What if you could help decide how the government spends public funds? | Shari Davis

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

My name is Shari Davis,

我是雪莉戴維斯，

and let's be honest,

老實說，

I'm a recovering government employee.

我是位正在恢復中的公務員。

And I say that with a huge shout-out to the folks that work in government

且這句話我是對在政府工作的人

以及從事體制改變的人 大聲喊出來的。

and on systems change.

It's hard.

很辛苦。

It can be isolating.

感覺很孤獨。

And the work can feel impossible.

感覺好像辦不到。

But government is the people that show up.

但政府就是出席的人。

Really, it's the people that can show up

真的，政府就是能出席的人，

and are committed to the promise that public service offers:

且他們努力達成 公共服務所做出的承諾：

service to people,

服務人民、

democracy

民主，

and fixing the problems that community members face.

以及處理社區成員面對的問題。

Seventeen years ago,

十七年前，

I walked through city hall for the first time as a staff member.

我以幕僚的身分 第一次走進市政廳。

And that walk revealed something to me.

這段經歷讓我知道了一件事。

I was a unicorn.

我就像是獨角獸。

There weren't many people who looked like me

在這間大樓中工作的人， 很少有看起來像我這樣子的。

that worked in the building.

And yet, there were folks committed to addressing hundreds of years

但，那裡有些人投入心力在處理

數百年來因為體制不平等

of systemic inequity

that left some behind and many ignored.

導致有些人被拋棄、 許多人被忽視的問題。

Where there was promise,

有承諾的地方，

there was a huge problem.

就會有大問題。

You see, democracy, as it was originally designed,

民主打從最原始的設計上，

had a fatal flaw.

就有致命的瑕疵。

It only laid pipeline for rich white men to progress.

它只為富有白種男性

舖設繼續進步的路。

And now, if you're a smart rich white man,

如果你是聰明、有錢的白種男性，

you understand why I say that's a problem.

你就會了解為什麼 我會說那是個問題。

Massive talent has been left off the field.

許多有才能的人被忽視。

Our moral imaginations have grown anemic.

我們的道德想像力很貧乏，

Our highest offices are plagued by corruption.

我們的高官十分腐敗，

We're on the brink of a sort of apathetic apocalypse,

我們已經接近某種冷淡麻木 造成的世界末日了，

and it's not OK.

這樣是不行的。

We've got to open the doors

我們必須要打開 市政廳及學校的大門，

to city halls and schools

so wide that people can't help but walk in.

且把門開得很大， 讓大家不由自主就會走進去。

We've got to throw out the old top-down processes

由上而下的舊式流程 讓我們走到現在這團糟，

that got us into this mess,

我們必須把它丟棄，重新來過，

and start over,

with new faces around the table,

讓新面孔也能參與，

new voices in the mix,

新聲音也能加入，

and we have to welcome new perspectives every step of the way.

一路上的每一步， 我們都得要歡迎新的觀點。

Not because it's the right thing to do --

並不是因為這是對的事——

although it is --

雖然的確是——

but because that's the only way for us to all succeed together.

而是因為唯有這種方式， 才能讓我們所有人一起成功。

And here's the best news of all.

最棒的消息是，

I know how to do it.

我知道怎麼做。

The answer -- well, an answer,

答案——嗯，其中一個答案，

is participatory budgeting.

就是參與式預算編制。

That's right.

沒錯。

Participatory budgeting, or "PB" for short.

參與式預算編制，簡稱 PB。

PB is a process that brings community and government together

PB 是一個流程， 它能結合民眾與政府，

to ideate, develop concrete proposals

去形成概念，發展出具體的提案，

and vote on projects that solve real problems in community.

並針對能夠解決真正 社區問題的計畫來進行投票。

Now I realize that people don't get up and dance

現在我已經知道， 當我開始談論政府預算時，

when I start talking about public budgets.

大家並不會跳起來手舞足蹈。

But participatory budgeting

但參與式預算編制

is actually about collective, radical imagination.

重點其實在於集體、激進的想像力。

Everyone has a role to play in PB,

在 PB 中每個人都有角色 要扮演，且它行得通，

and it works,

because it allows community members to craft real solutions

因為它讓社區中每一份子

都要針對真實的問題 想出真實的解決方案，

to real problems

and provides the infrastructure for the promise of government.

它也能為政府的承諾 提供基礎設施。

And honestly,

老實說，

it's how I saw a democracy actually work for the first time.

這是我第一次認為 民主有可能行得通。

I remember it like it was yesterday.

我記憶猶新。

It was 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts,

2014 年在麻省波士頓，

and mayor Menino asked me

曼尼諾市長要我

to launch the country's first youth-focused PB effort

用一百萬市基金來推出全國第一個

with one million dollars of city funds.

