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No Doctor, No Delivery, No Future

A military ship out in the sea.

Reasons to Care about the Sailors Aboard the USS Lincoln

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Retired Chief Justices Warn of Growing Threats to the Rule of Law

What Will It Take to Rebuild American Democracy?

What Will It Take to Rebuild American Democracy?

Woman putting savings in a white piggy bank.

Affordability Crisis: From The Great Compression to the Great Divide

The women who lead democracy reform

Sara Bonk, Jackie Salit, Justine Williams
Shakira Mills
By Shakira MillsMar 14, 2022
Shakira Mills
Shakira Mills is a contributor for The Fulcrum, a nonpartisan publication dedicated to strengthening democracy by fostering informed civic engagement and elevating diverse perspectives.
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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.

Mary-Lee Smith

Mary-Lee Smith, Renew America Together

Executive Director, Renew America Together

"The work of Renew America Together is important to me, because I believe that civility is the key to democracy. Over the past year, I have become inspired by the women of our Civility Leadership Institute's inaugural cohort and their commitment to developing skills to better communicate with those they may not see eye-to-eye with. The impact they are making and their commitment to civil dialogue should inspire us all."


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Affordability Crisis - Role of Non-Popular Vote President’s SCOTUS Appointees
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Affordability Crisis - Role of Non-Popular Vote President’s SCOTUS Appointees

The Long Tradition of Lawyers Defending U.S. Democracy
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The Long Tradition of Lawyers Defending U.S. Democracy

California Latinos Showed Up—Now Party Insiders Want to Shut Them Out
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California Latinos Showed Up—Now Party Insiders Want to Shut Them Out

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David Becker on Defending U.S. Elections from New Threats

Man’s hand holding an “I Voted” sticker outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

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David Becker on Defending U.S. Elections from New Threats

The Unity Forum presented by Alumni for Freedom & Democracy and the Fulcrum is a cross‑partisan civic education program that strengthens reasoned discourse and advances a more open society. Each episode features respected experts who help audiences make sense of current events, elevate civil dialogue, and deepen public understanding of the social, legal, and institutional challenges confronting the nation.

In a recent conversation, Unity Forum founder Chris Malone spoke with David Becker, Executive Director and Founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR). Becker is one of the nation’s most experienced election law experts, having led Pew’s elections program, spearheaded the creation of ERIC—the interstate system that has helped states update tens of millions of voter records—and served seven years as a senior trial attorney in the Department of Justice’s Voting Section. He also co‑authored The Big Truth and serves as CBS News’ election law contributor.

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A Democracy Cannot Run on an AI Model

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Getty images

A Democracy Cannot Run on an AI Model

Tallying the results of Washington, D.C.’s first ranked-choice election last month took about 10 days – longer than many voters are used to. In an age when artificial intelligence can generate an answer in seconds, waiting days for election results can feel old-fashioned, inefficient, even suspicious.

But that slowness may be one of its most democratic features.

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(Don't Fear) Money in Politics

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AI generated image by Nathan Smolensky

(Don't Fear) Money in Politics

In late June, the Supreme Court ruled against limits upon state political party spending in federal elections. The specter of Money in Politics, already looming large, grew several sizes. It begs the question, naturally: just how much will all this additional inflow affect our elections? And can anyone compete against so much damn money?

In late November 2020, the website OpenSecrets reported that some 88% of federal races that year were won by the candidate who raised the most money. That’s eight in every nine. That’s decisive. That’s dominant.

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Protecting Immigrant Families from Over-Surveillance
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Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Protecting Immigrant Families from Over-Surveillance

For months, Chicago has been a focal point of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Across our neighborhoods, families live with uncertainty and fear as loved ones are detained and separated from their communities. Few Chicagoans have escaped the emotional toll of these operations.

As a lifelong Gage Park resident and child of immigrants, these events are personal to me. My community has seen too many stories of parents dropping their children at school only to never return home, and of families being torn apart without warning or due process. No neighborhood should endure such fear.

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