DMI : Board Beta

Originally called the Drum Major Foundation, DMI was founded by Harry Wachtel, lawyer and advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the turbulent years of the civil rights movement. DMI was relaunched in 1999 by New York attorney William Wachtel, Harry's son, Martin Luther King III, and Ambassador Andrew Young. Today, energized by the nationally recognized leadership of Fernando Ferrer, DMI is committed to adding a rigorous progressive voice to compete in the marketplace of ideas.

Conservative think tanks and foundations spent $1 billion to influence public opinion and thought from 1990 to 2000. Their investment has clearly paid off. From tax cuts inspired by "trickle-down" economics to disinvestment in public institutions to the silence that remains the norm in the face of the poverty crippling our society, conservatives have reshaped this nation. Progressives remain on the defensive, communicating their ideas only to the choir or resigning themselves to caring for victims of unjust policy instead of also changing bad policy. The institutes that do exist produce research and analysis that too rarely reach the policy makers who could act on it, the advocates who could use it to support their agendas, or the public whose opinions could be informed and energized.

The left laments the lack of presence of progressive thinkers in the media, though relatively little time and energy is spent cultivating those thinkers or providing them with a platform to disseminate their thoughts and to promote their successes. Many thumb their noses at the right's emphasis on messaging, despite the clear success it has had in packaging issues to promote its policy agenda in a way that resonates with the public.

The Drum Major Institute, an organization with a rich legacy in the civil rights movement, has a very present-day approach. We utilize the successful elements of the right's strategy to promote progressive public policy. We unite the best ideas with the best research and the best messages and messengers to convey them. We measure our success exclusively by our impact on public policy.

"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and this is an idea whose time has come," said Victor Hugo. The time for the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, retooled as a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social and economic fairness through progressive policy, has come.

Our Work

The work of the Drum Major Institute is to sponsor frank dialogue about the problems facing us–in areas of education and social and economic justice–and cultivate solutions. We will offer policymakers and the media an alternative to the conservative think tanks and policy institutes that currently dominate the landscape. We will create much-needed opportunities for progressive thinkers to share their ideas for better governance. We will offer our assistance to legislators who wish to implement these ideas, with the goal of creating meaningful social change and just public policy.

In a recent report entitled "Penny for Your Thoughts: A Look at Philanthropic and Progressive Policy in New York," the National Center for Schools and Communities concluded that:

Progressive policy work is grounded in a reality that is about more than the selling of ideas. This work is making a material difference in the lives of so many by bringing to the policymaking arena the voices of the disenfranchised, the voices those in power often choose to ignore. Creating just and equitable public policy is an important part of the work for democracy.

The Drum Major Institute, through cultivation, distribution, and promotion of the ideas of progressive thinkers who too often go unsupported, will further the cause of the civil rights movement, and, ultimately, democracy.



		Our Mission
		The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to challenging the tired orthodoxies of both the right and the left. The goal: progressive public policy for social and economic fairness. DMI's approach is unwavering: We do not issue reports to see our name in print or hold forums for the sake of mere talk. We seek to change policy by conducting research into overlooked, but important social and economic issues, by leveraging our strategic relationships to engage policymakers and opinion leaders in our work, and by offering platforms to amplify the ideas of those who are working for social and economic fairness.
		Originally called the Drum Major Foundation, DMI was founded by Harry Wachtel, lawyer and advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the turbulent years of the civil rights movement. DMI was relaunched in 1999 by New York attorney William Wachtel, Harry's son, Martin Luther King III, and Ambassador Andrew Young. Today, energized by the nationally recognized leadership of Fernando Ferrer, DMI is committed to adding a rigorous progressive voice to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Conservative think tanks and foundations spent $1 billion to influence public opinion and thought from 1990 to 2000. Their investment has clearly paid off. From tax cuts inspired by "trickle-down" economics to disinvestment in public institutions to the silence that remains the norm in the face of the poverty crippling our society, conservatives have reshaped this nation. Progressives remain on the defensive, communicating their ideas only to the choir or resigning themselves to caring for victims of unjust policy instead of also changing bad policy. The institutes that do exist produce research and analysis that too rarely reach the policy makers who could act on it, the advocates who could use it to support their agendas, or the public whose opinions could be informed and energized. The left laments the lack of presence of progressive thinkers in the media, though relatively little time and energy is spent cultivating those thinkers or providing them with a platform to disseminate their thoughts and to promote their successes. Many thumb their noses at the right's emphasis on messaging, despite the clear success it has had in packaging issues to promote its policy agenda in a way that resonates with the public. The Drum Major Institute, an organization with a rich legacy in the civil rights movement, has a very present-day approach. We utilize the successful elements of the right's strategy to promote progressive public policy. We unite the best ideas with the best research and the best messages and messengers to convey them. We measure our success exclusively by our impact on public policy. "There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and this is an idea whose time has come," said Victor Hugo. The time for the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, retooled as a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social and economic fairness through progressive policy, has come. Our Work The work of the Drum Major Institute is to sponsor frank dialogue about the problems facing us–in areas of education and social and economic justice–and cultivate solutions. We will offer policymakers and the media an alternative to the conservative think tanks and policy institutes that currently dominate the landscape. We will create much-needed opportunities for progressive thinkers to share their ideas for better governance. We will offer our assistance to legislators who wish to implement these ideas, with the goal of creating meaningful social change and just public policy. In a recent report entitled "Penny for Your Thoughts: A Look at Philanthropic and Progressive Policy in New York," the National Center for Schools and Communities concluded that: Progressive policy work is grounded in a reality that is about more than the selling of ideas. This work is making a material difference in the lives of so many by bringing to the policymaking arena the voices of the disenfranchised, the voices those in power often choose to ignore. Creating just and equitable public policy is an important part of the work for democracy. The Drum Major Institute, through cultivation, distribution, and promotion of the ideas of progressive thinkers who too often go unsupported, will further the cause of the civil rights movement, and, ultimately, democracy.