Throughout December, Kettering has kept busy: adding two more senior fellows, publishing a variety of insights on our blog, and engaging with our network. We’re also looking ahead to early 2024, when we’ll launch our new podcast and host another Kettering Conversations with Democracy Innovators event in Washington, DC.

Join Us: Kettering Conversations with Democracy Innovators

Kettering Appoints Two New Senior Fellows

Luttig served on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1991 to 2006. Before being appointed to the federal bench by President George H. W. Bush, he served as assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel and counselor to the attorney general of the United States at the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1991. Luttig is a board member of the nonprofit Society for the Rule of Law, founded by a group of conservative pro-democracy lawyers and jurists who have served at the highest levels of government in previous Republican administrations.

“María Teresa Kumar and J. Michael Luttig are fearless defenders of the Constitution, inclusive democracy, and the rule of law, and I am delighted to welcome them to the group of senior fellows at the Kettering Foundation,” said President and CEO Sharon L. Davies. “They will help the foundation continue its nonpartisan work advancing democracy and combatting the forces that seek to divide us.”

The Kettering Foundation will tap the unique strengths, interests, and bases of experience of each of its fellows. In addition to having the foundation amplify their current activities, the appointees will be invited to contribute to the new Kettering Foundation blog series, From Many, We, be guests on the foundation’s podcast series, The Context (launch date early 2024), and participate in Kettering’s public conversations as panelists, keynotes, or moderators.

Coming Soon: A KF Podcast, The Context

New Posts at From Many, We

Kettering's blog series, From Many, We, aims to distill the aspirational goals of a diverse democracy, recognize patterns of exclusion and authoritarian creep, and identify and respond to urgent democratic threats. We invite you to join us in reading, thinking, and engaging with these insights. Recent posts include:

Threats to Democracy Go Beyond Polarization and Mistrust by Derek W. M. Barker

In recent years, a growing consensus suggests democracy in the United States is now under threat or in danger. What are the threats and how do we understand them? These questions have become timely for the Charles F. Kettering Foundation as we assess our work in the context of democracy today. Rather than a general malaise or decline, we are, in fact, confronted with a distinct anti-democratic movement that demands specific strategies.

Ohio’s 2023 Election: A Vindication for Democracy by David Pepper

In recent years, polling in Ohio has consistently confirmed that most Ohio voters support a woman’s right to choose. Polls have found that support hovering in the mid- to high-50s, which is a solid majority. It might not be a surprise then that 57 percent of Ohio voters recently voted Yes on Issue 1, the amendment that enshrined a right to reproductive freedom into the Ohio Constitution. That result reflected the solid majority consensus.

The 90th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Holodomor: Lessons for Democracy Today by Kristina Hook

This November, Ukrainians around the world gathered to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1932-1933 Holodomor. Literally meaning “to kill by hunger,” this artificially induced famine stands out among Joseph Stalin’s long litany of devastations. In less than two years, at least four million Ukrainians perished through slow, agonizing hunger. This year, the Holodomor also reminds us of three other lessons that should encourage our defense of inclusive democracies today.

War Is the Ultimate Tool in the Authoritarian Toolbox by Yelena V. Litvinov

Authoritarian-leaning governments deploy numerous strategies to shut down dissent and consolidate power domestically: co-opting independent media, increasing citizen surveillance, restricting internet freedom, limiting the right to protest, and so on. Usually, would-be authoritarians make an initial effort to justify these policies by vilifying their opposition and scapegoating minority populations in the name of “national security.” War makes the job easier: it’s the ultimate opportunity to diminish civil liberties in the name of “patriotism” and the war effort.

What Is Inclusive Democracy? by Derek W. M. Barker

Since the US Civil Rights Movement, inclusion has become a common term in public discourse, but what it means is not always clear. Today, the concept of inclusion has impacted organizations and institutions throughout the United States, including corporations, the military, and college campuses. But it has also generated much backlash and debate. What would it mean if inclusion became an organizing principle for thinking about democracy as a whole? And why is it needed to do so?

Click here to read more. Queries may be directed to [email protected].

Dayton Leaders Meet with KF Democracy and Community Team

On December 15, members of the Democracy and Community focus area were excited to have a brainstorming session with more than 20 people and organizations from around Dayton, Ohio. There were attendees from neighborhoods across Dayton, as well as representatives from Sinclair Community College, the University of Dayton, grassroots citizen efforts, nonprofits, churches, and foundations. The House of Healing Arts Dayton (HeArt Dayton) on Salem Avenue graciously hosted the gathering. KF Senior Program Officer for Democracy and Community Elizabeth Gish, Senior Advisor for State and Local Government Valerie Lemmie, and Administrative Assistant Saravia Williams participated.

