Session One: What is a Healthy Democracy?

Essential Questions

• What core values should define a healthy democracy of the future? 

• • How do we want people to feel living in a thriving democracy?

• • Who is not fully included today—and what would full inclusion look like? 

• • How might democracy look when belonging is a daily lived experience?  

• •What does meaningful participation look like beyond voting? 

• • How should power be shared, checked, or decentralized? 

• • What would a trustworthy and transparent information ecosystem look like? 

• • How can we strengthen dialogue across differences? 

• • What does justice look like in a positive democratic future?

• • How important is accountability in sustaining democracy? 

• • What community relationships support a vibrant democracy? 

• • What shared stories or traditions could help knit people together? 

• • How can democratic systems become more effective at solving complex problems? 

• • What innovations could strengthen democratic governance? 

• • What responsibilities do we have to future generations? 

• • How might youth shape a more hopeful democratic future? 

• • What assumptions limit our imagination of democracy? 

• • What would we design if we could start from scratch? 

• • What is within our control to build the democracy we imagine? 

• • What practical steps can communities take today? (Chatgpt)

Welcome and Introductions:

Music:  "Imagine," John Lennon Link to Siite

Gathering: "Something that I hope to get out of this course is..."

Rick's Rap

Exercise: Spaceship Earth - Present State

video: "The Next System," Next System Project, link to Site

Exercise; "Hopes for the Future"

Exercise: "Imaging the Past"

Closing: "Something that I learned today was..."

Readings:

• Participant Handbook, "Imaging a Healthy Democracy," Link to Site

• Elise Boulding, "Why Imagine the Future," In Context, Link to Site

• Fredy Vargas Lama, "Why is Imaging a positive future criticial for progress?, World Economic Forum, March 28, 2025 Link to Site.

Resources:

• Participant Handbook, "Imaging a Healthy Democracy," Link to Site

• "Criteria for a healthy democracy," CHATGPT,  Link to Site

• "The Democracy Amendments,"  Free Speech for People, Link to Site

• Nicole Bibbins Sedeca, "What is Democracy, and why dos defending it matter?" Freedom House, 8/12/24 Link to Site

•  "How You Can Protect Democarcy:28 Concrete Actions you can take right now," Protect Democracy Link to Site

• Free Speech for People, Link to Site

• Horizon Project, Link to Site/

• Freedom House Link to Site

Quote

"Our tomorrow is the child of our today. Through thought and deed, we exert a great deal of influence over this child, even though we can't control it absolutely. Best to think about it, though. Best to try to shape it into something good. Best to do that for any child."

—Octavia E. Butler, "A Few Rules for Predicting the Future"