In Poland, a game called Democracy Cake has provided young children an interactive opportunity to delve into values and ideas that make up the core of democracy.
At schools where educators are coming up with new methods to encourage civic participation, one program in Poland has taken a unique approach, implementing an educational board game that can be used universally to engage children around the core values of democracy.
Developed by Norwegian NGO, Democracy Cake – Recipe for Democracy was designed to build upon existing elementary school curriculums to educate children on the building blocks of democracy and how it has shaped our society. Through a series of interactive games and sessions, children gradually unveil the core values that make up our democratic processes and understand for themselves the fundamental role democracy plays in society.
In the game, children have the opportunity to engage with democratic principles and learn skills needed to succeed in school and beyond. Participants gather the ingredients that are inherent in democracy, piecing these elements together to create a “democracy pie.” All components must be placed in chronological order, and must be discussed and agreed upon by the team.
The game itself requires constant collaboration and communication, and all decisions around the pie-building are made in the space together. The main goal of the game is to collectively build a democratic state in a society, which turns into a pie in the game environment through collectively “mixing” and “baking” different ingredients until the pie is wholly complete.
As the game has set out to teach children through hands-on, interactive education, Democracy Cake has made a difference in the lives of children by inspiring curiosity through creative, purposeful play. Funding for Democracy Cake comes from the U.S. Department of State, as part of a 2019 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) project grant awarded to IVLP alumna Natalia Kertyczak. The project encourages civic participation among youth in Poland and Ukraine via the “Democracy Cake” board game, with teachers submitting civic education lesson plans for a chance to win copies of the board game for their students.
Currently, 250 copies of the game have been published in Ukraine, which will be distributed to public organizations, school teachers, and human rights coaches. The team aims to expand its audience by reaching 50,000 beneficiaries and distributing 1,000 copies of the game to 250 institutions in each country, ultimately serving more children and instilling in them the confidence needed to succeed in their own communities.
How do you think ahead of the curve, especially in a pandemic?
Educator, entrepreneur, and Gilman Scholarship exchange alumna Bianca Alvarado was tackling online education well before COVID-19 upended education in the United States. What guided her? A strong sense of community and her cross-cultural, cross-border upbringing: Bianca grew up on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bianca joined us on MentorTalks on Friday, November 20, 2020 to discuss her career as entrepreneur and founder of La Casa Azul, a non-profit organization that aims to equip Hispanic youth with the technology skills necessary to succeed in a career in digital media and content creation. With the transition from in-person workshops to an online learning structure in light of the the global pandemic, Bianca credits the AlumniTIES seminar, “Stronger American Cities: Closing the Skills Gap and Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems,” for encouraging her to think ahead and shift toward an online learning environment ahead of the curve.
As we celebrate International Education Week and Global Entrepreneurship Week, Bianca shared how she has drawn on her exchange experiences to build a career as an online pioneer. She also spoke on the lessons she learned throughout her program. Her biggest advice was for those starting out in their careers: to not wait, to pursue their ambitions, and to seek out mentors early on.
Bianca also highlighted the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone, emphasizing that while it’s often hard to know which questions to ask, “once you connect with those resources, we’re here and open to collaborating.”
Learn more about our speaker:
Bianca Alvarado
Founder, Baja Urban and Casa Azul; Educator
Bianca Alvarado is an educator and an entrepreneur, and a self described “online pioneer.” Originally from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border, Bianca has used her formative experiences to inform her career and community development projects. She is the founder of Baja Urban, a publishing company that creates multicultural and socially conscious books and media. She is also the founder of Casa Azul, a program designed to train Hispanic youth in digital media and technology in the border town of Chula Vista, California, that was started through an Alumni TIES grant. On top of this, she has several “spin-off” businesses and is a Spanish language teacher in Chula Vista.
Bianca is a Gilman Scholarship recipient to Uruguay. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from San Diego State University in International Relations and her Master of Arts in Social Innovation from the University of San Diego.
She is a community leader with over 7 years of experience engaging in projects related to community development, STEM, and workforce development. Bianca uses her diverse and multidisciplinary background in working with nonprofits, technology, and education as an eLearning specialist and consultant.
This year in history: an exchange alumnus served at the center of the Nuremberg Trials.
