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Architects of Hope

Architects of Hope

Written by: DPI Action Fund
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Traditional media tells us a national story that is often polarizing and bleak, but there is another story that is potentially more powerful: that of belonging, hope, and power. Hosted by Julie Fernandes, democracy strategist, hope enthusiast, and Managing Director of the Democracy & Power Innovation Fund and the DPI Action Fund, Architects of Hope is a podcast that provides a platform to tell the stories of how everyday people build power to drive change. Each month Julie sits down with the organizers, researchers, and other movement leaders from across the country who are doing the vital work of organizing people into collective action. Their stories come from places as different as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Phoenix, Arizona but they share a common truth: that ordinary people, acting together, are the sources of power in our democracy. Each month on Architects of Hope, Julie Fernandes, Managing Director of the Democracy & Power Innovation Fund, sits down with leaders from across the country to tell the stories of how multiracial constituent organizing connected to advocacy and civic engagement is building powerful movements that offer hope for a better future.Copyright 2026 DPI Action Fund Economics Management Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Join Us November 4th for a Post-Election Livestream

    Join Us November 4th for a Post-Election Livestream
    Oct 19 2026
    Join us on YouTube Live on Wednesday, November 4 at 12pm Eastern for a Livestream event: Architects of Hope Post-Election Analysis: What Happened and What is Next?Register here: https://architectsofhopepodcast.org/live-registrationIn the first livestreamed episode of Architects of Hope, host Julie Fernandes and three rockstar guests analyze how everyday people, especially in Black, Latino, and Asian American communities, shaped the electoral terrain in the months leading up to the mid-terms and showed their power on Election Day. People are getting organized and showing up in big numbers because they are frustrated with a system that’s not delivering for them and are ready to rebuild a better, more hopeful America. Julie is joined by:Johns Hopkins Professor and MacArthur Genius, Hahrie HanCEO of Sojourn Strategies and Black Values Researcher, Katrina Gamble and Organizing Lab Founder and Visionary Grassroots Leader, Doran Schrantz These experts bring data and stories from the ground to reveal how long-term organizing created the conditions for a surge in voter turnout in key counties and states. They take audience questions and assess our nation’s progress toward a strong multiracial democracy. Show links and Resources:Understanding the Disaffected Electoratehttps://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64f792f5c75211da2323184e/6a219d59638da241b19ec240_Disaffected%20Electorate%20Project%20FINAL%20Public.pdf Black Values Research 2019-2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnwlJ0tJ1o Black Values Survey: https://blackvaluesresearch.org/ Latino Values Research in NV 2026: https://www.dpifund.org/resource-items/latino-values-research-in-nevadaLatino Values Research in AZ 2024: https://www.dpifund.org/resource-items/az-latino-values-researchAAPI Values Research in NC: https://www.dpifund.org/resource-items/aapi-values-research-in-north-carolina-memoBuilding Civic Homes: https://sojournstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FY25_SJS-Civic-Home-Report_Final.pdf State Power Fund: https://www.statepowerfund.org/ Civic Power: The Role and Impact of Independent Political Organizations in Expandingthe Electorate and Building Governing Influence: https://www.dpiaf.org/s/2025-Civic-Power-Report.pdf Books by Hahrie Han: https://www.hahriehan.com/books The P3 Lab at Johns Hopkins University: https://www.p3researchlab.org/ The SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University: https://snfagora.jhu.edu/ DPI Fund Report: Learning to Build Powerhttps://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64f792f5c75211da2323184e/69c2fa005615b13706774928_DPI_Learning%20to%20Build%20Power_final.pdfWho Are Your People? Civic Leadership and the Sources of Powerhttps://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64f792f5c75211da2323184e/6a6a626b3f4e5aa7e512848b_FY26_RFF_Sources_OF_Power_AR_HiRes_v9.pdf
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    1 min
  • Act Free to Be Free: a Conversation with Minister JaNaé Bates Imari

    Act Free to Be Free: a Conversation with Minister JaNaé Bates Imari
    Sep 15 2026

    In this inaugural episode of Architects of Hope, host Julie Fernandes speaks with Minister JaNaé Bates Imari, co-executive director of ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota.

    Drawing on the successful efforts to force a drawdown of ICE agents from the Twin Cities earlier this year and the long fight to restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated Minnesotans, JaNaé shares lessons on how organizing – rooted in developing belonging and collective agency – transforms everyday people into leaders with the collective power to drive meaningful change.

    Key topics:
    • JaNaé shares how her work as an organizer is rooted in helping people gain a say over the conditions of their lives, homes, and communities.
    • She describes ISAIAH as a “house of many rooms,” with multiple constituencies organizing together, including Muslim communities, Black churches, childcare centers, rural families, manufactured home residents, and more.
    • JaNaé explains how she discovered organizing as a path forward after years of exhaustion and heartbreak working with families impacted by police violence in Cleveland.
    • The conversation goes deep on Minnesota’s response to Operation Metro Surge, where clergy, business owners, labor unions, and everyday residents organized to resist ICE raids and protect neighbors.
    • JaNaé and Julie talk about how nonviolent collective action, including a statewide economic shutdown, helped shift conditions and pressure decision-makers.
    • The episode highlights the importance of “belonging before belief,” creating spaces where people feel safe enough to act.
    • JaNaé lays out the current work to protect democracy, inoculate communities against disinformation, and prepare trusted messengers in other states.
    • She closes with stories of two leaders, Imam Mohammed Omar and Pastor Martha Bardwell, as examples of people who discovered their power, used it to lead others, and built spaces for others to step into theirs.

    Resources and Links:
    • ISAIAH - The Minnesota-based multiracial organizing coalition described as a “house of many rooms.” https://www.isaiahmn.org/
    • Faith in Minnesota - A statewide faith-based coalition working on racial justice, economic equity, and democracy. https://faithinmn.org/
    • Restore the Vote Coalition - The coalition behind Minnesota’s campaign to restore voting rights to people on felony probation. https://restorethevotemn.org/
    • Kids Count on Us - A childcare organizing network representing community-based childcare centers across Minnesota. https://www.kidscountonus.com/
    • Muslim Coalition - A statewide organizing network of mosques and Muslim communities connected to ISAIAH. https://www.facebook.com/MuslimCoalition/
    • Democracy & Power Innovation Fund (DPI Fund) - The DPI Fund is a community of organizers, researchers, and funders working to strengthen grassroots civic organizations and build the multiracial democratic practices that enable everyday people to exercise real power. https://www.dpifund.org/
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    52 mins
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