Democracy Summer is a long-term recurring project of Congressman Jamie Raskin's political campaign. It reflects his commitment to train the next generation of political activists, organizers, and leaders as an essential part of his work in public life. This year, we are delighted to partner with the DCCC and individual Democratic Members of Congress as we expand the project to include young people from across the country.

In 2021, college and high school-aged students will be selected to participate as Fellows in our virtual summer learning program and to be trained simultaneously as organizers and volunteer activists in Democratic political campaigns. Fellows will learn by way of study, discussion and action. They will participate in a curriculum designed by Rep. Raskin focused on the history of social and political change in America and the values, dynamics and skills of political organizing.

Through this curriculum, Fellows will learn from great activist heroes, young and old political leaders, Democratic policy experts and top political and community organizers across the country.

The theme of 2021 Democracy Summer will be “The Fight to Vote: Nonviolent Movements, Violent Reactions and the Continuing Struggle for Strong Democracy in America.”

In prior years, the Program has also featured conversations on topics such as the climate crisis, gun violence prevention and the power of the NRA, the assault on reproductive freedom, wealth inequality and tax policy, immigration and refugee policy, the Electoral College and the National Popular Vote campaign, redistricting and gerrymandering, the domestic budget and the military budget, U.S. foreign policy and Congressional power to declare war, education policy, civil rights and civil liberties, and the continuing spread of voter suppression tactics in GOP-controlled state legislatures.  Democracy Summer speakers have included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Civil Rights leaders Bob Moses and Rev. William J. Barber II, Prof. Laurence Tribe, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. John Lewis, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

All Democracy Summer Fellows will receive an organizing assignment based on location. Through this organizing work with our partners—the DCCC, and the campaigns of Democratic Members of Congress and Democratic challengers to Republican incumbents—Fellows will receive an intensive practical training in the key skills of Democratic campaigning: electoral strategy, field organizing, door-to-door canvassing, phone-banking, text banking, fundraising, policy development and campaign messaging, social media and digital strategy, rally and online organizing, event planning, scheduling, and campaign management.