The Declaration of Democracy

A Year to Build Our Democracy Infrastruction and Movement

📜 Inspired by No Kings Day organizers—national and local—the millions who came out for the protests, and my friend’s

Will Robinson

post “I Actually Read the Declaration of Independence,” I too went to read it again and realized how we are in a parallel moment. We need a new declaration for this moment.

Like so many others, I’m reflecting this July 4th on freedom, power, the meaning of democracy, and where we are as a nation. I’m angry, seething really over the big ugly bill.

After re-reading the Declaration of Independence, I was struck by how eerily familiar its grievances felt in today’s political climate.

Back then, the colonists rose up against a king. Today, we face a different—but no less dangerous—form of tyranny: authoritarianism, plutocracy, white supremacy, and coordinated attacks on truth, freedom, and democratic institutions.

We’re in a defining moment. And moments like this demand more than resistance—they require vision, organization, and declaration.

As I watched the incredible energy of No Kings Day organizers and the millions who showed up in communities across the country, I felt inspired—and challenged. We’re a big, passionate, fractured movement. But we are also powerful. What we need now is to come back together—not just in protest, but in shared purpose.

🕊 Why We Need a New Declaration

In advance of our nation’s Semiquincentennial—the 250th Anniversary of Independence in 2026—we need a renewed commitment to democracy—not just in theory but in practice, not just in words but in action.

We need to unify our allies, partners, and activists across every sector and every identity— nonprofits, pro-democracy companies, movement builders, and everyday citizens. We need to declare not only what we’re against—but what we stand for.

We need to:

• Collaborate across organizations and silos;

• Coordinate so we’re not duplicating efforts or working at cross-purposes;

• Train, with urgency, the next generation of organizers, messengers, civic leaders;

• Organize, in every zip code, from school boards to Congress;

• Build resilient communities that care for each other, resist despair, and reclaim democracy from the ground up.

✍🏽 Introducing: The Declaration of Democracy

That’s why I helped launch a new project: The Declaration of Democracy, a year-long civic campaign leading into the 250th anniversary and beyond. We’re inviting individuals and organizations to sign on to a renewed, inclusive declaration—one rooted in equity, justice, sustainability, and shared abundance.

It’s a call to unify. To reimagine. To recommit.

Because democracy isn't a finished product. It's a shared practice. And now is the time to practice it like never before.

Join us.

🖊 Read. Reflect. Sign. Share.
🌐 Sign: thedeclarationofdemocracy.org
📣 #DeclarationOfDemocracy #NoKingsDay

Full Text and More About this project:

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for people of principle to reject tyranny and reassert their commitment to democracy, justice, and interdependence, respect for the future demands that we declare the values which compel us to act.

We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident:

• That all people are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights—among them Life, Liberty, Freedom, Justice, Opportunity, and the Pursuit of Shared Abundance, and Happiness;

• That governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and exist to secure these rights;

• That government, at its best, is our greatest tool to protect rights, advance justice, expand opportunity, and improve lives;

• That when forces arise that undermine truth, destroy trust, spread fear, concentrate power, and threaten the rights and well-being of the people, it is not only our right—it is our sacred duty—to resist and renew the democratic covenant.

We Declare Our Independence From:

• Authoritarianism and fascism in all its forms—leaders who incite violence, suppress votes, and undermine the peaceful transfer of power;

• White supremacy and all systems of racial oppression—including antisemitism, Islamophobia, Christian nationalism, and ideologies that exclude or dominate based on identity;

• Oligarchy and plutocracy—the concentration of wealth and power that corrupts democracy and denies economic security to working families;

• Attacks on human dignity—policies that criminalize care, attack reproductive justice, deny LGBTQIA+ and disability rights, and strip communities of autonomy;

• Climate denial and isolationism that abandon our global responsibilities and endanger the planet.

We Declare Our Interdependence With:

• All people, everywhere, who believe in freedom, dignity, and democracy;

• Communities across every boundary—because where you were born should never determine whether you have freedom, access to health care, education, economic opportunity, or the chance to be safe, valued, and free;

• Those who practice mutual aid and solidarity—showing that community is our greatest infrastructure;

• People of every identity—each with a vital role in our multigenerational, multiracial, multifaith, inclusive democracy;

• People of every faith and no faith—united by shared values of dignity, compassion, and peace;

• Indigenous nations—whose sovereignty, stewardship, cultures, and leadership must be respected and restored;

• People with disabilities—whose leadership, access, and inclusion must be integral to any democracy worth building;

• Immigrants, refugees, and those looking for a better life here.

