Welcome to the new DAN newsletter! Organized by our team of volunteer writers and editors, every two weeks on Wednesday, we will bring you a brand-new issue with articles, analysis, reviews and recommendations. And since these are fast-moving times, we will also continue to publish freestanding articles and information between full issues, as things now change day to day.

In this issue:

1. “The History of Fascism” in conversation with Professor Marla Stone
2. Recommended Reads, by contributor Amy G.
3. Saturday’s No Kings 2 Demonstrations and Marches
4. Our “Picnic for Democracy” on October 26
5. Talking Prop 50
6. Victory of the Week

“The History of Fascism” in conversation with Professor Marla Stone

Please join us Thursday, October 16, at 7p.m. at the West Hollywood Aquatics and Recreation Center to hear our speaker, Occidental professor Marla Stone, give a talk on her research into the history of fascism and the parallels in the century between fascism’s beginnings in Italy and our experiences with the early stages of authoritarianism today. (This talk will be in-person only; we will not have a Zoom call in tandem with the conversation.)

You can sign-up for this event at https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/839425/

Professor Stone is the author of the 2012 book,“The Fascist Revolution in Italy: A Brief History with Documents.” An expert in Italian politics and professor of History at Occidental College since 1993, Professor Stone provides more historic context for today’s rush toward fascism. Using speeches, telegrams,

decrees, songs, artwork and dozens of other primary source documents to trace the rise and fall of Italy’s most notorious fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, Stone’s book is an exacting study of the physical realities and cultural movements that brought forth this dangerous strain of right-wing autocratic political ideology.

(Bedford St. Martins, 2012, 192 pages, available at LAPL)

Recommended Reads by contributor Amy G.

Contributor Amy G. brings us two new reviews of books that match the moment over on our website.

Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives by Sami Sage and Emily Amick

(Gallery Books, 2025, 256 pages, available at LAPL)

Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson

(Penguin Books, 2024, 304 pages, available at LAPL)

No Kings Protest, Saturday, October 18

Join DAN in downtown LA this coming Saturday for the second No Kings protest and march! The themes we’re embracing this time are Art, Activism, and the Power of Community, so we’re hoping you can dress up in purple or yellow (our theme colors!) or even in an inflatable Halloween costume (very chic this season) and join us in Gloria Molina Grand Park at 200 N. Spring Street on Saturday to get loud in peaceful protest for democracy!

First, from 12pm-2pm, join us for a festival put on by DAN and our partner organizers, including music, speakers, face painting, crafts, and other artful forms of joyful community building. The march itself is scheduled to kick off at 2:30pm, after a few rousing speakers, and there just may be a large, orange, and not-at-all reverent balloon leading the way!

And remember, the best accessory at a protest is a friend, so bring them with you and make some more on Saturday! We’ll see you there!

(Can’t come downtown or want to just jam-pack your day with other local No Kings demonstrations? Click here for an extensive list of LA regional protests and their listed start times, ranging from 9am to 5pm on Saturday.)

Our “Picnic for Democracy” on October 26

At noon on Saturday, October 26, we’ll be hosting a “picnic for democracy” at the park next to the West Hollywood Aquatics and Recreation Center.

Mark your calendars and keep your ears to the ground - you don’t want to miss the live music and family-friendly fun!

You can sign-up for this event at https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/856407/

Talking Prop 50

As we’re sure you know, the campaign to Vote Yes on Prop 50 is in full swing. If you want to get involved in canvassing, either in-person or by phone, we’ll be happen to help get you set up with all the materials and support you need! And our regular in-person canvassing groups in the Valley and around West LA are always looking for more people to come along for an hour or two.

And if you’re wondering how to get started talking to your friends, family, and neighbors who still have questions, we’ve created a quick tri-fold you can print on regular copy paper with FAQs and the key talking points to consider. You can download the tri-fold here.

Most importantly of all, make sure to get your ballots in!

