A LETTER: OUR FOUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Perfecting democracy is the work of founders and has been throughout the history of our nation. From the Indigenous leaders who led democratic institutions and practices of governance, to the original drafters of the Constitution, to the abolitionists who helped rid our nation of the curse of slavery, to the labor organizers of the New Deal, to the martyred leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, and so many others—our democracy has been shaped by the courage of generations of founders. And that work continues today. We saw it in the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which secured health insurance for 44 million people. We saw it in the Respect for Marriage Act, which affirmed that all people, regardless of race, gender, or gender identity, have the right to marry the person they love. We saw it in the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, which temporarily lifted nearly 3 million children out of poverty and brought the child poverty rate to its lowest level in U.S. history. Though unfinished and often fragile, these moments reflect the ongoing project of founding—a process of advancing a democracy that serves all.
Now it is our turn.
In 2026, we will commemorate 250 years of the founding of our current democracy in the United States.
It calls us to take up the unfinished work of this experiment—one launched with a Declaration of Independence and a constitutional promise that our laws and institutions would ultimately serve all people. Now, more than ever, we must rise to become co-founders of that future still yet to be born. This is our charge: to recommit, to reimagine, and to help realize the promise of our nation.
We are living through another founding moment—a pivotal juncture in the life of our democracy. For too long, the bridge between government and the people it is meant to serve has been eroding under the weight of broken promises, dismantled safeguards, disregard for the rule of law, and static policies. The consequences are undeniable: growing distrust, deepening inequities, and institutions that do not reflect or respond to the needs of their people. This moment demands bold repair—and a renewed commitment to building a government worthy of public trust.
We must rise to the necessary generational leadership of perfecting democracy for all.
When we succeed, “We the People,” will not simply be an ideal—we will live the reality of a democracy that serves us all. We will live in communities that are clean, safe, healthy, and resilient, sustained by thriving natural systems. We will rely on governing institutions that consistently deliver just and fair outcomes. We will fully experience the rights and privileges of citizenship. We will harness governing power—informing decisions, shaping policies, and holding institutions accountable. And we will participate in an equitable economy, powered by both the public and private sectors, that enables shared prosperity.
We must advance rational and durable rights, fix what is broken, strengthen the rule of law, answer the call to civic action, and rebuild the bridge so it finally reaches everyone. Everyone has a role to be architects of a nation that governs for all, if each of us is bold enough to claim it.
The Work of “We The People”
Ultimately, whether these institutions are redesigned to finally govern for all will be determined by what animates this renewal. Will we redesign our democracy and economy, and reorient our resources, so they are driven by a consciousness that holds all people? Will we redesign our governing institutions so they deliver real outcomes in service of our collective thriving? Will we liberate our future from the patterns of exclusion that have kept our nation—and generations of our people—behind?
Here at PolicyLink, the 14th Amendment and its Equal Protection Clause are the pillars of the bridge where we start rebuilding for all.
The 13th Amendment declared an end to slavery and a “charter of universal freedom for all.” The 14th Amendment promised “equal protection in the rights of life, liberty, and property.” Today, we often use the 14th Amendment to stop harm or fight discrimination after it happens. What we need now is more than protection from injustice—we need governing institutions that affirmatively deliver freedom, fairness, and justice to all people.
The promise of equal protection in the 14th Amendment—originally meant to secure the rights of people freed from slavery—has since been extended to include other groups who have faced discrimination, such as women, people with disabilities, people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, and veterans, to name a few.
These expansions represent real progress, yet we are still unable to realize the full moral and legal authority of the 13th and 14th Amendments as a promise “to all persons born and naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof…”
So, what if we reimagined Equal Protection as more than a shield against harm?
What if it became a promise kept—a tool for building a democracy that serves everyone, including those historically excluded or harmed by government policies?
What if equal protection were applied consistently across every institution, every policy, and every level of government?
What if fairness became a foundational principle—not just in law, but in the real-life outcomes that people experience?
These are big questions. But the answers begin with the Constitution itself—with the 13th Amendment’s call for universal freedom and the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection in our rights to life, liberty, and property. The tools are there. The question is: will we use them to build a democracy that truly delivers for all of us?
PolicyLink is rising to this call. We are focusing our work on the deep structural changes needed to transform our governing institutions and reimagining the logic, laws, and regulations to ensure they deliver for all.
In this explainer, we will share how the 13th and 14th Amendments, through Equal Protection, offer the promise and moral authority to reshape the nature and logic of our governing institutions to deliver freedom, rights, and privileges to all.
These resources are just the beginning. We invite you to join us in the urgent and joyful work of rebuilding a nation that truly governs for all.
With Resolve and Hope,
Ashleigh Gardere, President of PolicyLink
Michael McAfee, CEO of PolicyLink
