.

Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Latino men help Donald Trump return to the White House

Balta is director of solutions journalism and DEI initiatives for The Fulcrum and a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the parent organization of The Fulcrum. He is publisher of the Latino News Network and a trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network.

Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, thanks in part to his major improvements in reaching the Latino electorate, especially Latino men.

Preliminary exit polls from CNN indicate that while Vice President Kamala Harris won a slim majority of votes with Latinos (53 percent), over half (54 percent) of Latino men supported Trump. In comparison, 45 percent backed Harris. Four years ago, the figures were nearly reversed. In 2020, 59 percent of Latino men supported Joe Biden, while 36 percent supported Trump, according to exit polls from that election.

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