Meet three new People Powered team members!
/Three new team members recently joined People Powered with combined expertise in operations, communications and climate democracy. Check out their bios on our staff page and read their responses to some fun questions below.
Ioana Sirca Belintan, People and Operations Manager
Now living in London, but originally from Romania, Ioana (pronounced you-wanna) brings to People Powered expertise in fundraising, program management and organizational policy, as well as workplace organizing. She is supporting our organization as it grows and develops as a young organization.
What do you think will be the most exciting part of your job at People Powered?
People Powered is a young organization with great impact to date, having been deeply shaped by the many members it serves across the world. This is already a unique model! As People Powered enters a new phase of strategic transformation, it will be both humbling and exciting to support the team and our members as we grow in strength to achieve our ambition to build people-powered governments that rise to the challenges of the day.
What’s your most-used productivity hack?
In Romanian, there's a saying that “frequent breaks are the key to big success.” I try to take short breaks every hour throughout the working day: moving around, performing a little dance, making a hot drink or just going outside for some fresh air. It gives my mind time to disconnect from what I'm doing and return with renewed focus and energy.
To what city/place have you traveled that you would most like to return and why?
I lived in Quito for three to four months more than a decade ago and on my walk to work every day, I would gasp at the massive mountain ranges and smoking volcanoes surrounding the city. I would love to go back and see how the city landscape has transformed and what stories it tells about the country and its people.
What is a book/movie that you found influential to your thinking?
“Women who Run with the Wolves” by psychoanalyst Clarissa Pinkola Estes is a very long but extremely deep and insightful immersion into womanhood and the female psyche through ancient legends, myths, fairy tales and songs from cultures across the world. It was both a pleasure and a pain to get through, but I came out of it having understood myself better.
What languages do you speak?
I speak Romanian (my mother tongue), English (the language I live in), German (the language of my youth, since I had a German education from kindergarten through high school), and Spanish (the language closest to my native one, which I picked up along the years).
Ryan Ong, Communications Coordinator
Based in Malaysia, Ryan is deeply passionate about sparking conversations on governance, inclusion and social justice, with a keen focus on marginalized communities and the Global South. At People Powered, Ryan supports communication efforts to make the community’s work more visible.
What do you think will be the most exciting part of your job at People Powered?
I look forward to finding innovative ways to communicate our work at People Powered and to connect with new audiences, especially in the Global South.
What’s your most-used productivity hack?
Virtual body doubling. The idea is that you co-work alongside somebody else, and it helps both of you stay on task. Sites like Focusmate are perfect for this, and I find it indispensable as someone who works on a remote, global team.
To what city/place have you traveled that you would most like to return and why?
This may be cheating, but I’d have to say where we held our 2023 Members Convening: Mexico City! I fell in love with the rich culture, history and the tenacity of the activists doing groundbreaking work to improve their communities.
What is a book/movie that you found influential to your thinking?
I am drawn to the surreal books and films of Haruki Murakami and David Lynch, which weave together complex narratives of messy characters and present them in unexpected ways. I think it helps me to think of the surreal nature of our political systems today.
What languages do you speak?
I speak English, Malay and Hokkien Chinese, and I’m learning to speak Mandarin and Spanish (prioritizing both is a challenge!).
Zoë Wilkins, Climate Democracy Associate
Currently living in London, Zoë supports the participatory climate democracy work at People Powered. This includes the Climate Democracy Accelerator program, which supports civil society and government to design together plans for climate action. Zoë is excited to share the tools of participatory democracy to increase accessibility of decision-making on how we navigate the climate emergency.
What do you think will be the most exciting part of your job at People Powered?
I’m most excited about engaging with the wide variety of people, perspectives and challenges in the People Powered community, and especially to dive into the lessons and opportunities for participatory climate democracy.
What’s your most-used productivity hack?
For me, having a clear sense of priorities is key! This helps me figure out where I need to start and how to begin to dive in. In tough moments, I also find a timer helpful to put aside other distractions.
To what city/place have you traveled that you would most like to return and why?
I was very lucky to begin my time at People Powered at the Members Convening in Mexico City. I spent a little time there five years ago and loved both times, I would love to go back for an extended period to really explore and get to know the city.
What is a book/movie that you found influential to your thinking?
I read a lot of fiction, and really loved both Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels and Carson McCuller’s “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.” Both authors investigate and delve into the ways our relationships interact with, and are shaped by, wider political circumstances. They explore what it might mean to try to interact with these systems and how communities respond and are impacted.
What languages do you speak?
English is my first language, but as a Canadian, I grew up speaking French. More recently, I have picked up some Spanish too (but always looking for opportunities to practice!).