Race and Democracy

Within the broad ecosystem of social change in the US, we often find a lack of alignment between racial justice and pro-democracy agendas. At best, there are siloed efforts of potential allies; and at worst, considerations of race are left out of democracy reform or civic revitalization work because it is seen as too “divisive” or ideological.

Horizons is committed to helping to break down these silos, and we support our partners to establish racial equity as fundamental to our pro-democracy organizing. We believe that addressing both historic and current racial injustice is an essential part of building healthy connective tissue among actors and strategies working to confront the latest manifestation of the authoritarian threat in the US and working towards a shared democratic future.

Current activities of the Race & Democracy Portfolio include:

• Network Weaving: We participate in several existing fora, networks and coalitions, including Policy Link and Race Forward. We also work to bring together racial justice activists, democracy organizers with those working specifically on reparations and Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation networks.
• Strategic Partnerships: Various groups understand that their work must align in very important ways, however, they often struggle to find ways to synergize theories of change and cultivate trusting relationships. This is slow, quiet work of fostering mutual understanding and building trust at both the individual and organization levels, that Horizons accomplishes through convening activities around common priorities; inviting and accompanying others to participate in networks/coalition; and facilitating more intimate peer learning spaces.
• Race & Democracy Braintrust: Horizons is convening a Race & Democracy braintrust that serves as an accountability partner for our related work. The braintrust supports our team to consistently interweave concepts, thought leaders and key organizations within all our work. (Members include, David Anderson Hooker, Jeanine Abrams McLean, Kendra Davenport Cotton, and Michael McAfee.)
• Horizons Sensemaking Video Series: To help break down siloes and foster connections, Horizons records and disseminates informal conversations with thought leaders doing racial equity work within pro-democracy spaces. These conversations are intended to help support leaders to engage with each other on potentially emotionally charged subjects and share tools and strategies to mediate different perspectives.
• Georgia Focused Movement Building Project: Horizons is making an intentional effort to link our national-level organizing with state-level organizing in Georgia, where the Director for Race & Democracy is based. We believe that fostering healthy national/sub-national solidarity is an important aspect of pro-democracy ecosystem organizing. In 2023, we piloted our first state-level analysis of the Pillars of Support for Authoritarianism in Georgia. And we are working directly with national coalitions of faith leaders working on issues such as electoral integrity and fighting White Christian Nationalism by leading on Georgia outreach.