This paper asserts that the demographic changes of the 21st century promise a different arena for the practice of democratic leadership in United States social and educational institutions. The challenge for democratic leadership is to establish a positive and lasting relationship among all peoples who make up their local cooperative. The paper discusses the role of collaborative leadership, identifying the necessary conditions for successful collaboration and various models of ethical leadership. Ethical leadership inspires commitment and action, facilitates individual leadership through peer problem solving, builds broad-based involvement, and sustains hope and participation. In summary, if the appropriate people are brought together in constructive ways with access to good information, they will create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of the organization or community (D. Chrislip and C. Larson 1994). (Contains 12 references.) (LMI)