This year in history, at the center of the Nuremberg Trials, an Exchange Alumnus served as one of the prosecutors. His name? Robert G. Storey, a veteran of World War I and II, and a distinguished lawyer.
This year, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and of Nuremberg, a series of tribunals held after the war to prosecute Nazi leaders for crimes against humanity. Four Allied countries -- France, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom -- formed the backbone for the tribunal; they contributed high-ranking judges and prosecution teams to the trials, including Storey and his prosecutor colleagues.
Storey served as executive trial counsel for Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson. His work and that of other Allied legal teams prosecuting high-ranking Nazi and Gestapo leaders helped set the precedent for modern international and human rights law.
Their efforts uncovered 3,000 tons of evidence that documented the Nazis’ war crimes and atrocities committed throughout the war.
For his contributions to the development of humanitarian and international law during the Nuremberg trials, Storey was awarded the U.S. Medal of Freedom and French Legion of Honor.
Following the trials, Storey continued his work in expanding the practice of international law through several notable leadership roles, starting with serving as the dean of the S.M.U. Law School in 1947 and developing the school into an “international legal center.” He founded the Southwestern Legal Association in 1947 and served as its President until 1972. During this time, he also held the position of President in several prominent organizations, including the State Bar from 1948-1949; the American Bar Association from 1952-1953; and, the Inter-American Bar Association from 1954-1956.
Robert G. Storey died on January 16, 1981, leaving behind a legacy of justice, peace, and integrity that lives on through the practice and ideals of modern international and humanitarian law today.
This story was contributed by Julia M. Stewart, who is doing a Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) internship, in the Office of Alumni Affairs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, at the U.S. Department of State.
Doug Mitchell, Founder/Project Director of NPR's Next Generation Radio, and Fulbright alumnus Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie share their experiences and career tips.
Doug Mitchell, Founder/Project Director of NPR's Next Generation Radio and Fulbright Commission/Fulbright Specialist alumnus, and Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie, an international education professional and a Fulbright Scholar alumnus, joined us on MentorTalks on November 12, 2020, sharing their tips on how to tap into the power of exchange programs to advance career goals. In the lead up to International Education Week 2020, these two exchange alumni spoke about their Fulbright experiences in Chile and Malaysia, respectively, and how it shaped and advanced their careers. Doug and Jordyn also discuss mentors in their lives, as well as how they are encouraging the next generation of mentors.
International Education Week (IEW) celebrates the importance and benefits of international education in the U.S. and around the world, and is celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. IEW is particularly relevant in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of international education and building global relationships has never been greater.
You can learn more about the wide variety of exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at exchanges.state.gov, and choose your section: U.S. or non-U.S.
U.S. citizens can also tap into languages.state.gov to find an exchange program that fits their needs.
Learn more about our speakers:
Doug Mitchell
Founder and Project Director, NPR's Next Generation Radio
Doug is the Founder and Director of NPR's "Next Generation Radio" a series of one-week digital media training programs targeting college students and early career professionals. Doug is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Center of Collaborative Journalism, a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Press Institute, and a program consultant with the International Women's Media Foundation. Doug also advises two podcast startups, each founded and led by long-time Latina mentees. Doug is the 2020 recipient of the Online News Association "Community Award. In addition, he's done three international fellowships: with the International Center for Journalists in 1997; U.S. State Department Visiting Professorship in 2003; and, Fulbright Senior Specialist in 2007.
Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie
International Education Professional and Fulbright Malaysia Alumnus
Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie is an international education professional. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Jordyn graduated from Hampton University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Minor in Leadership Studies in May 2017. He served as a Congressional Intern in the Office of the Speaker, under former Speaker Paul Ryan, prior to departing for Malaysia for eleven months to teach English and serve as a cultural ambassador with the Fulbright Program. Additionally, during his time in Malaysia, he traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and represented the United States delegation at the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR), where his team won the World Bank Malaysia case competition for optimizing digital platforms to increase financial literacy and education. He currently resides in Kansas City, MO where he stays actively involved with NAFSA, the United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City, and the International Relations Council.
U.S. and international exchange alumni gathered for the first-ever global TIES to strengthen democracies through media literacy education ahead of Media Literacy Week 2020.