• Future generations deserve not merely survival but a world of abundance, equity, and belonging.

We Affirm Our Vision:

• Democracy is not a finished product—it is a shared practice we must renew daily.

• We believe in public power by the people, for the people—that uplifts all people, creating secure opportunities and universal access to housing, health care for all, quality public education, childcare, clean infrastructure, and reproductive justice.

• We believe in an economy of abundance that works for everyone—with living wages, worker protections, and pathways to prosperity that don't depend on where you start in life.

• We believe in creativity, entrepreneurship, and competition that elevates others rather than pushes them down—innovation that serves the common good.

• We believe in a more representative democracy that values people over politicians—one that is multigenerational, multiracial, multicultural, multifaith, gender-affirming, disability-inclusive, feminist, and just—where every person has genuine opportunity and freedom to thrive.

• We believe affordability, opportunity, and access are moral imperatives in a free society.

• We believe diversity, equality, and inclusion are values that make us stronger together.

How We Practice Democracy:

• We commit to embodying our values in how we treat one another—with dignity, respect, empathy, and genuine care.

• We choose hope over fear, healing over harm, truth over lies, and collaboration over destructive competition.

• We recognize that democracy is powered by people, not just programs or politicians—and we honor the humanity, stories, cultures, and contributions of everyone who joins this movement.

• We practice accountability with compassion, knowing that building democracy requires high standards and deep grace.

• We lead joyfully, knowing that the world we're building must be one where people can thrive, not just survive.

Our Commitment to Global Justice:

We embrace the global Sustainable Development Goals as our blueprint for justice, equity, and sustainability—adapted for American democracy:

1. No Poverty – Eliminate poverty in all its forms everywhere.

2. Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable agriculture.

3. Good Health and Well-being – Ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages.

4. Quality Education – Ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education.

5. Gender Equality – Protect reproductive freedom and ensure equity for women, trans, nonbinary, and LGBTQIA+ people.

6. Clean Water and Sanitation – Guarantee universal access to safe water.

7. Affordable and Clean Energy – Transition to renewable energy for all.

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote inclusive, sustainable employment.

9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Build resilient, future-ready infrastructure.

10. Reduced Inequalities – Dismantle racism, ableism, and economic injustice.

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities – Create just, inclusive, and safe urban and rural spaces.

12. Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable production and equitable access.

13. Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change.

14. Life Below Water – Protect marine ecosystems.

15. Life on Land – Sustain forests, soil, and biodiversity.

16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Promote accountability, access to justice, and democratic institutions.

17. Partnerships for the Goals – Strengthen global and local collaboration.

Therefore, We Pledge:

• To sign and share this Declaration as a living commitment to justice and democracy;

• To resist authoritarianism and fascism and rebuild institutions that uphold freedom and collective well-being;

• To organize and educate the next generation of civic leaders;

• To build a political culture rooted in truth, empathy, accountability, and interdependence;

• To transform values into votes and take back our democracy by the people, for the people.

This movement is powered a broad coalition of pro-democracy partners and orgnaized by the GAINiverse, which includes GAIN Power, Global GAIN, and GAIN Voters, GAIN Democracy.
From July 4, 2025, through July 4, 2026, we mark America's 250th anniversary not by looking back—but by rising together to protect and reimagine democracy for the next 250 years.

With hope in our hearts and justice in our hands, we mutually pledge our labor, our voices, and our sacred interdependence to one another.

Why Sign?

Because democracy isn't a spectator sport. This Declaration isn't just words on a page—it's a commitment to action. When you sign, you're joining a coalition of organizations refusing to accept the status quo and demanding a democracy that works for everyone. You're saying that the values of justice, dignity, and interdependence aren't negotiable. And you're pledging to turn those values into votes, volunteers, and real change over the next 365 days as America turns 250.

Who Should Sign:

Individuals: Democracy or Democratic Activists, Candidates, Allies, Leaders.

Organizations: Democracy & Voting Rights Organizations • Civil Rights & Social Justice Groups • Environmental & Climate Organizations • Labor Unions & Worker Organizations • Faith-Based Organizations • Women's Rights & Reproductive Justice Groups • Immigrant Rights Organizations • Youth Organizations • Community Development & Mutual Aid Groups • Progressive PACs & Political Organizations • Tech Companies & Social Impact Businesses • Arts & Cultural Organizations • Healthcare Organizations • Education Organizations • Legal & Justice Organizations • Media Organizations • International Human Rights Groups • Any organization that believes democracy, justice, and human dignity are non-negotiable

The next 250 years of American democracy start with what we do in the next 365 days as we turn 250. We want the next generations to be better than the last.