Democracy on the Brink

Democracy on the Brink is a multi-platform project in development for PBS that unflinchingly explores the state of democracy in the U.S. and worldwide as we approach key elections and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 

The Democracy on the Brink documentary focuses on the flashpoint states of Texas and Florida, uncovering personal stories of people whose legal, health, and humanitarian rights have been abrogated by these states’ single-party politics and ideological jurisprudence. We meet individuals constrained from voting, prevented from getting abortions, unable to teach classic literature, treated inhumanely as they seek freedom and asylum, and demonized for the people they love. Viewers witness these states creating autocratic playbooks actively followed by many other states and amplifying these impacts. As citizens’ rights bump up against these laws and practices, seminal questions emerge about the Founding Fathers’ intentions and the current status of the great experiment of our democratic republic. 

The project also covers national and international democracy themes with:

• Digital installments unveiling the fundamentals of both autocratic and democratic societies 

• Educational lesson plans about democracy, history, and civics for K-12 students for PBS LearningMedia (#1 source of video-based curricula in the U.S.) 

• Social impact initiative with key partners around civics literacy and getting-out-the-vote