Understanding the problems facing democracy matters. Believing that nothing can be done about them does not help solve them.

Hope is where we look for evidence that change is possible: institutions that withstand pressure, communities that solve problems, people who cross political divides, reforms that work, citizens who become involved, and lessons from history showing that democratic decline is not necessarily irreversible. Hope does not require pretending that serious problems aren’t serious. It means looking for the people, ideas, institutions, and actions that show us there is still a way forward.