TEACH-IN FOR DEMOCRACY

Building a New American Founding

Sunday, October 26, 2025
9:30 AM - 2:00 PM
West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center
Doheny Room & South Lawn Picnic Area

ABOUT THE EVENT

American democracy is in crisis. Not just because of the latest authoritarian threat, but because our democratic institutions were incomplete from the beginning—and have grown increasingly dysfunctional over 250 years.

The Electoral College allows presidents to lose the popular vote and still win power. The Senate gives 41.5 million fewer voters control over the majority. The Supreme Court operates without accountability. Working people have no voice in the economy that shapes their daily lives. And our campaign finance system ensures that money, not people, controls politics.

But crisis creates opportunity. Just as the Founders broke with their past to create something new, we can reimagine and rebuild American democracy for the 21st century—making it more inclusive, more responsive, and more truly democratic than it has ever been.

This teach-in brings together learning, strategy, and action to explore how we can transform American democracy from the ground up.

PROGRAM

9:30 - 10:00 AM | Welcome & Opening

Coffee, registration, and community building. Meet fellow participants committed to democratic renewal.

10:00 - 11:15 AM | KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Osita Nwanevu
“The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding”

Osita Nwanevu, contributing editor at The New Republic and columnist at The Guardian, will present the case for fundamental democratic reform in America. Drawing on his acclaimed book The Right of the People, Nwanevu argues that saving democracy requires more than defending the status quo—it requires transforming both our political institutions and our economic system.

From the Electoral College to economic inequality, from Senate malapportionment to workplace authoritarianism, Nwanevu examines the structural barriers to genuine self-governance and presents a bold agenda for change.

About the Speaker:
Osita Nwanevu is a Roosevelt Institute Fellow focusing on democracy and political economy. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, and The Nation. His book The Right of the People has been called “the first rigorous vision of how to re-found this nation” and praised for its accessible yet profound analysis of democratic theory and constitutional reform.

11:15 - 11:30 AM | Break

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM | DEMOCRACY REFORM WORKSHOPS

Choose ONE of eight interactive sessions exploring concrete pathways to democratic transformation:

1. Abolishing the Electoral College: Strategies and Obstacles

How do we achieve direct popular vote for president? Explore constitutional amendments, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (already 78% of the way to success!), and state-by-state organizing strategies. Learn why this is achievable in the next decade with sustained organizing.

2. Economic Democracy: Worker Ownership and Union Power

Democracy shouldn’t stop at the workplace door. Examine how worker cooperatives, strong unions, and labor law reform (the PRO Act) can transform workplace authoritarianism into economic democracy. Study successful models from Mondragon to modern tech worker organizing.

3. Ending Minority Rule: Senate Reform and Representation

The Senate gives 41.5 million fewer voters control over the majority. Explore strategies from eliminating the filibuster to DC and Puerto Rico statehood, from proportional representation to fundamental Senate reform. How do we make Congress actually representative?

4. Supreme Court Reform: Expansion, Term Limits, and Accountability

An unelected Court with lifetime appointments overturns the will of democratic majorities. Examine court expansion, term limits, jurisdiction stripping, and other reforms to make the judiciary accountable to popular will while protecting constitutional rights.

5. Campaign Finance and Dark Money: Getting Money Out of Politics

Our democracy is for sale to the highest bidder. Explore public financing, disclosure requirements, small-donor matching, overturning Citizens United, and other strategies to break corporate control over elections and policy.

6. Constitutional Convention: Risks, Opportunities, and Process

Is it time for a new constitutional founding? Examine the Article V convention process, the risks of a runaway convention, alternative amendment strategies, and whether fundamental reform requires rewriting the Constitution itself.

7. Making Democracy Real in Your Community: Local Reform

Change starts locally. Explore ranked-choice voting, participatory budgeting, municipal broadband, worker cooperatives, community land trusts, and other concrete reforms you can win at the city and state level. Leave with an action plan for your community.

