Interview with Sam Daley-Harris

Sam Daley-Harris, author of "Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen's Guide to Transformational Advocacy, 2024 Edition"

Sam Daley-Harris founded the anti-poverty lobby RESULTS in 1980, co-founded the Microcredit Summit Campaign in 1995, and founded Civic Courage in 2012. The 2024 edition of his book Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy was named an editor’s pick by Publisher’s Weekly BookLife. Daley-Harris has been interviewed on NPR’s Here and Now and 1A and on PBS’s The Laura Flanders Show. Daley-Harris was born in Miami and got his undergrad and master’s degrees at the University of Miami. Ashoka founder Bill Drayton said, “Sam Daley-Harris is one of the certified great social entrepreneurs of the last decades.”

Almost everyone shies away from advocacy as a way to make a difference. We donate to climate change organizations, but we don’t meet with a member of Congress or write a letter to the editor. We donate to groups working to end gun violence, anti-hunger organizations, groups dedicated to racial justice, and many others, but we don’t become advocates on those issues beyond signing an online petition or going to an occasional rally.

Why? Because most of us see advocacy as too hard or too frustrating, too complicated, or too partisan, too dirty or too time-consuming, too ineffective or too costly.

But what if that’s all wrong? What if deep engagement dissolves discouragement and can actually bring joy? What if you can become an advocate for a cause you care about and feel fulfilled, not frustrated? And what if engaging as an advocate is essential to protecting our democracy?

President Jimmy Carter called the first edition of Reclaiming Our Democracy “A road map for global involvement in planning a better future.” In this completely revised and updated 2024 edition, Sam Daley-Harris uses his decades of experience leading and coaching citizens’ advocacy groups to expand that road map and create an indispensable guide to engaged citizenship, an inspiring master class in transformational advocacy.

Reclaiming Our Democracy provides a powerful way to make a difference and heal our democracy in the process. It’s not the only solution needed, but is one essential, missing piece: citizens awakening to their power.

Michael Carter, Co-Host

Michael Carter's Website