The collaboration began when Filipino democratic advocate Jemhra Rose Garcia visited UVA last year to learn about DFP, an alliance of international democratic advocates, academics, policy makers, and students who support research that can impact current global struggles for democracy. Garcia is the founder of Project Pagsibol, which support grassroots communities through capacity development and civic education to empower people’s organizations and community members to become champions of grassroots democracy, driving positive change from within their communities. Garcia has actively engaged in solidarity work with local and international organizations, working towards a shared vision of advancing human rights and democratic values, particularly in Southeast Asia. “I believe that true change happens when people are given the space to voice their thoughts and contribute their best efforts. I am dedicated to building an equitable, green, and peaceful society where empowered citizens actively participate in shaping their future," she said.
Global Democracy Brief: Care at the Core
Global Democracy Brief: Care at the Core
he world seems increasingly attracted to authoritarian solutions for pressing political issues, such as climate change, ethnic violence, and economic turmoil. In the Philippines, however, the next generation is actively building the organizations, campaigns, and movements to rebuild a democratic civic sphere. Over the past year, UVA’s Democratic Futures Project (DFP) has enabled undergraduate students to support and document these efforts, most recently through the publication of Care at the Core: The Power of People in the Grassroots.
Garcia’s Project Pagsibol and DFP soon joined forces to create a year-long research project that would explore attitudes towards democracy in rural farming and fishing villages. Based on this research, the decision was made to create a civic-engagement workshop curriculum for use in these areas with the goal of seeding the idea that democracy provided the tools to create a more responsive government. Garcia then worked with UVA student Amirah Radwan (Foreign Affairs) to create these workshop materials, which were then used fishing areas, such as Negros Occidental, a municipality in the Philippines. When the workshops concluded, Garcia wrote to thank UVA “for helping us reach out to these rural communities and providing us key resources to tap into people's organizations' potential to work for good and become champions of grassroots democracy.”
Garcia asked DFP to find UVA students who could help produce a book which would tell their story. Soon Umar Luqman (Economics and Computer Science), Ahryanna McGuirk (first year DFP Student Fellow), Pratha Purushottam (Political Philosophy, Policy and Law), J.J. Yumul (Foreign Affairs) and, returning to the work, Amirah Radwan were interviewing youth advocates and their elders on the struggle to build a democracy committed to human rights. Collectively, the advocates voices reflected how each generation responded crises in democracy. And consistently, elders recognized the unique challenges as well as accomplishments of the generation now taking up the struggle. It is now their turn, elders argued, to support the democratic aspirations of those in rural villages, fishing communities, and urban centers.
The experience of working with Garcia on Care at the Core gave students a grounding in real world questions about democracy. Radwan noted, “The project taught me that democracy is not a static system, but an evolving process that requires constant vigilance and participation. It also reminded me that democracy cannot be imported or imposed – it must emerge from the efforts of the people it serves.”
It was also personal for some. McGuirck said that working on the book gave her the opportunity to engage with her Filipino culture and her interest in human rights. “I was able to do what I love - write and listen to stories - in a way that was much more meaningful than an assignment I would complete for a teacher in a class. I wrote for a purpose that had meaning to me and to those for whom I was writing."
Reflecting on her experience, Purushottam said that working on this project reshaped her understanding of democracy and human rights, showing her that these ideals are not confined to the U.S. or any single framework. “The conversations I had with the Filipino activists challenged my assumptions and highlighted the power of grassroots action and the complexities of transitional justice,” she described. "Their perspectives reminded me that democracy is an evolving, global effort rooted in inclusivity, collaboration, and accountability. These are lessons that resonate deeply with my academic studies and personal growth, especially as I begin writing my thesis about such topics and look for jobs in the field of human rights and global democracy."