This was a brainstorming session for the 2024 Democracy and Community collaboration “Our Time. Our People. Our Place.” which focuses on issues related to voting, belonging, elections, and voice in Dayton. The initiative is about connecting and collaborating with friends, neighbors, and colleagues across the political spectrum, who are already deep in this work. Those participating are committed to finding creative and innovative ways to build on the strengths of the great city of Dayton and create more paths and on-ramps for all people to be a part of making decisions about their lives and having a say about their communities.

Presidential election years are a time when there is more attention and energy around issues that are central to the Democracy and Community focus area. Gish notes, "We see the 2024 presidential election year as a chance to highlight that democracy isn't just about a box you check or who you want to be president, but it is a chance to remind ourselves and our neighbors—near and far—that democracy is a way of life and it is a way of life that depends on everyday people's voices mattering and institutions that are responsive to the voices of everyday people. We know that democracy can only truly work when people feel like they can come together, make hard choices together, and solve problems across differences. People must feel like they belong, and that the system is theirs. It doesn't belong to the politicians in Washington, DC, or the pundits on the news or to CEOs or the mayor or the president—it belongs to the people."

The work of this focus area is not only about trusting people to do the work of democracy, but also recognizing the importance of building stronger and more accessible structures for engagement and voice. Gish elaborates, “Part of this is about saying people don't need more charity, community service, or tokenism, but that when we are willing to dig in and really engage and listen and collaborate, we see that people can make things different than they are.”

There are plans underway for collaborations and efforts that bring people together across differences and meet them where they are, including a Dayton Democracy Summit in fall 2024, which will celebrate the work done in Dayton. The summit will bring together those who are doing the work of inclusive democracy, which encompasses work related to housing, health, voting access, education, government accountability, food accessibility, and so much more.

Gish recognizes that sometimes it can feel like nothing will change, yet this work reminds us that democracy is in a constant state of renewal and change. She is incredibly excited to see what Dayton has in store as we seek hope, renewal, and change in a deeply difficult time for democracy.

KF in the Network

In November, Valerie Lemmie, senior advisor for state and local government, made two presentations based on findings from a research paper she co-authored with Shayne Kavanagh, senior manager for research, Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and Martín Carcasson, professor, Communication Studies Department and director, Colorado State University Center for Public Deliberation. The paper, "Rethinking Public Engagement," was released earlier this year. Lemmie’s first presentation (November 9) was a webinar sponsored by ICMA that included Kavanagh, Michelle Kobayashi, principal research strategist at Polco, and Chris Adams, president of Balancing Act by Polco. The panel discussed Community Engagement: The Critical Component of Rethinking Budgeting. Lemmie’s comments focused on fostering democratic public engagement; promoting government accountability; identifying strategies for ensuring all citizens voices are included in naming, framing, and acting on shared community problems; and advancing opportunities for citizens to work with government to create shared responsibility for addressing community problems. Her second presentation (November 17) was at the GFOA Leadership Institute where she expanded on her webinar presentation Rethinking Public Budgeting: Engaging with the Public in More Democratic, Inclusive, and Complementary Ways. 

Kettering cosponsored Howard University’s second Democracy Summit, hosted by Howard’s Center for Journalism and Democracy, on November 14. KF Senior Program Officer for Defending Inclusive Democracy Damien Conners developed the foundation’s partnership with Howard University and represented KF. The summit featured foremost experts on threats to democracy, including KF Senior Fellow Steven Levitsky, Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones, former American Library Association Executive Director Tracie D. Hall, Professor William Sturkey, and other leading journalists and thought leaders. Discussions centered on the tensions in mainstream media and in journalism on the whole to “properly cover and contextualize the erosion of democratic norms” and threats to democracy by institutions and individuals central to our systems of government. The Center for Journalism and Democracy underscored the urgency of the moment suggesting, “Too many journalists continue to treat politics as sport, and worse, continue to create a false sense of balance when covering politicians and political acts that are clearly anti-democratic.”

The Kettering Foundation was lead sponsor of the Annual Conference on Citizenship held in Washington, DC, on November 30, and convened by the National Conference on Citizenship and the National Civic League. This annual gathering brought together 200 practitioners and scholars to explore the opportunities and challenges facing democracy and citizenship. The proceedings were opened by Kettering Senior Advisor for State and Local Government Valerie Lemmie, who is on the boards of both convening organizations. Kettering Director of External Affairs and DC Operations Brad Rourke moderated a panel on funding democratic innovations. Other Kettering attendees included Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Advisor to the President Tayo Clyburn, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Dedrick, Director of Communications Melinda Gilmore, and Director of International Programs, Vice President, and General Counsel Maxine Thomas.

President and CEO Sharon L. Davies led a lunch plenary conversation with Kettering Senior Fellows Maureen O’Connor, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, and David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. The conversation focused on structural reforms for democracy, particularly at the state level where many of the most serious threats to inclusive democracy are unfolding. This is also the level at which useful reforms can be enacted. Ohio is one state where many national tensions are in play. Click here to view the conversation.