When the Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminar (Alumni TIES) program gathered for “Shaping the Global Narrative on Media Literacy,” the seminar experienced its first truly global assembly, with 55 participants from 39 different countries across six world regions. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a swift transition from an in-person to a virtual meeting – a change that allowed for a more international seminar and more diversity in the range of speakers and participants. In-depth conversations with media literacy experts, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of State, helped to identify current challenges and strategize cross-regional solutions to strengthen democracies through media literacy education.
The five-day seminar, which took place October 5-9, 2020, was guided by expertise brought in by exchange alumna Michelle Lipkin and partnering organization National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). The seminar gave exchange alumni from a variety of professions – from university professors, primary school educators, local government employees, and journalists, to founders of small businesses and nonprofit organizations – an opportunity to share ideas on how best to tackle specific media literacy issues in their local communities. As participant Amy Galea from Australia said, it was great “to see and hear about the wonderful work from so many [Alumni TIES Global participants] all over the world, who are passionate and working hard on such a vital aspect of freedom.
Alumni TIES Goes Virtual
Throughout the inaugural virtual seminar week, the 55 alumni participants had the opportunity to connect with thought leaders and experts in media literacy and to learn more about the U.S. Department of State’s programs that reflect a commitment to countering disinformation and increasing media literacy education in their countries and world regions. Participants heard from experts from the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), as well as representatives from within the private sector at Facebook, Tumblr, and NetFamilyNews who spoke about their respective organization's media literacy education initiatives and strategies for tackling misinformation.
During industry-specific breakout sessions, alumni also connected with representatives from PEN America, the Poynter Institute, ASU News Co/Lab at Arizona State University, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, MediaSmarts, I AM not the MEdia, Inc., New America, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, and the Center for Media and Information Literacy at Temple University on topics including cultivating diverse media representation and partnering with key stakeholders to advance media literacy in the political and educational arenas. These discussions helped to demonstrate why fair representation in the media is critical to public discourse and how we can teach youth and young adults to become more informed, ethical content creators.
The engaging conversations throughout the week, facilitated by Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, Executive Director of NAMLE, challenged participants to think about creating spaces to expand media literacy in limited internet access environments, lead educational workshops about the science of communication, develop intergenerational programs to increase digital skill capacity for people of all ages, and empower communities to be critical consumers, producers, curators, and sharers in the information ecosystem.
Alumni also had the chance to connect with speakers and one another in informal Zoom meetings to continue the conversation. During these sessions participants shared advice on tackling specific media literacy issues in their local communities, and pre-recorded workshop videos on the Alumni TIES Global website also allowed participants in different time zones to expand their knowledge and awareness, covering topics on identifying and countering hate speech, developing healthy online and offline engagement habits, and understanding the influence of media on children.
At the conclusion of the seminar week, senior producer at Reuters Fact Check Christina Anagnostopoulos spoke about using media literacy to navigate misinformation spread through social media, while emphasizing the importance of possessing a critical mind when distinguishing disinformation in a social media-focused world. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Aleisha Woodward of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State concluded the seminar by speaking on how media literacy has the capacity to strengthen democracies around the world and how alumni from U.S. exchange programs are vital in the effort to expand and grow media literacy.
What’s Next?
This fall’s Alumni TIES left participants recharged as they seek to enact initiatives within their own communities by applying for an Alumni TIES small grant. Zoila Gonzalez, from Belize, noted that she found the shared resources, tools, and strategies vital for bringing awareness to media literacy and that she “learned a lot and will share these resources with educators and colleagues in [her] country.” Horacio Borgen, from Nicaragua, reflected on the events of the seminar, noting, “Learning, but above all implementing media literacy is a commitment that we have to make as a society, it is a way to develop as a country, it is our duty as citizens as well.”
This five-day seminar sparked a sense of excitement from a global network of exchange alumni working in media literacy to build on existing partnerships and continue to learn from one another. Imparted with knowledge to transform their own local communities, participants were equipped with skills and resources to evolve the landscape of media literacy education to be inclusive, far-reaching, and global.
Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES) are events exclusively for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored or funded exchange programs. These events provide an opportunity for exchange program alumni to learn about key regional issues, receive training, collaborate with fellow alumni, and apply for small grants to implement seminar-related projects in their home communities. Learn more about TIES, as well as past seminars here.
