“My Daily Constitution� (MDC) started as a public art project by Linda Pollack, included in the exhibition "Democracy When?" at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions in Hollywood in May, 2002.
The project brings together leading innovators, the People, and the U.S. Constitution, providing an opportunity for the U.S. Constitution to be brought to life through Constitution Cafés and other programming. The series has been held in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle.
The project was a response to the political and cultural climate in the United States after the initial shock of 9/11 and the passage of the USA Patriot Act.
“The idea,� says Pollack, “is to break away from the dynamics of the large lecture hall and create a space where individuals and communities can become active participants in a dialogue about our democracy. Our Constitution, our democracy, is about interpretation-- and interpretation means a collective, active dialogue, not just passive consumers and lawmaking producers. The U.S. Constitution is a living document, part of our quotidian life, influencing us in both large and small ways daily."
During the early 1990s, working in Europe, Pollack witnessed both the brutal collapse of democracy during the civil war in former Yugoslavia and the work of NGOs such as the European Cultural Foundation to strengthen civil processes. She saw both democracy’s fragility and its less newsworthy day-to-day effectiveness. Back in the U.S., as she watched the rapid changes in American law and culture post 9/11, Pollack became convinced that dialogue and citizen engagement are requirements for a vital, high-functioning democratic society.