March 18, 2026
National Urban League, National Hispanic Media Coalition & 30+ Advocacy Organizations Launch
America 250: A Guide for Defending Democracy
A Nonpartisan Tool for Civic Participation
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, the National Urban League and the Demand Diversity Roundtable have released a new civic education resource, America 250: A Guide for Defending Democracy, to help Americans navigate an era of profound democratic challenges. The nonpartisan guide equips voters, community leaders, and civic organizations with values-based and action-oriented questions designed to illuminate how public officials and candidates understand their constitutional responsibilities.
The National Hispanic Media Coalition is proud to be a member of the Demand Diversity Roundtable and to lend its expertise to this resource, which is urgently needed for the future of our nation’s democracy. “For 250 years, the United States has stood because of the labor and sacrifice of people of color. This country would not be celebrating this anniversary without the generations whose bodies and work built the foundation of this nation. To deny that truth, and the equity that comes with it, is to deny the very history that made the United States of America possible,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition. “That is why acknowledging diversity, equity, and inclusion matters now more than ever, not as a trend or a policy, but as an honest recognition of the truth of how this country was built.”
Developed to support civic engagement, equal opportunity, and democratic participation, the nonpartisan guide provides a structured framework for Americans of all political perspectives to assess how well leaders uphold the nation’s foundational commitments to liberty, justice, and equality under law.
“As the nation marks 250 years, democracy, civil rights, and the rule of law are faced with existential tests,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “Americans need clear, consistent guidelines that help them evaluate public officials and candidates based on constitutional principles—not political affiliation.”
The guide was released during the National Urban League’s 23rd annual Legislative Policy Conference, which brings together members of Congress, state leaders, and community advocates from across the country to address the urgent policy challenges affecting Black Americans and historically underrepresented communities.
Morial was joined by members of the Demand Diversity Roundtable, a coalition of civil and human rights organizations, civic engagement leaders, faith voices, business and economic institutions, media, academic leaders, and democracy partners. The National Urban League convened the Roundtable in 2025 to confront the systematic rollback of civil rights protections and equal opportunity policies across government, the workforce, and public life.
The guide is grounded in the Constitution, long-standing civil rights law, and democratic norms that apply to public officeholders regardless of party. They reflect responsibilities leaders routinely assume when they seek office and take an oath to serve, including:
• Upholding the Constitution
• Protecting civil rights and voting rights
• Rejecting discrimination and dehumanization
• Defending truth and the rule of law
• Expanding equal opportunity and fair access
• Strengthening democracy and public trust
• Serving the entire American community
Each section includes both values-based and action-based questions that the public can use to learn how leaders approach their constitutional obligations.
To learn more about this free guide, click here.
To watch today's press conference, click here.
