It is the fundamental principle of a democracy that all individuals—regardless of their wealth, education, race, gender, or sexual orientation—can be represented equally by their government. As it exists today, our democracy systematically favors certain interests over others, betraying this fundamental principle. Equal Democracy Project fights for reforms and leads initiatives with the ultimate goal of bringing us closer to realizing a true, equal democracy.
The Equal Democracy Project engages in the following key activities:
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Coordinating students to provide research support to pro-democracy organizations on legal and policy issues
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Holding voter registration and absentee ballot drives to cultivate civic engagement at HLS
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Organizing events on-campus concerning various democracy issues
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Advocating for democracy reforms via social media
The Equal Democracy Project is structured into six committees: Policy, Civic Engagement, Events, Communications, Membership, and Finance.
The Policy Committee
The Policy Committee partners with pro-democracy organizations to provide research support on legal and policy issues. These research projects help give HLS students the opportunity to gain experience in the democracy space, while also making a direct impact furthering the partner organization’s work.
The Civic Engagement Committee
The Civic Engagement Committee works primarily to spread a culture of civic engagement at HLS, running voter registration drives and helping students vote by absentee. In the long term, the Civic Engagement Committee aims to partner with the broader Cambridge/Boston community on various civic engagement initiatives.
The Events Committee
The Events Committee organizes events such as lectures, coffee chats, and conferences to raise advocacy on relevant democracy issues. The Events Committee also works collaboratively with other organizations at HLS to co-host events on intersectional democracy issues, including across race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ability.
The Communications Committee
The Communications Committee works to amplify the Equal Democracy Project’s message and elevate the work of organizations in the democracy space. Through digital advocacy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—and future initiatives such as an online blog and a podcast series—the Communications Committee seeks to help drive conversation in the broader democracy space.
The Membership Committee
The Membership Committee supports the Equal Democracy Project’s members and leads new member recruitment. Through social events, networking opportunities, and professional resources on democracy-related careers, the Membership Committee works to foster community around democracy and voting rights at HLS and beyond.
The Finance Committee
The Finance Committee ensures the financial health of the Equal Democracy Project through effective stewardship and fundraising. In addition to proactively identifying potential sponsors, the Finance Committee helps envision bold opportunities for the Equal Democracy Project’s growth and long-term impact.