Democracy

We’ve set a bold goal to connect to 3,600 Black residents three times on the Northwest Side. Help us do that by volunteering to help us canvass or phonebank.

AART believes that our current democracy is deeply flawed, because it has always excluded the people. Though we’ve made strides to make it more accessible through turning out for elections, winning voting rights, and making policy changes, we are in dire need for a more Transformative Democracy. 

AART defines Transformative Democracy as a way to build a shared political ideology with those who have been marginalized. This process is rooted in equitable, collective decision-making about our futures and will shape how we fight for freedom and stability in our community.

Our team is working to manifest this more equitable democracy in our communities through three pillars of work.

  • Educating communities on local government opportunities

  • Advocating for policy change through research

  • Mobilizing communities to take action through civic engagement

Undoing the Hypocrisy of Democracy

At AART we understand that the people we elected to represent us don't always meet our standards. So we hope this series functions as a resource for those who want to hold their government representatives accountable, build relationships with those who represent their communities, consider public service as a future career, and create a more Transformative Democracy.