The George & Judy Marcus Democracy Praxis Fund
Supporting civil discourse in a divisive political climate
Praxis. There couldn’t be a more fitting word for a philanthropic endeavor that sustains America’s democratic principles. Like democracy, the word praxis has Greek roots, referring to the act of putting theory into practice. And it is the name of the fund created for the Miller Center by Greek-born George Marcus and his wife, Judy.
“Judy and I are proud to lend our support in these challenging times,” said Marcus, who founded Marcus & Millichap in Calabasas, California, one of the largest commercial real estate brokerage firms in the United States. “Accurate information and real-time analysis provide a climate in which democracy can thrive. I applaud and support the Miller Center’s efforts around rebuilding public trust in our shared democratic institutions.”
The George and Judy Marcus Democracy Praxis Fund was established in December 2019 to help the Miller Center provide substantive, historical, and fact-based context directly to government officials and the public. In particular, Praxis funds support facilitating civil discourse on issues that matter, with voices from across the political spectrum.
Since then, Praxis dollars have been put toward a variety of media projects, including a documentary about George H. W. Bush that the Center co-produced with VPM. Statecraft: The Bush 41 Team originally aired nationally on PBS and is now available on Amazon Prime. For the film, the Praxis Fund financed the many interviews with former Bush officials and other policy experts.
Praxis also has helped bring dozens of events to the public, viewable on-demand, and has funded website enhancements that give current events the historical context for which the Miller Center is known.
Projects supported by the Praxis Fund
Featured Video
David Brooks: The moral ecology of American democracy
The Praxis Fund supports the annual James C. Lehrer Lecture, which in 2023 was delivered by New York Times columnist David Brooks