以年輕人為主的 PB 計畫。

Now, we didn't start with line items and limits

我們並不是從單行項目、限制、

試算表，及公式開始著手。

or spreadsheets and formulas.

We started with people.

我們從人開始。

We wanted to make sure that everyone was listened to.

我們想要確保每個人都能被傾聽。

So we brought in young people

所以我們從歷史上和傳統上

from historically and traditionally marginalized neighborhoods,

都被邊緣化的鄰里 找來了一些年輕人，

members of the queer community

找來了酷兒族群的成員，

and youth that were formerly incarcerated,

找來了先前被關過的青年，

and together, often with pizza and a sugar-free beverage,

我們同心協力，通常也會 搭配比薩和無糖飲料，

we talked about how to make Boston better.

一起討論如何讓波士頓變得更好。

And we designed a process that we called "Youth Lead the Change."

我們設計出一個流程， 稱為「青年領導改變」。

We imagined a Boston

在我們想像中的波士頓，

where young people could access the information

年輕人能夠取得讓他們 成長茁壯所必要的資訊。

that they need to thrive.

Where they could feel safe in their communities,

他們在自己的社區中能感到安全，

and where they can transform public spaces into real hubs of life

他們能把公共空間轉變成

真正給所有人的生活中心。

for all people.

And that's exactly what they did.

他們真的就這麼做了。

In the first year,

第一年，

young people allocated 90,000 dollars to increase technology access

年輕人分配了九萬美金

來讓波士頓公立高中學生

for Boston public high school students,

更容易取得和使用科技，

by delivering laptops right to Boston public high schools,

做法是直接將筆記型電腦 送到波士頓的公立高中，

so that students could thrive inside and outside of the classroom.

這麼一來，學生在教室 內外都可以成長。

They allocated 60,000 dollars to creating art walls

他們分配了六萬美金打造藝術牆，

that literally and figuratively brightened up public spaces.

讓公共空間亮起來， 這不只是也是比喻，是真的如此。

But they addressed a more important problem.

但他們處理掉了 一個更重要的問題。

Young people were being criminalized and pulled into the justice system

年輕人因為在牆上塗鴨

for putting their art on walls.

而被視為罪犯繩之以法。

So this gave them a safe space to practice their craft.

因此這個做法讓他們 有個安全的空間發揮技藝。

They allocated 400,000 dollars to renovating parks,

他們分配了四十萬美金修復公園，

to make them more accessible for all people of all bodies.

讓各種不同身體狀況的人 更容易去使用公園。

Now, admittedly,

無可否認，

this didn't go as smoothly as we had planned.

這並沒有我們計畫的那麼順利。

Right before we broke ground on the park,

就在我們要在公園動工前，

we actually found out that it was on top of an archaeological site

我們發現公園位在考古地點上方，

and had to halt construction.

因此必須將工程停下來。

I thought I broke PB.

我以為我把 PB 搞砸了。

But because the city was so committed to the project,

但因為這個城市相當投入這個計畫，

that's not what happened.

結果並沒有搞砸。

They invited community in to do a dig,

他們邀請社區進去做挖掘，

protected the site,

保護那個地點，

found artifacts,

找到了文物，

extended Boston's history

延伸了波士頓的歷史，

and then moved forward with the renovation.

接著才繼續進行修繕。

If that isn't a reflection of radical imagination in government,

如果那還沒有反映出 政府的激進想像力，

I don't know what is.

我實在不知道那算什麼了。

What sounds simple

聽起來很簡單，

is actually transformational for the people and communities involved.

事實上卻為相關的人 及社區帶來轉變。

I'm seeing community members shape transportation access,

我看到社區成員 設法改善交通的使用，

improve their schools

改良他們的學校，

and even transform government buildings,

甚至將政府大樓轉型，

so that there is space inside of them for them.

在大樓中設置給他們使用的空間。

Before we had PB,

在我們有 PB 之前，

I would see people who look like me

我會看到像我這樣的人，

and come from where I come from

和我來自一樣的地方，

walk in to government buildings for this new initiative

他們為了這個新動議

或者那個新工作群組 而走進政府大樓，

or that new working group,

and then I'd watch them walk right back out.

接著，我會看著他們再走出來。

Sometimes I wouldn't see them again.

有時，我不會再見到他們。

It's because their expertise was being unvalued.

那是因為他們的長處沒有被重視。

They weren't truly being engaged in the process.

他們沒有真正參與到過程。

Put PB is different.

PB 則不同。

When we started doing PB,

開始做 PB 時，

I met amazing young leaders across the city.

我在城市各處都見過 出色的年輕領導者。

One in particular, a rock star, Malachi Hernandez,

特別是一位搖滾樂巨星，

十五歲的馬拉凱 · 赫南德茲，

15 years old,

came into a community meeting --

他走進社區會議——

shy, curious, a little quiet.

