I'm Elise Hu. You're listening to TED Talks Daily.

Democratic government is by the people for the people, as the line goes.

But back when those words were first used in America, the people didn't include women or black folks.

And the government continues to leave large swaths of people behind.

Sherry Davis's solution, imagination, and participatory budgeting.

Now the executive director of the participatory budget program,

Sherry explains her compelling idea in her talk from TED 2020.

My name is Sherry Davis, and let's be honest, I'm a recovering government employee.

And I say that with a huge shout out to the folks that work in government and on systems

change. It's hard. It can be isolating. And the work can feel impossible. But government is the people that show up.

Really? It's the people that can show up and are committed to the promise that public service offers, service to people, democracy, and fixing the problems that community members face.

17 years ago, I walked through City Hall for the first time as a staff member.

And that walk revealed something to me.

I was a unicorn.

There weren't many people who looked like me that worked in the building.

And yet there were folks committed to addressing hundreds of years of systemic inequity

that left some behind and many ignored.

Where there was promise, there was a huge problem.

You see, democracy as it was originally designed, had a fatal flaw.

It only laid pipeline for rich white men to progress. And now, if you're a smart, rich white man,

you understand why I say that's a problem. Massive talent has been left off the field.

Our moral imaginations have grown anemic.

...