8. The Long Game: Building a Multigenerational Democracy Movement

Democratic transformation won’t happen overnight. How do we build sustained movements for change over decades? Study coalition-building strategies, how to maintain momentum through setbacks, and connecting political and economic justice campaigns.

Each 90-minute workshop includes:

• Deep dive into the reform strategy and its obstacles
• Analysis of current organizing efforts and campaigns
• Strategic discussion about pathways to victory
• Concrete actions participants can take
• Resources and connections for continued engagement

Workshop format:

• Brief facilitator presentation (15-20 minutes)
• Small group strategic analysis and discussion (45 minutes)
• Large group synthesis and action planning (25-30 minutes)

1:00 - 3:00 PM | COMMUNITY PICNIC

Join us on the South Lawn for food, conversation, and continued connection. Share insights from your workshop, meet others working on democratic reform, and build relationships for ongoing organizing.

Light refreshments and lunch provided. Please indicate dietary restrictions when registering.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Activists and organizers seeking strategic frameworks for democratic reform
• Students and educators wanting to understand the roots of our democratic crisis
• Community leaders looking for local organizing opportunities
• Progressive voters frustrated with political dysfunction and seeking solutions
• Anyone who believes democracy should be more than a slogan

No prior knowledge required. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or new to political engagement, you’ll find workshops matched to your experience level.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW

The forces threatening American democracy aren’t going away after the next election. Authoritarianism finds fertile ground when democratic institutions are weak, when economic inequality is extreme, and when people lose faith that government can work for them.

Simply resisting authoritarian attacks isn’t enough. We need a positive vision for what American democracy should be—and concrete strategies to build it.

This teach-in is about moving from resistance to reconstruction. From defending what we have to demanding what we deserve. From reacting to threats to reimagining possibilities.

The Founders remade their world. We can remake ours.

WHAT YOU’LL LEAVE WITH

• Knowledge: Deep understanding of democratic reform strategies and obstacles
• Strategy: Concrete pathways for change at local, state, and national levels
• Connections: Network of people working on democratic renewal
• Resources: Reading lists, organizational contacts, and action guides
• Motivation: Renewed commitment to building democracy
• Action plan: Specific next steps you can take

REGISTRATION

Free and open to the public
Space is limited. Please register in advance to help us plan.

Register at: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/786757/
Questions? Email: david@democracyactionnetwork.com

LOCATION

West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center
Doheny Room & South Lawn Picnic Area
8750 El Tovar Pl, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Parking: There is a parking garage attached to the Rec. Center and validation in the lobby.
Accessibility: Venue is fully accessible. Please contact us if you need specific accommodations.

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE DECLARATION

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another... it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

The Founders didn’t tinker at the margins. They reimagined governance entirely.

Nearly 250 years later, with exactly their sense of purpose and even higher ambitions, we can do the same.

Join us to learn how.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I need to stay for the whole event?
We encourage full participation to get the most out of the day, but understand if you can only attend part of the program.

Can I attend multiple workshops?
Workshops run simultaneously, so you’ll choose one. We’ll provide resources from all workshops so you can explore other topics afterward.

Will there be childcare?
Please contact us in advance if childcare would enable your participation, and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

What if I can’t attend but want to support?
You can volunteer, donate to cover event costs, or help spread the word. Contact us for details.

Will the keynote be recorded?
Yes, we plan to record and share the keynote address (with speaker permission).

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“The first thing I’ve read that provides a rigorous vision of how to refound this nation if we manage to survive the current threats to these core values.”
— Chris Hayes, on The Right of the People

“A resounding, persuasive call for a truly inclusive government of the people.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Democracy’s allies have to rethink it both economically and politically... to keep conservatives who are junking democracy from winning.”
— Samuel Moyn, Yale University

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2025
9:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Register today and join the movement to build a new American founding.

This teach-in is part of a broader movement for democratic renewal. The work doesn’t end on October 26th—it begins there. Come ready to learn, strategize, and organize for the long haul.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. See you there.