Hi members,

In this February member update, find more information on the next member workshops on AI strategy and policy, the news regarding the 2025 convening, and welcome new members.

2025 Member Convening canceled

We want to thank all of you for your support regarding our decision to cancel the 2025 People Powered convening. It was an extremely tough decision, especially because we value so much being together with all of you, and because we were truly happy that this would happen in Kenya. We are confident that we will be able to come together and help each other as a community to face the challenges posed by the recent US government’s foreign funding freeze.

We’ll be planning additional workshops and activities to partly replace the in-person convening, so we’ll still get to spend some time together! We aim to have the next convening in 2026, and we will be sharing additional information on that when we can.

Member workshops: AI Strategies & Policies
February 24 and 27: How should we use AI in our work?

Join the next People Powered member event to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with incorporating AI tools into your organization and workflow. We will address questions including:

  • As AI tools continue to rapidly evolve and proliferate, how should participatory democracy organizations respond? 

  • What opportunities and challenges does AI present to the future of our work and our organizations? 

  • How can we think strategically and deliberately about adapting to AI or incorporating it into our work? 

We’ll discuss pros and cons of integrating AI into our work, important factors to consider when developing AI policies and guidelines, and learn from each other about how we have collectively begun to adapt to this new reality and how we can mindfully and proactively adapt to stay relevant and maximize the impacts of our work.

📅 Date: February 24, 2025
⏰ Time: 8–9 AM ET / 2–3 PM CET
📍 Location: Zoom

📅 Date: February 27, 2025
⏰ Time: 12–1 PM ET / 6—7 PM CET
📍 Location: Zoom

Community Updates

Webinar on February 18:
Unlock the potential of AI for Digital Democracy and navigate its threats

Join the next People Powered webinar on how AI is shaping the future of participatory democracy.

 How can we harness its transformative potential while addressing the challenges it presents? Join our upcoming webinar to explore how these advancements are redefining digital democracy and participation. Gain knowledge on how to take advantage of new tools and resources to run powerful participatory programs!


📅 Date: February 18, 2025
⏰ Time: 9-10 a.m. ET / 3–4 PM CET
📍 Location: Zoom and LinkedIn Live

Opportunities

European Union Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme: Call for proposals

CERV has opened a call aiming to support transnational projects and activities directly involving citizens in the European Union. This call covers a broad range of policy areas that contribute to the promotion of EU values, rule of law, gender equality, and fundamental rights and democracy. Projects should be about the support of democratic participation and propose practical solutions. Note that project applications must involve at least two applicants from two different eligible countries.

The deadline is April 29, and there will be an online information session on February 20. 

People Powered members have been discussing collaborations for applying to this funding opportunity. Join the conversation in our PP member whatsapp group, or write to alisa@peoplepowered.org

Updates from members

Welcome to our newest members!

We are excited to introduce six new organizational members and four new individual members this month! Here’s some information about them:

Just a reminder that you can access the Member Directory Airtable via this link. Use the password PPmembers24 to log in!

Organization members:

  • Iswe Foundation, based in the United Kingdom, is an independent democracy innovation centre dedicated to making governance systems work for people and the planet. Their initiatives include establishing a permanent Global Citizens’ Assembly, developing an online platform to support local citizens’ assemblies globally, and building support for political systems change. Claire Mellier is the contact.

  • Datalat Foundation, based in Quito, Ecuador, is dedicated to promoting digital rights through technology, research, and fostering a data-driven culture. Datalat focuses on areas such as digital democracy, gender and diversity, sustainability, and AI and digital rights. They have developed data governance models and digital solutions to enhance citizen participation and strengthen digital transformation across Ecuador and Latin America. Julio Lopez is the contact.

  • Unang Hakbang Foundation (UHF) based in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, specializes in children and youth rights in poor communities. UHF is the coordinator of the Peace Security and Governance Working Group of the SDG Stakeholders Chamber organized by the National Economic Development Authority and proposed and organized the first consultation with children on the National Action Plan. The contact is Olie Lucas.

  • Pratt Center for Community Development, based in New York City, United States, collaborates with community-based groups, small businesses, and policymakers to promote more just, equitable, and sustainable communities. Their work includes providing research, facilitation, participatory planning, and policy advocacy to address racial, social, and economic inequities. The contact is Alexa Kasdan.

  • ProSociedad, based in Guadalajara, Mexico, a sustainable development agency that seeks to positively impact the communities of Mexico and Latin America through the strengthening of development agents.Through advocacy, capacity-building, and participatory methodologies such as participatory-policy making and participatory planning, ProSociedad empowers individuals and institutions to drive meaningful change. The contact is Ana Magdalena Rodríguez Romero.

  • Prossima Democrazia, based in Firenze, Italy, is a leading association in Italy dedicated to deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies. They focus on promoting democratic innovation and deliberative participation through design, implementation, dissemination, training, and research activities. Their primary objectives include fostering a culture of democratic innovation, implementing deliberative participation projects, and research to advance these processes. The contact is Stefano Sotgiu.

Individual members:

  • Ana Luisa de Moraes Azenha is a political scientist having worked on expanding educational and professional opportunities for low-income communities and refugee integration. She is also an active member of Sor Juanas, a feminist Latin American collective in Berlin, where she leads the Maternidades project, supporting foreign mothers in Germany. Currently based in Berlin, she is a PhD researcher at Humboldt University of Berlin and the University of Konstanz.

  • Kasereka Kagheni Samuel is the Director of the Program Department at Aide et Action pour la Paix and has over a decade of experience in project cycle planning and management. He has led many participatory climate governance initiatives as a graduate of People Powered’s Climate Democracy Accelerator. He is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • Sofía Valdez Franco is an advocate for participatory democracy and social justice, with extensive experience in civic engagement and public policy. As an Analyst of Participatory Processes, Sofía designs and implements strategies to ensure meaningful civic involvement in public policy at Secretaría de Participación Ciudadana in Monterrey, Mexico. 

  • David Pulido is a specialist in public participation and policy advocacy, focusing on open government and civil society collaboration. At the Secretaría de Participación Ciudadana del Gobierno del Estado de Nuevo León, he leads the Public Policy Directorate, overseeing participatory processes, training, and open government initiatives in Mexico.

Join us in offering a warm welcome to our newest members. We look forward to engaging and learning from them.

We hope you have a great February, and we look forward to seeing you soon at one or more of these events!

The People Powered team