Democracy in Color is a project of PowerPAC, a left-of-center lobbying organization founded by Steve Phillips, a liberal activist and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP). Democracy in Color is also funded by the Democracy Alliance, a collective of left-of-center donors focused on building political infrastructure to advance left-of-center policy goals. ¹

Democracy in Color supports the Democratic Party and works to advance the interests of people of color within the left-of-center movement. ² Democracy in Color promotes a left-of-center policy agenda through media engagements, research, and analysis on race and politics, calling itself representative of a “progressive” “New American Majority.” ³

Reports and Assessments

Democracy in Color does most of its advocacy work through publishing reports on race and politics in the United States. In 2017, Democracy in Color released a plan entitled “Return of the Majority,” describing it as a “data-backed plan” to help Democrats and left-of-center supporters “take back the country.” ⁴ The organization also published a report titled “The Trump Administration’s Record of Racism” that it claimed documented 200 examples of racism, including in these examples mainstream conservative statements such as promises to place America first in global affairs and mentioning shootings in urban areas. ⁵

In August of 2020, Democracy in Color announced the launch of “The White List,” a publication which listed and condemned 75 white congressional Democrats who voted against H.R. 40, a bill that would establish a commission to study the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans to explore the possibility of government-funded reparations payments. ⁶

The organization also issues report cards grading Democratic congressional campaigns on how they “engage voters of color as an integral part of campaign strategy.” ⁷

Leadership

Steve Phillips, author of Brown Is the New White, founded Democracy in Color in 2016. ⁸ Phillips is a left-of-center activist and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. ⁹ Phillips is also the founder of PowerPAC, which backs candidates who promote left-progressive identity politics. ¹⁰

Phillips contends that Democrats should focus on recruiting people of color to support a left-of-center agenda. According to Phillips, Democrats focused too much on winning back white voters who voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 instead of promoting a “color-conscious” view of politics. ¹¹ Phillips argues that the growth of racial minority populations in the United States has created a left-leaning “New American Majority.” ¹²

Aimee Allison is president of Democracy in Color. ¹³ Allison echoes Stephens’s beliefs on prioritizing voters of color, claiming that Democratic leaders are using the “old playbook that prioritized white candidates and messaging that would appeal to white, moderate voters” and arguing that they should instead focus on recruiting eligible, unregistered voters of color. ¹⁴

1. Devine, Shane. “Steve Phillips: Putting Identity Politics Into Practice.” Capital Research Center. January 29, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://capitalresearch.org/article/steve-phillips-putting-identity-politics-into-practice/
2. About Us. Democracy in Color. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://democracyincolor.com/aboutus1
3. Democracy in Color. LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democracy-in-color/
4. Democracy in Color. LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democracy-in-color/
5. About Us. Democracy in Color. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://democracyincolor.com/aboutus1
6. Staff. “White Democrats in Congress Falling Short on Reparations Bill.” Milwaukee Community Journal. August 7, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://communityjournal.net/white-democrats-in-congress-falling-short-on-reparations-bill/
7. Singer, Paul. “To Guide Donors, Group Grades Democratic Campaigns on Minority Outreach.” USA Today. June 20, 2016. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/06/20/group-grades-democratic-campaigns-minority-outreach/86147850/
8. Democracy in Color. LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democracy-in-color/
9. Devine, Shane. “Steve Phillips: Putting Identity Politics Into Practice.” Capital Research Center. January 29, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://capitalresearch.org/article/steve-phillips-putting-identity-politics-into-practice/
10. Williams, Vanessa. “This Activist Says Democrats and Liberals Can’t be Afraid to Talk About Race and Politics.” The Washington Post. October 19, 2019. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/18/steve-phillips-says-democrats-liberals-cant-be-afraid-talk-about-race-politics/
11. Williams, Vanessa. “This Activist Says Democrats and Liberals Can’t be Afraid to Talk About Race and Politics.” The Washington Post. October 19, 2019. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/18/steve-phillips-says-democrats-liberals-cant-be-afraid-talk-about-race-politics/
12. Devine, Shane. “Steve Phillips: Putting Identity Politics Into Practice.” Capital Research Center. January 29, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://capitalresearch.org/article/steve-phillips-putting-identity-poli tics-into-practice/
13. Democracy in Color. LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/company/democracy-in-color/
14. Mitchell, Pat. “Democracy in Color.” Ms. Magazine. July 10, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2020. https://msmagazine.com/2018/07/10/democracy-in-color/