很害羞，很好奇，有點文靜。

Stuck around

他留下來了，

and became one of the young people hoping to lead the project.

成為希望能領導 這個計畫的年輕人之一。

Now fast-forward a couple of years.

把時間快轉幾年。

Malachi was the first in his family to attend college.

馬拉凱是他的家庭中 第一個上大學的人。

A couple of weeks ago,

幾週前，

he was the first in his family to graduate.

他是他們家第一個從大學畢業的人。

Malachi has appeared

馬拉凱曾經數次

in the Obama White House several times

出現在歐巴馬的白宮，

as part of the My Brother's Keeper initiative.

因為他是「守護我兄弟」 計畫的一份子。

President Obama even quotes Malachi in interviews.

歐巴馬總統在訪談時 甚至引用馬拉凱的話。

It's true, you can look it up.

是真的，你可以去查。

Malachi got engaged, stayed engaged,

馬拉凱參與了，且一直涉入其中，

and is out here changing the way we think about community leadership

正在努力改變我們對於

社區領導能力及潛力的看法。

and potential.

Or my friend Maria Hadden,

還有我的朋友瑪莉亞 · 海登，

who was involved in the first PB process in Chicago.

她參與了芝加哥的 第一個 PB 流程。

Then went on to become a founding

接著變成了創始 PB 計畫

participatory budgeting project board member,

委員會成員，

eventually a staff member,

最終成為幕僚，

and then unseated a 28-year incumbent,

接著讓二十八歲的在任者下台，

becoming the first queer Black alderperson

成為芝加哥史上

in Chicago's history.

第一個酷兒黑人市議員。

That's real engagement.

那是真正的參與。

That's being taken seriously.

那是被認真看待。

That's building out and building on community leadership.

那是將社區領導能力發揚光大。

That's system change.

那是體制改變。

And it's not just in the US either.

且並不只是在美國。

After starting 30 years ago in Brazil,

PB 於三十年前始於巴西，

PB has spread to over 7,000 cities across the globe.

之後便散播到全球七千多個城市。

In Paris, France,

在法國巴黎，

the mayor puts up five percent of her budget,

市長將她的預算撥出 5%，

over 100 million euros,

超過一億歐元，

for community members to decide on and shape their city.

讓社區成員決定要如何 塑造他們的城市。

Globally, PB has been shown to improve public health,

在全球各地，

已經可以看到 PB 改善了公共衛生，

reduce corruption

減少了貪腐，

and increase trust in government.

並增加了對政府的信任。

Now we know the challenges that we face in today's society.

現在我們知道在現今社會中 要面臨的難題是什麼。

How can we expect people to feel motivated,

我們怎麼可能期望大家會有動力、

to show up to the polls

會去投票？

when they can't trust that government is run by and for the people.

畢竟他們都無法相信政府

是由人民運作、為人民運作的。

I argue that we haven't actually experienced

我認為我們尚未真正體驗過

true participatory democracy

真實的參與式民主，

in these United States of America just yet.

在美國各州還沒有。

But democracy is a living, breathing thing.

但民主是會呼吸、有生命的。

And it's still our birthright.

且仍然是我們與生俱來的權利。

It's time to renew trust, and that's not going to come easy.

該是重建信任的時候了， 且那不是件容易的事。

We have to build new ways of thinking,

我們必須要為它建立新的思考方式、

of talking, of working, of dreaming, of planning

說話方式、工作方式、 夢想方式、計畫方式。

in its place.

What would America look like if everyone had a seat at the table?

如果每個人都參與， 美國變成什麼樣子的？

If we took the time to reimagine what's possible,

如果我們花點時間 重新想像什麼是可能的，

and then ask, "How do we get there?"

接著問：「我們要如何做到？」

My favorite author, Octavia Butler, says it best.

我最喜歡的作家 奧克塔維雅 · 巴特勒說得最貼切。

In "Parable of the Sower," basically my Bible, she says,

她的書《撒種的比喻》基本上 算是我的聖經了，書上說：

"All that you touch You Change.

「凡是你觸碰到的都會被你改變。

All that you Change Changes you.

凡是被你改變的都會改變你。

The only lasting truth Is Change.

唯一不變的真理就是改變。

God Is Change."

神就是改變。」

It's time for these 50 states to change.

該是這五十州改變的時候了。

What got us here sure as hell won't get us there.

讓我們走到今天這個地步的方式， 不會讓我們達成那個目標。

We've got to kick the walls of power down

我們必須要打破權力的高牆，

and plant gardens of genuine democracy in their place.

種下真正民主的花園。

That's how we change systems.

那就是我們改變體制的方式。

By opening doors so wide

把門開得很大，

that people can't help but walk in.

讓大家不由自主就會走進去。

So what's stopping you

所以，是什麼阻止你

from bringing participatory budgeting to your community?

把 PB 帶入你的社區？