Lozada: Democracy Must Be Cultivated Early On

This essay was originally published in the book Out of Many, One, by The All American, and was shared digitally on Oct. 1.

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By Luis Lozada, Democracy Works CEO

When my mother and her siblings fled the Dominican Republic in 1965 during a coup d’etat, she left behind a world where opportunities were limited and dissent was dangerous. For her, becoming an American citizen in 1979 wasn’t just about securing a legal status—it was about embracing the ideals of a nation where the rule of law protected fundamental freedoms. I was born in 1980, and despite growing up in a single-parent home where Spanish was our primary language, I learned the value of civic engagement early on.

One of my earliest political memories is of my mother proudly wearing a presidential campaign pin during the 1988 election. As someone who had only known Ronald Reagan as president, watching my mother engage in the election taught me that choosing our leaders was something worth paying attention to. That year, I paid attention to the political ads, the vice-presidential candidates, and the debates. I learned about the stakes of elections—local, state and federal—and the importance of being informed on potential outcomes.

My mother’s reverence for America’s democratic system shaped my worldview. She understood what many natural-born citizens take for granted: Democracy requires participation to thrive. For her, voting wasn’t merely a right but a privilege. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite being immunocompromised, she cast her ballot in person. We turned voting into a family tradition—celebrating our right to make our voices heard as well as the democratic ideals that had given us so much opportunity.

My early introduction to democratic participation laid the foundation for my academic and professional journey. I entered college as a political science major, fascinated by the inner workings of our government. Although I eventually graduated with a degree in information technology, my passion for civics and government remained. I attended law school, where I developed a profound appreciation for constitutional law, particularly First Amendment protections.

As a child of immigrants and a person of color, I often took positions that surprised my law school classmates. When radio host Don Imus faced backlash for his offensive comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, I stood up in class to argue that such speech, however repugnant, was constitutionally protected. Similarly, when standup comedians like Michael Richards or Chris Rock were criticized for jokes that used racially insensitive terms, I pointed to the protection of unpopular speech as essential to our constitutional framework.

Two Supreme Court cases particularly shaped my understanding of the First Amendment: Brandenburg v. Ohio, which addressed cross-burning by the KKK, and National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, concerning a Nazi march through a predominantly Jewish suburb of Chicago. These cases crystallized a fundamental truth: The purpose of the First Amendment is not to protect popular speech. Its primary purpose is to protect unpopular—even abhorrent—expression from government censorship.

There’s a reason that the protection of speech, a free press, and the right of the people to peaceably assemble come first in our Constitution’s Bill of Rights. The founders recognized that the ability to seek redress from government, to protest, and to speak freely forms the bedrock of American democracy. Without robust protections for free speech the marketplace of ideas crumbles—and with it our capacity for self-governance.

Today these constitutional principles face unprecedented challenges. Universities are punished for allowing students to organize protests on campus, individuals are removed from public spaces solely for expressing their opinions, and the press is increasingly attacked for reporting on the administration. We are witnessing how the rule of law is being subordinated to partisan interests. These developments, striking at the heart of the First Amendment, are now impacting our rights under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments—the constitutional pillars that guarantee due process and equal protection under the law.

My mother fled her homeland for a better life, seeking the opportunity to thrive in a country that valued and protected civil rights. The citizenship test my mother took in 1979 specifically asked her to define “the rule of law,” because this principle has distinguished the U.S. from the authoritarianism she and others have experienced around the world. The promise that laws would be applied equally, regardless of status or political affiliation, represented the American ideal that inspired her journey.

As the CEO of Democracy Works, I’ve found a way to honor my mother’s legacy while strengthening the democratic institutions she cherished. Our mission is rooted in a simple but powerful premise: Democracy functions best when participation is widespread and barriers to engagement are removed. We work tirelessly to ensure all eligible voters have the information and tools they need to participate in our democratic process.

Since our founding in 2010, our nonpartisan organization has seen how Americans increasingly rely on the Internet to gather critical information about voting in elections. Social media platforms and search engines have joined traditional news outlets as the top sources for voters seeking election information. Our goal is to meet voters where they are. In last year’s national election, our organization delivered essential information to millions of voters through our partnerships across social media, search engines, AI platforms, and our voter engagement tool TurboVote. We are committed to ensuring all voters can find accurate information about when, where, and how to vote.

The challenges facing our democracy today are significant. Misinformation threatens to undermine public trust, while polarization strains our civic fabric. Yet I remain optimistic because I believe most Americans understand the value of our democracy. When individual voters show up at the polls—regardless of party affiliation—they affirm their commitment to self-governance and the constitutional principles that unite us.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Constitution, we must recommit ourselves to these foundational ideals. The Fifteenth Amendment explicitly guarantees all citizens the right to vote—a right my mother exercised faithfully after taking her oath. This connection between citizenship and voting underscores the special responsibility of being an American.

Democracy is not simply a system of government; it’s a covenant between citizens and their nation. It requires vigilant protection of constitutional rights, and it demands participation, especially during times of national division. And it thrives when organizations like Democracy Works break down barriers to civic engagement.

My journey as a child of immigrants to becoming the CEO of Democracy Works reflects the promise of the American experiment. It’s a testament to what’s possible when constitutional principles are honored and democratic participation is encouraged. As we work to preserve the next 250 years of American democracy, I remain committed to the values my mother taught me: that freedom requires vigilance, that voting matters, and that democracy works best when we all participate.