Those who think about democracy and markets often think of them in opposing terms. Markets follow money not people, and produce wealth efficiently but also inequalities. Democracies, in contrast, follow people not money, and produce more equality and public goods, like schools and clean air, but are often inefficient because they seek wide public input, and require compromise among many conflicting interests.
Get ready to laugh and strengthen democracy at The Comedy Show for Democracy, produced by Grassroots Comedy!On Saturday, October 26 at 1:15-2:15pm, as part of the first DMV Democracy Festival, this show brings together hilarious local comedians who will strive to strengthen our democracy through jokes. Featuring the legendary Haywood Turnipseed Jr. (Kennedy Center), Chris Blackwood (Grassroots Comedy Executive Director), and special satirical appearances by Donald Trump (played by Jon Yeager) and Kamala Harris (played by Rashee Raj) from The Washington Roast. Laughter is the best medicine, and with so much at stake with the upcoming election- let’s get medicated.Grassroots Comedy is a non-profit that uses comedy to educate and engage the public on causes in need, and can only operate with the support of its generous audience. If you attend this show, please make a suggested donation of $15 – $50 at the show, online here, or via Venmo: @grassrootscomedy.
To see the show, and so much more, get your DemFest tickets, and RSVP to get updates. And, check out the draft DemFest schedule!
Learning Life’s interns do vital work to grow our organization. This summer, their work included assisting with an in-person Democracy Dinner and organizing for the first DMV Democracy Festival this October; outreach to thousands of people on Facebook and Linkedin to help grow the Family Diplomacy Initiative (FDI) worldwide; research and writing on democratizing health care and the civic revitalization of malls as part of our DLC visioning work; supporting our international family dialogues and issue presentations; growing our Citizen Diplomacy International bibliography; and more. Learning Life is very grateful for their dedicated work. You can learn a little about each of the interns below.
Audrey Banks
Gabriela Hilario
Sunny Kim
Year, major, and school: I’m a second-year Master’s student at George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. I am studying International Affairs with a regional focus on Asia.
Hobbies: One of my hobbies is sports. I currently play kickball and soccer in recreational weekend leagues. I also enjoy going to the gym. In addition, I like watching YouTube videos and documentaries about history or current events.
Career aspirations: I am currently planning to work for an NGO (non-governmental organization) focused on democracy and governance. As someone who grew up in South Korea, I saw the benefits the democratization process gives people. I aim to assist people who want to participate more in democratic processes.
Why Learning Life? As someone interested in working in the nonprofit sector and in the democracy field, I find Learning Life perfect for me. Learning Life gives me experience both in a NGO and in an organization that works in the democracy field. Getting the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a NGO is also very valuable to me.
Nick LaCascia
Year, major, and school: I am going into my senior year at Colby College majoring in French and Global Studies.
Valery Mayorga
Kennedi Munson
Year, major, and school: I am a rising sophomore majoring in Comparative Women’s Studies and double-minoring in Sociology and International Studies at Spelman College.
Hobbies: I am an artist at heart, so my hobbies are in that realm. During my free time, I create portrait oil paintings, take photos of my surroundings, and go to the theatre as I am a self-proclaimed cinephile. My favorite films are Amadeus, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Career aspirations: As a Comparative Women’s Studies major, I find my educational path to be interdisciplinary, enabling me to explore several interests. At the core, my career aspirations lie in advocating for marginalized groups, specifically women of color and the queer community. I see myself doing this through immigration and refugee work, specifically in the sectors of educating and empowering such communities. After graduating from Spelman College, I hope to pursue a law degree, where I can use my legal training to further such advocacy.
Why Learning Life? I chose Learning Life as I initially had an interest in work centered around democracy and diplomacy. Being a third-culture child who has lived abroad for most of my life, I sought out organizations like Learning Life to be immersed in a space where I could actively learn about the world around me and how it functioned from a diplomatic and democratic perspective. By being an intern at Learning Life, I have been able to create meaningful connections with people on an international scale and aid in organizing future projects centered around the organization’s Family Diplomacy Initiative, which has been incredibly insightful.
Amy Nilsson
Julee Sharma
Learning Life will be periodically updating this page to report on our progress toward the $50,000 fundraising goal for the first DMV Democracy Festival. As of July 3, 2024, we have raised nearly 10% of the $50,000 goal, including all donations. See the chart below for the breakdown of donations of $100 and above. Click here to contribute. For other ways you can help see “Seven Easy Ways You Can Support DemFest” toward the bottom of our DemFest page.
| Gift Size | # of Gifts Goal | Total $ Goal | $ Raised as of 6/1 | # of Gifts as of 6/1 |
| $5,000 | 1 | $5,000 | $0 | 0 of 1 |
| $3,000 | 1 | $3,000 | $0 | 0 of 1 |
| $1,000 | 15 | $15,000 | $3,000 | 5 of 15 |
| $500 | 20 | $10,000 | $1,000 | 3 of 20 |
| $250 | 40 | $10,000 | $750 | 6 of 40 |
| $100 | 70 | $7,000 | $200 | 6 of 70 |
| TOTAL | 147 | $50,000 | $9,890 (including giving under $100) | 20 of 147 |