The greatest threat to American democracy has always been self-destruction. This remains true, as the events of January 6, 2021, showed. We saw what happens when a democracy becomes chronically deficient in public judgment: a high-quality state of public opinion that demonstrates thoughtfulness, awareness of tradeoffs, and the acceptance of…

But, the journey building tech for social good continues It is with both pride and tears to announce that today will be my last at Phone2Action. This moment is bittersweet because, while I am very excited about starting a new venture (updates about the new technology I am building will be posted here). I will miss my interactions with…

How to Have the Uncomfortable Political Conversations Democracy Demands Yesterday, Chileans voted to write a new national constitution, replacing the current one that dates to the military rule of General Augusto Pinochet. This transformative vote began over a year ago with mass (and sometimes destructive) protests. An opportunity for Chileans…

As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to spotlight the incredible work being done by Latinx innovators in the tech space. I set out to test the oft-repeated claim that the number of Latinx tech entrepreneurs is small, so I combed through existing resources online, asked social media…

-By Ximena Hartsock, co-founder of Phone2Action In a democracy, crises should start uncomfortable but with necessary discussions about what happened and how to move forward. The coronavirus pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, the wildfires in the west — these tragedies should initiate healthy debates and legislative responses. Unfortunately, these…

The Impact of a Tech Fellowship, Three Years Later By Ximena Hartsock Today is the day. Three years ago, Siddarth Kamath awoke early and traveled from his home in College Park to Arlington to start his first day in Phone2Action’s Civic Tech Fellowship Program. “I didn’t have the best start…

Civic Unity is the Answer to Coronavirus -By Ximena Hartsock, co-founder and President of Phone2Action Today, people around the world are united by their isolation. We are at home to protect the most vulnerable among us from COVID-19. This physical distancing will save lives and spare our health care systems…

A New Citizen is Emerging. Will it Strengthen or Kill Democracy? The week of October 7, I woke up each morning to discover that my native country, Chile, was devolving further into chaos. A paragon of economic success and political stability in South America, Chile seemed an unlikely place for…

PERSPECTIVE | The job market punishes mothers and rewards fathers —