Strengthening Democracy – Grace Rauh on Civic Reform and New York’s Future

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, host Gregory J Morris, CEO of NYCETC, sits down with Grace Rauh, award-winning former NY1 political reporter, founder of the 5Boro Institute, and now Executive Director of Citizens Union. Together, they trace Grace’s journey from journalism to civic leadership and explore how her work is shaping systemic reform across New York City.Grace shares why childcare must be viewed as essential civic infrastructure, keeping families rooted in the city and ensuring that parents, especially women, can fully participate in the workforce. She also breaks down her call to “finish the job” on election reform by expanding access for New York’s 1+ million unaffiliated voters, aligning local elections with higher-turnout years, and protecting the city’s pioneering campaign finance system.The conversation goes beyond elections to spotlight Citizens Union’s broader push for stronger ethics enforcement, independent oversight, and building public trust in government through transparency and accountability.Tune in for a thoughtful discussion about the connections between democracy, opportunity, and the systems that make New York work for all.Topics: Civic reform, Citizens Union, election reform, open primaries, voter participation, campaign finance, childcare as infrastructure, women in the workforce, public trust, government accountability, ethics and oversight, transparency, inclusive democracy, civic leadership, New York City governancePublished by: New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC)Produced by: Manhattan Neighborhood Network