The Kettering Foundation was a sponsor of the National Democratic Institute’s 40th anniversary Democracy Gala, held in Washington, DC, on December 12. Director of External Affairs and DC Operations Brad Rourke attended, along with a table of Emerging Issues network members from the DC area. The event featured Stacey Abrams as emcee and moderator, and separately honored international democracy advocates Graça Machel and Vladimir Kara-Murza with the Madeleine K. Albright Democracy Award for their courage and commitment to worldwide democracy. 

KF President and CEO Sharon L. Davies was named a 2024 Mentor for Mentoring Monday by the Dayton Business Journal. Mentoring Monday, scheduled for February 26, is a nationwide event that brings together local businesswomen who are eager to learn from each other. It is a shared mentoring and development experience that is a catalyst for meaningful introductions and engaging conversations between women from all walks of life.

America at a Crossroads

As a supporter of Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads, we’ll feature new installments in each month’s issue of News & Notes. They air during the PBS NewsHour and can also be viewed on the PBS NewsHour website.

November 15: Why People in an Ohio Town Feel Left Behind in the Modern US Economy

Judy Woodruff traveled to Steubenville, Ohio, where many residents feel betrayed, bitter, and left behind. Once a thriving manufacturing town, Steubenville has experienced the closing of factories, population decline, and a rising need for food pantries. Some residents feel that the federal government doesn’t pay enough attention to their needs. At the same time, other residents see the impact federal grants are having, both in the community and the school system. City Councilor Royal Mayo is one of the latter residents, and he advocates for “a middle ground that Democrats and Republicans alike can agree on to get some things done for the people.” But Mayo isn’t the only person who sees a way forward. High school junior Chandler Hoffman plans to attend college and states that he “will come back to this place after college. It’s like a home to me. I really don’t want to leave it.”

December 6: How the Pandemic Made It Difficult for Americans to Separate Politics from Public Health

Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are still divided over shutdowns, the use of masks, and vaccines. In this segment, Woodruff speaks to people on both sides of the issue. Clara and Jay Bose lost faith in the public health system during the pandemic. After moving to Florida, they joined the We the People Health & Wellness Center, which provides nontraditional medical care and is a part of the medical freedom movement. Doctors and medical professionals at the center question the science behind the vaccines and are concerned about the side effects, especially for children. On the other side of the divide is Dr. Peter Hotez of the Baylor College of Medicine who bemoans the human cost related to the resistance to vaccines and mask mandates. The sharp rhetoric from the COVID-19 pandemic worries him about our ability to respond to future health emergencies. Woodruff ended the segment with Dr. Joshua Sharfstein at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He believes that public officials could have done things differently and avoided the division we have today. Instead of announcing things, officials could have stated, “Here’s what we’re thinking, we could do this or we could to that,” then people may have responded “by appreciating the bind that government is in.”

December 18: Political Experts Examine America’s Divisions Heading into 2024 Election

This brief video is a preview of the hour-long special aired on December 19. In it, Woodruff speaks with J. Michael Luttig, former judge of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; Nicole Hemmer, political historian at Vanderbilt University; and Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts. The three guests discuss their concerns about the country today, in particular, the growing belief that democracy is not worth defending or preserving.

December 19: This Is What Political Division Looks Like in the US Right Now

Throughout 2023, Woodruff has explored the divisions among Americans, seeking to understand what makes now different than the past. It seems that the country is stuck in an identity crisis with uncertainty over how to build a more perfect union. In this hour-long special, Woodruff weaves together conversations from previous episodes that consider how we got here and the impact division has on the country.

After reflecting on the past stories, the episode concludes with a conversation among J. Michael Luttig, former judge of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; Nicole Hemmer, political historian at Vanderbilt University; and Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts. All three speakers agree that politics have become poisonous, with careless language, violence, and leadership that have no interest in working across differences. Patrick points out that there are two interrelated challenges to democracy: how to make it function and how to make it meaningful for everyone. As long as politics are used to tear down opponents and the media feeds on negative emotion, people feel unheard and it will grow more difficult to address challenges to democracy. When asked what gives her hope, Hemmer said that when democracy is under attack, it causes people to think more about why this form of government is valuable and worth preserving. People are waking up to the threats; they are organizing, marching, and voting. Citizenship is being infused with a sense of meaning. 

Reflecting on a Monumental Year

Kettering has had an eventful year. The entire staff went through an intensive strategic planning process and launched our strategic plan for the foundation. We also hosted three Kettering Conversations with Democracy Innovators, announced a distinguished group of senior fellows, and began publishing a new blog series, From Many, We. As 2023 closes, we want to pause and thank you for joining us on our journey to promote inclusive democracy around the globe. We are grateful for those in our network—both old and new friends—who have joined us.

The foundation’s offices will be closed from December 25 through January 1. We hope that you too have the opportunity to rest and recharge. We wish you all the best in the coming months and look forward to continuing our work together in the New Year.