“What Is Democracy?” is an urgent film that connects the past and the present, the emotional and the intellectual, the personal and the political, in order to provoke and inspire. If we want to live in democracy, we must first ask what the word even means. Director Astra Taylor’s idiosyncratic, philosophical journey spans millennia and continents: from ancient Athens’ groundbreaking experiment in self-government to capitalism’s roots in medieval Italy; from modern-day Greece grappling with financial collapse and a mounting refugee crisis to the U.S. reckoning with its racist past and the growing gap between rich and poor.

The film opened in theaters in January 2019, and features a diverse cast—including celebrated theorists, trauma surgeons, activists, factory workers, asylum seekers, and former prime minister.

Stay after the film for a discussion, with guest speakers including:

Cindy Black – The Executive Director of Fix Democracy First, Cindy is committed to help build active involvement in our democracy here in Washington State through ongoing coalition building and civic outreach.  Fix Democracy First Education Fund is a nonprofit organization in Washington State working to inform, educate, and engage people and their communities around civic engagement and participation in democracy.

Kathy Sakahara – League of Women Voters of Washington’s Democracy Chair, Kathy is a lifelong progressive activist. She has been advocacy leader with the League of Women Voters of Washington for 8 years. She has served as Vice President of Advocacy and currently leads the League’s Democracy Team, and lobbies on elections, voter access, voting rights, and campaign finance.

Ticketing:  UHeights’ Pay-What-You-Can model allows our events to be accessible to the entire community! We have no minimum or maximum amount suggested, we simply ask you to pay what you can.

Accessibility:  Wheelchair lift available at the SW entrance (off Brooklyn Ave). Max capacity of 550 lbs. Call UHeights staff for assistance at (206) 235-8567.