“The Future of Democracy” Anthology Features Gen-Z Solutions for Democratic Resilience
September 2, 2026
Digital collection spotlights 11 young visionaries offering concrete proposals to strengthen American institutions ahead of the 2026 midterms
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democracy Defenders Fund today published the digital edition of “The Future of Democracy,” a collection of winning essays, visual art and multimedia projects from young Americans ages 18 to 30 offering bold, practical visions for strengthening and renewing U.S. democracy.
Launched earlier this year, the national competition asked the rising generation a defining question: What will it take for American democracy not only to survive, but to thrive in the decades ahead? Selected from a competitive nationwide pool, 11 finalists were each awarded a $1,000 honorarium and featured in the digital anthology, which includes an introduction by DDF Executive Director Susan Corke.
“As our democracy is being tested ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, the rising generation is bringing its voice to the conversation about what our future looks like,” said Susan Corke, executive director of Democracy Defenders Fund. “This anthology shows that young people are not passive observers of our democracy’s challenges, but thoughtful emerging leaders with bold, concrete ideas for restoring trust in our civic institutions. DDF is proud to give these exceptional young leaders a national platform.”
Evaluated by a distinguished panel of leaders in law, media and advocacy including Jonathan Barry-Blocker, Lily Conway, Norm Eisen, Rahna Epting, Tom Joscelyn and Katie Phang, the anthology spans a diverse array of mediums reflecting how young Americans uniquely engage with civic life.
As DDF Legal Director Tianna Mays notes in the foreword, these works reject the idea that democracy can be preserved by institutions alone. While courts and laws are essential to protecting rights and establishing accountability, courts cannot carry the full weight of democracy on their own. Instead, democratic power depends on people, exercised through local communities, collective action, shared purpose and the persistent work of showing up for one another.
The winning submissions demonstrate that democracy is experienced where people live their daily lives, spanning technology, information integrity, civics education and popular culture. Most importantly, the contributors show that democracy is an ongoing, unfinished project, offering a shared roadmap built on community, imagination and persistence.
The 11 finalists proposing these solutions for repair in the anthology are:
- JJ Briscoe (Brooklyn, NY) – Written Essay: “What We Fail to Repair, We Repeat”
- Jonathan Cavazos (Edinburg, Texas) – Written Essay: “The Shared Record: What Democracy Can’t Survive Without”
- Gillian Gurney (New York, NY) – Essay & Playlist: “Democracy Dies Without Questions”
- Thomas Hassen (Stanford, CA) – Written Essay: “The Courts Won’t Save Us. Organized Labor Just Might.”
- Imre Huss (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) – Written Essay: “Making Media Work for Democracy: Lessons from the Past, a Vision for Our Future”
- Imani Laird (Newton, MA) – Video: “Civics for a Country in Crisis”
- Sharjah M’Bodji (New York, NY) – Written Essay: “I Am Because We Are”
- Carolina Nazario (Arlington, VA) – Written Essay: “The 80% Problem: How Women in Civic Life are Overworked and Unsafe”
- Rosie Shultz (Providence, RI) – Artwork (Crochet): “tattered”
- Jaylen Tang (Tenafly, NJ) – Written Essay: “Democracy Will Thrive When Young People Are Actively Encouraged to Participate”
- Christopher Watts (Atlanta, GA) – Written Essay: “Cracks in the Foundation”
Published in a digital format, the anthology is designed to be easily read, shared and utilized by researchers, educators and civic advocates nationwide. To read and download the full digital edition of “The Future of Democracy,” visit democracydefendersfund.org/future-prize.
# # #
For media inquiries, contact press@democracydefenders.org.
Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.
For media inquiries, contact press@democracydefenders.org.
