Democracy is being tested. Citizen assemblies can help - Ketakandriana Rafitoson

We live in an age of protest. On campuses, in public squares, on streets and social media, protestors around the world are challenging the status quo. But while protest is often necessary, is it sufficient? Eric Liu outlines three strategies for peacefully turning awareness into action and protest into durable political power.

Learn more about corruption-related injustices in Madagascar.

You don't need political power to make real change, says activist Katie Fahey. She tells the story of how she led a successful movement in Michigan to end gerrymandering — the practice of drawing district lines to favor one political party — and how it all started with a simple social media post.

Every day, we move and operate within systems of power that other people have constructed. But we’re often uncomfortable talking about power. Why? Eric Liu describes the six sources of power and explains how understanding them is key to being an effective citizen.

Under certain conditions, the idea of a dictator can sound appealing, like when a democracy isn’t functioning as it should due to corruption or political polarization. People may believe the solution is a "benevolent dictator"— a leader who only uses their absolute power for the common good. But can such a leader actually exist in today’s world? Stephanie Honchell Smith examines this common myth.

How do you stand up to authoritarianism? In this powerful talk, housewife-turned-politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya describes her bid to defeat Belarus's long-time autocratic leader in the nation's 2020 presidential election. She shares a meditation on the link between fearlessness and freedom, reminding us that we all have what it takes to stand up to injustice— we just need to do it together.