Demos

Demos is a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2000. Headquartered in New York City, Demos works with advocates and policymakers around the country in pursuit of four overarching goals:

a more equitable economy with widely shared prosperity and opportunity;

a vibrant and inclusive democracy with high levels of voting and civic engagement;

an empowered public sector that works for the common good;

and responsible U.S. engagement in an interdependent world.

A multi-issue national organization, Demos combines research, policy development, and advocacy to influence public debates and catalyze change. We publish books, reports, and briefing papers that illuminate critical problems and advance innovative solutions; work at both the national and state level with advocates and policymakers to promote reforms; help to build the capacity and skills of key progressive constituencies; project our values into the media by promoting Demos Fellows and staff in print, broadcast, and Internet venues; and host public events that showcase new ideas and leading progressive voices.

History

Demos began as a vision of Charles Halpern--then the president of the Nathan Cummings Foundation and a veteran non-profit entrepreneur.

He was troubled by the narrow conversation about America's future. On the eve of the 21st century, it seemed that America no longer had the imagination to tackle its largest problems and build a more just society.

Halpern set out to challenge the status quo with a new institution. He envisioned a dynamic hub for creative scholars and cutting-edge practitioners--an organization that combined ideas and action to chart a new set of priorities for America.

Founders, Barack Obama connection

Demos was founded in 1999 by "social entrepeneur" Charles Halpern who recruited such heavyweights as David Callahan, Rob Fersh, Stephen Heintz, Sara Horowitz, Arnie Miller, David Skaggs, Linda Tarr-Whelan and a then obscure State Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama to help him.

By 1999, Halpern had assembled a talented working group to develop Demos. Among them were David Callahan, a fellow at the Century Foundation; Rob Fersh, a long-time policy advocate; Stephen Heintz, Vice-President of the East-West Institute; Sara Horowitz, founder of Working Today; Arnie Miller, a leading executive recruiter; Barack Obama, then a state senator from Illinois; David Skaggs, a congressman from Colorado; and Linda Tarr-Whelan, an internationally recognized expert on women and economic development. This working group would eventually form the core of Demos' staff and Board of Trustees.

Demos/ACORN/Project Vote

Demos has worked extremely closely with ACORN and its voter registration wing Project Vote on several projects.

Rapoport defending ACORN, October 2008

2005 report on Demos/ACORN/Project Vote motor registration project

In 2008 Demos Fellow Lorraine Minnite served on the Project Vote board of directors.

Demos President Miles Rapoport was one of ACORN's most ardent defenders when the organization was accused of widespread voter registration fraud during the 2008 election.

Relationship to Iinstitute for Policy Studies

Demos is listed, on the Institute for Policy Studies website as partner organization of IPS.

Trustees

Current Board of Trustees as at 2 Dec. 2009.

• Stephen Heintz - President, Rockefeller Brothers Fund

• Ben Binswanger - Chief Operating Officer, The Case Foundation

• Gina Glantz - Senior Advisor at the Service Employees International Union

• Amy Hanauer - Executive Director, Policy Matters Ohio

• Sang Ji - White & Case, LLC

• Clarissa Martinez De Castro - Director of Immigration and National Campaigns, National Council of La Raza

• Rev. Janet McCune Edwards

• Arnie Miller - Isaacson Miller

• John Morning

• Wendy Puriefoy - President, Public Education Network

• Miles Rapoport - President, Demos

• Amelia Warren Tyagi - Co-founder and COO, Business Talent Group

• Ruth Wooden - President, Public Agenda

Trustees on leave

• Charles Halpern - Founding Board Chair; Emeritus

• Robert Franklin

• Van Jones - President and Founder, Green For All

• David Skaggs

• Ernest Tollerson - Director, Policy $ Media Relations Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Past Trustees

• Christine Chen - Strategic Alliances USA

• Ernest Tollerson - Director, Policy and Media Relations, Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Demos Fellows

Current Fellows as at 2 Dec. 2009.

• Lew Daly - Director and Senior Fellow

• David Callahan - International Program Director; also Demos Co-Founder & Senior Fellow

• Robert Kuttner - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Benjamin Barber - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• John Schwarz - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Teresa Ghilarducci - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Linda Tarr-Whelan - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Michael Edwards - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Robert Frank - Distinguished Senior Fellow

• Sasha Abramsky - Senior Fellow

• Rich Benjamin - Senior Fellow

• Shari Cohen - Senior Fellow

• Jonathan Cohn - Senior Fellow

• Allison Fine - Senior Fellow

• James Lardner - Senior Fellow

• Keesha Middlemass - Senior Fellow

• Lorraine Minnite - Senior Fellow

• Nomi Prins - Senior Fellow

• Beth Shulman - Senior Fellow

• Deborah Stone - Senior Fellow

• Tova Andrea Wang - Senior Democracy Fellow

• Jennifer Wheary - Senior Fellow

• Jared Duval - Fellow

• Nicole Kazee - Fellow

• Chris Rabb - Fellow

Affiliate staff

Building Movement Project staff as at 2 Dec. 2009.

• Frances Kunreuther - Project Director

• Caroline McAndrews - Director of Leadership & Communications

• Trish Tchume - Director of Civic Engagement

Business for Shared Prosperity staff as at 2 Dec. 2009.

• Holly Sklar - Director

• Chuck Collins - Director of the Tax Program Inequality.org