Doing Democracy
Why deliberate in a time of democratic crisis?
Tuesday, July 7 | 4-5:30 PM ET | Virtual
As our civil rights are being rolled back and democratic norms come under attack, many are asking whether dialogue is too slow, too polite, or too weak for this moment. Why sit in conversation when rights, identities, and lives are on the line?
Yet across the country, communities continue to practice dialogue and collective decision-making not because conflict is absent, but because the stakes are so high. They understand that lasting power is built with other people—not just against them.
In this virtual conversation, grassroots leaders share what it looks like to practice democracy under pressure: using dialogue and collaborative decision-making in deeply polarized, high-stakes settings, from navigating interracial and interfaith conflict to reshaping public safety alongside communities harmed by policing.
Join us to explore what deliberation can—and cannot—do in the face of rising authoritarianism, political violence, and democratic erosion.
About the Panelists
Roshan Bliss is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Bliss Collaborations, where he partners with nonprofits, community groups, schools, businesses, and government agencies to make decision-making and governance more democratic. An accomplished organizer and policy advocate, Roshan has helped write new laws, build coalitions, and win campaigns for social change. As an organizer with the Denver Justice Project, he helped lead the multi-year effort to create the Denver STAR program, which sends paramedics and mental health professionals — not police — to behavioral health emergencies. The initiative grew from community dialogue and advocacy into a year-long collaborative planning process involving city leaders, residents, and law enforcement. Roshan also helped guide a Colorado school district through deliberations on the role of school resource officers, supporting parents, educators, law enforcement, and other stakeholders as they navigated deeply held differences and made collective decisions. All of Roshan’s work is oriented by his core values of democracy, authenticity, and accountability, while underpinned by anti-oppression frameworks and rooted in the practices and teachings of community organizing.
Petula Jarvis-Hanley
Petula Jarvis-Hanley has called Brooklyn, NY, home for 20-plus years. Recently, she was responsible for coordinating and managing the Democracy Beyond Elections coalition. This includes building relationships with national, state, and local partners to build the coalition and foster engagement of member organizations to increase the visibility and impact of participatory democracy across the United States. Petula has over a decade of experience building strategic relationships with advocacy groups, community partners, and elected officials. As a former educator, she makes it her duty to engage youth in all aspects of her journey throughout her career. Petula has managed political campaigns and organized communities in Central Brooklyn around affordable senior housing, quality education, and social justice initiatives. She volunteers her time and expertise by taking leadership roles in organizations such as local Community Councils, East Brooklyn Congregations, and is the Director of the Social Action Ministry at Bedford Central Presbyterian Church.
Merle McGee (Moderator) is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Everyday Democracy. Merle brings over 25 years’ experience in non-profit settings fighting alongside historically marginalized and excluded communities for dignity and racial, gender, and economic justice. Before joining Everyday Democracy, Merle served as Chief Equity and Engagement Officer at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, where she led organizational transformation through community engagement initiatives. She is also co-facilitator and leader with the Anti-Racist Alliance and the co-founder of The BIPOC Project, an antiracist collective committed to building solidarity among people of color.
