Who gets to participate? – with Shari Davis & Derrick Braziel

In this episode we’re joined by Shari Davis, Executive Director of the Participatory Budgeting Project, and Derrick Braziel, co-founder and Development Director of MORTAR Cincinnati.On today’s show, we follow the money. We discuss public budgeting processes, the moral weight of budget decisions, and the opportunities we have to make these documents “living, breathing reflections of community need and community-driven investment.” Participatory budgeting (PB) is a process by which all people in a community can play a role in shaping the kinds of projects their governments spend money on. We discuss what this means in general, and what role PB plays in rethinking public safety and economic development. We also discuss the reality for many Americans—especially in communities of color—who have a business idea but lack the connections to necessary tools and resources to get off the ground. Derrick started MORTAR to help people from marginalized groups get the training and resources to start and grow their own businesses. In addition to the programs MORTAR runs, Derrick discusses some of the policies they pushed for locally that have helped ensure the viability of the Cincinnati's Black-owned businesses.In addition to this background, we discuss:Some of the biggest barriers to challenging the status quo in city governmentsTrust and mistrust in local governmentFighting for systemic change while also experiencing traumaHow COVID-19 and the growing movement for Black lives have affected the ways Derrick and Shari are thinking about their work—and what’s possibleThe importance of narrative shift when conditions shift—and the importance of sharing stories that seldom get toldWhat we mean by “safety”—and who we’ve too often left out of the discussionInvesting in the broader ecosystem of social justiceHow PB is a tool to build the infrastructure for what reinvestment in community looks likeWhose talent we’ve historically been leaving off the field in our communities—and what the implications are for today’s recovery effortsThe challenges associated with discussing changes to policing and first responseHow we might make society more democratic and participatory as a wholeKey takeaways for local government leadersBook recommendations! (See below)Links to things mentioned in this show:‘Represent’ initiative in CincinnatiEngagement Strategy, by adrienne maree brownThe Alchemist, by Paulo CoelhoExcuse Me, Your Life is Waiting, by Lynn GrabhornParable of the Sower, by Octavia ButlerUnapologetic, by Charlene CarruthersThe Source of Self-Regard, by Toni Morrison--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(This episode features music from No Money & Custodian of Records)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-66