The Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) is a non-partisan organization committed to identifying and combating threats to freedom in the U.S. and around the world. Although based on a moderate political perspective, its leadership consists of individuals from a variety of ideological backgrounds and it has published content spanning the political spectrum. It was founded in 2017 by former World Chess Champion and Russian dissident Garry Kasparov, and its board is made up of people ranging from center-left to center-right including Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Bob Kerrey, Pulitzer Prize-winners Bret Stephens and Anne Applebaum, Congressman Mickey Edwards, former RNC Chairman Michael Steele, and former World Poker Champion Annie Duke, among others.

Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion (1985–2000), political activist and writer. His peak FIDE chess rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in 2013. From 1984 until his retirement from regular competitive chess in 2005, Kasparov was ranked world no. 1 for a record 255 months overall. Kasparov also holds records for the most consecutive professional tournament victories (15) and Chess Oscars (11).