How do you find hope and personal empowerment in the face of war and political unrest?  According to Lea Endres, the CEO of NationBuilder, democracy is the least violent form of government currently known to humans.  It's a system. It's also an idea. And it lives in our imaginations.  Research shows that when citizens are actively engaged in showing up for their community,  it can actually turn the tide in countries that have slid into authoritarianism.  Human beings will not endorse or advocate for violence against another group until they have dehumanized that group.  Dehumanization is a prerequisite for violence. Lea reminds us that we each have personal power and agency.  When institutions fail, it's actually civil society that can bring us back into a healthy balance.For our second live podcast series, we reimagine democracy as an everyday practice of listening, speaking, and asking questions in a new way to humanize one another and build our muscle of empathy. Tune into this raw, inquisitive conversation with our live audience, the Gratitude Blooming team, Jim Herr from the Democracy Center, and Lea Endres from NationBuilder.Enjoy the captivating intro and closing beats of the Taiko drummers from On Ensemble to notice more fully with your heart.   Share your perspective as you experience this practice with us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com!   If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow. Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners.And don't forget to check out our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com to help us sustain this podcast or sponsor us here. Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate you!