The Open Book, an adult literacy program in Brooklyn, from 1985-2002, remains, for many of the students and staff involved, a defining experience in their lives, a time that allowed them to see different possibilities, for themselves and society. In an attempt to preserve the field's collective historical memory, the authors in this chapter explore participatory practices at the Open Book. Students' roles in shaping those practices are examined and reflections on the possibilities for building democratic communities in literacy programs, particularly in the current context, are included.