by Shirien Damra for Amplifier Art
“Remember your greatness. Remember your North Star.
When things get hard that’s when we need our best.”
— Michael McAfee, CEO of PolicyLink
PolicyLink Summit 2026: We Are the Founders
In the final week of August, under sunny skies just miles from the nation’s capital, thousands of organizers, artists, educators, advocates, healthcare leaders, philanthropists, youth leaders, and movement builders gathered for PolicyLink Summit 2026: We Are the Founders. At a time when questions about democracy, belonging, and the future of our communities feel especially urgent, we were invited to do more than reflect on the state of our nation. We were invited to imagine what comes next.
From the Cherry Blossom Welcome Lounge to an opening block party filled with music, storytelling, art, and fireworks, the experience felt less like a conference and more like a gathering of people committed to building a future where everyone can thrive. Creativity flowed throughout every space. We moved between plenaries and performances, Homebase discussions and workshops, history and possibility. The summit was not designed for passive participation. It was designed to engage us, challenge us, and connect us to one another.
Guiding us through the week was Baratunde Thurston, whose warmth, humor, intellectual depth, and curiosity helped bring the summit’s vision to life. He moved seamlessly between difficult truths and hopeful possibilities, helping participants navigate conversations that spanned generations, movements, and lived experiences. His enthusiasm was infectious, his facilitation thoughtful, and his ability to connect ideas left many of us engaged, inspired, and wanting more.
Throughout the week, PolicyLink CEO Michael McAfee and President Ashleigh Gardere challenged participants to move beyond observation and into responsibility. Their message was clear: democracy is not something we inherit and preserve from a distance. It is something we actively shape through our choices, our relationships, and our willingness to imagine a future that works for all of us. Again and again, they reminded us that this moment requires courage, creativity, leadership, and a commitment to one another.
Perhaps what made the summit feel so extraordinary was the people who filled the rooms.
It is rare to find yourself in a space where Indigenous elders, civil rights icons, immigrant advocates, Asian American leaders, democracy champions, artists, community organizers, policy leaders, and young visionaries are gathered not as separate voices, but as part of a shared conversation.
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