Q4 2020: Deep Democracy

Sustainable Thoughts by Demarus Tevuk
In Sight by Julia Martinez

On December 8, during this year’s Sustainability Leadership Awards, Seattle City Council member Tammy Morales presented the award for Deep Democracy to you, the community – to honor all of your hard work to call for racial justice, for climate action, and for livability in our cities. King County set a record 86.6% voter turnout rate for the 2020 general election and this high voter rate brings us closer to the democratic ideal goal of every person’s needs and voices brought to the table.

In his 1992 book Leader as Martial Artist, Arnold Mindell, an American Jungian analyst, claims to have coined the phrase Deep Democracy. Dr Mindell describes deep democracy as going further than the traditional view of democracy “by including not only all voices, but also all levels of our experience”. In Dr Mindell’s definition of deep democracy, each person brings their whole self – feelings, logic, dreams, and lived experience – while exercising their voting rights.

While I agree with Dr Mindell’s ideals, I would also like to take the opportunity to point out that I feel that his definition presents a sense of forgetfulness or erasure of the monumental contributions that the

Iroquois Confederacy

provided to our current American democratic system. If the historical connection to indigenous governance is missing then the chances of appropriation are also high, and as an indigenous person I see Dr Mindell’s definition as actually a call to return to the original intention of our democratic system.

In my experience living among indigenous groups across the continent, elders and leaders will remind us during gatherings to connect with the land, to connect with our hearts and minds, and to connect with each other. Every interaction that we have with each other is another chance to build our relationships, which in turn will impact the big decisions and turning points in our lives. The concept of being fully present during our decision-making is nothing new or radical. I am constantly reminding us to ask if an idea or concept is actually new and many times, they are present in ancient cultures – and this is why ancient ways are compelling, because they are ingrained in our collective nature.

Another reason that I see a historical connection to deep democracy and indigenous cultures is the indigenous value of respecting individual perspectives and welcoming them. Being able to hear the truth for an individual’s experience is an important skill because it allows us to recognize the complexity of our lives in an effort to move towards justice. Not only do we need to include our whole selves in democracy but we also need to listen to those who have been the most oppressed and hear directly how the systemic oppression has affected their day-to-day lives. A true understanding of oppressive systems and admittance of their continued influences will help us move forward to a truly just and free society.

I would like to take the chance to address the abhorrent presence of corruption and greed in our current political system and remind us that our leaders should represent people instead of corporate interest. In Native American cultures, model behaviors are positively reinforced by our elders, parents, mentors and leaders. The only improper behaviors that are negatively warned against are selfishness and greed, both of which break apart community relationships and destroy the systems that we need to take care of each other. A true democracy is one where we chose leaders who actively avoid greed and self-centeredness.

Dr Mindell may claim to have coined the term Deep Democracy but fortunately, their narrow definition has since been broadened by grassroots organizations such as the Climate Justice Alliance, defining Deep Democracy as when “workers and communities have control over the decisions that affect their daily lives.” This means a full return of power and agency to citizens, which is a closer definition of democracy as citizen-power.

And the Movement Strategy Center’s definition of Deep Democracy as the “combination of healing and wholeness, community voice and power, repairing structural harm, and governing for the whole” feels like a definition that also describes the path to achieving independence, freedom, and a just society.

So, let us reclaim democracy and together continue to refine how to practice democracy with our hearts and minds fully present.

Demarus Tevuk

Demarus Tevuk is a researcher, writer, and educator with a strong background in traditional ecological knowledge, native pollinators, native plants, science, and engineering. Demarus is an Inupiaq from Nome, Alaska and her childhood with indigenous communities across North America greatly influenced her research on the definition of sustainability from the indigenous perspective. Demarus earned her degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington and she has a certificate in Permaculture Design. She produced case studies on climate change projects led by tribes that were funded by EPA Region 10 grants. Demarus loves to pick berries and gather traditional food and she is an avid fiber artist and loves to sew, spin yarn, weave, knit, and design knitwear.

Deep Democracy
This piece focuses on the true meaning of deep democracy- pouring your whole self and emotions into your beliefs and actions. This allows us to create powerful change in the world around us.

Different emotions go into this process that are oftentimes conflicting. Happiness, sadness, and anger are shown in the faces of the marigold flowers, which represent the fragility of life. This piece honors those who have dedicated their lives to creating change in our communities.

Deep Democracy is available as poster and postcard prints in the Community Market. Proceeds benefit S2 community programs.

Julia Martinez

Julia Martinez has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is originally from Texas and recently moved to Washington in 2018. She is an Americorps VISTA alumni, and is very passionate about social justice, especially the issue of poverty in America. Her VISTA experience taught her the extreme importance of the role organizational structure plays in program sustainability. She considers it her passion project to assist organizations during transitional periods, to maximize impact and longevity within communities. In her spare time, Julia enjoys working creatively- using mediums such as clay, beads, and acrylics in her work.

thriving, generative, and just

Q4 2020 Deep Democracy

Q4 2020: Deep Democracy

Julia Martinez