Co-Governing Toward Multiracial Democracy: With Brooke Floyd, Rosie Grant, Shaw San Liu and Ben Palmquist

On this episode, leaders from Black and immigrant community organizations discuss their work and draw out lessons and challenges for communities and local governments interested in working together to advance racial and economic justice. They discuss their fights for safe water infrastructure, stopping wage theft, combating police violence, and building restorative justice in schools. Featuring:

Brooke Floyd, People’s Advocacy Institute 
Rosie Grant, Paterson Education Fund
Shaw San Liu, Chinese Progressive Association-San Francisco
Moderated by Ben Palmquist, Partners for Dignity & Rights
      
BIOS: 
For over 20 years, Brooke Floyd has supported Mississippi children as a volunteer, AmeriCorps Tutor & Special Projects Coordinator, and as a public school & Head Start teacher.  She previously served as the Director of Children’s Services at Stewpot Community Services. Brooke is currently the Coordinator for JXN People’s Assembly at People’s Advocacy Institute, engaging the community through education, providing access to information and resources, facilitating Assemblies, and bringing proposed solutions to elected officials. Brooke graduated from Tougaloo College and holds a M.S.Ed. from Jackson State University and an M.A.T. from Belhaven University.     

Rosie Grant is the Executive Director of the Paterson Education Fund (PEF), where she has given 28 years of educational leadership. Rosie has trained more than 500 students and adults to be workshop facilitators including Restorative Practices circle keepers, as well as worked to support relationship building, reduce suspensions, and promote student social and emotional well-being. She is skilled at convening cross-sector partnerships for education and leading difficult public dialog, particularly in the areas of multicultural communications and anti-racism.   

Shaw San Liu is the Executive Director at the Chinese Progressive Association. In her 14 years at CPA, Shaw San led the development of grassroots organizing and leadership development programs with the Tenant Worker Center, which includes services for low-wage Chinese immigrant workers and tenants living in San Francisco’s Chinatown. She also spearheaded campaign and alliance building to advance policy on labor and economic issues in the Bay Area. She co-founded the Progressive Worker Alliance, an alliance of low-wage worker centers in San Francisco and has extensive experience with labor and community organizing.    

Ben Palmquist works with Partners for Dignity & Rights, where he directs the New Social Contract program and supports organizing for health care as a human right. He has over 15 years of experience working with community organizations on health care, labor, housing and environmental rights across the U.S and in Indonesia and Ecuador.

For more information on the topics of this episode, see:
Co-Governance Report
Peoples Advocacy Institute
JXN People's Assembly
Chinese Progressive Association - SF
Paterson Education Fund
Participatory Budgeting Project
Democracy Beyond Elections
Article: Building Bottom-Up Democracy Through Co-Governance
Article: How to Build Multiracial Democracy at the Local Level