LOS ANGELES – January 6, 2026 by Nick Patsaouras
The UCLA premiere of “Dukakis: Recipe for Democracy,” a short documentary directed by Erin Trahan and Jeff Schmidt, offers film audiences a profound opportunity to reflect on a familiar figure in public life—Governor Michael Dukakis. The film presents him not as a campaign artifact of the past, but as a vibrant, continuing presence in our global civic fabric.
A Legacy in Action
The screening at UCLA is particularly fitting. Universities are places where ideas are tested over time, and where the value of a leader’s experience is weighed not by electoral outcomes alone, but by the habits of thought and action a life leaves behind.
Today, that legacy is more active than ever. As the Co-founder and Chairman of the Boston Global Forum (BGF), Governor Dukakis has transitioned from state leadership to global stewardship, guiding the development of the AI World Society (AIWS) and a New Social Contract for the AI Age.
Democracy as a Practice
The documentary captures Dukakis in his later years: teaching, walking his neighborhood, and making soup. The central metaphor—democracy as something that must be tended, prepared patiently, and shared—works because it is understated. It reminds us that democracy is not a spectacle, but a practice sustained by participation and care.
Governor Dukakis applies this same “patient tending” to the future of technology. As the Co-author of the landmark initiative and book, “America at 250: A Beacon for the AI Age,” he bridges the fundamental values of the American Revolution with the complexities of the 21st century. His work emphasizes that for AI to flourish, it must be anchored in the democratic principles of transparency, accountability, and human rights.
Consistency Over Calculation
For the Greek-American audience, and for a broader public concerned with the character of civic life, Michael Dukakis stands as an example of a life lived with consistency rather than calculation. He has remained “legible”—transparent and accessible—to supporters, critics, and students alike.
Whether he is teaching a class at UCLA or Northeastern, or chairing a global forum on AI ethics in Boston, his message remains the same: public service is fundamental to our life as a community.
Honoring the Future
In observing Dukakis, we honor something larger: the idea that democracy, like any enduring human project, is sustained by those willing to care for it over time. Through his leadership at the Boston Global Forum and his vision for America at 250, Governor Dukakis continues to prove that the “recipe” for democracy is an evolving one—one that now requires the integration of humanity’s quintessence with the power of Artificial Intelligence.
Ask yourself: what does each one of us have to offer to this changing theater of politics and technology? In Michael Dukakis, we find a steady, guiding light.
