In collaboration with the International House at UC San Diego, the San Diego Diplomacy Council is proud to offer another discussion in our Global Leaders Online Forum series. This time, we will discuss Democracy in Crisis: Elections, Social Media, and Youth Activism. Joining us are three esteemed panelists; Jonathan Stonestreet from the Carter Center, Alessandra Soler, a Human Rights lawyer from Venezuela and alumna of the U.S Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in San Diego, and May Thach, a Master Student at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego and voter activist in the local Vietnamese community.

Stonestreet has spent much of his life devoted to mitigating democracy and human rights concerns around the world. He began his career working as an election consultant in various countries, including Albania, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Tunisia, and Ukraine. Stonestreet then held a pivotal position at OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), an institution devoted to protecting human rights, freedom of the press, and fair elections. Currently, Stonestreet serves as Associate Director of The Carter Center’s Democracy Program.

Alessandra Soler previously held two esteemed positions at the Venezuelan human rights organization Civilis, Human Rights as both an Attorney and Coordinator of International Relations. She now is a candidate for an MA in International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs of the George Washington University.

May Thach is a second year Master of International Affairs student with a focus on International Development and Nonprofit Management, and a specialization in Southeast Asia region at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego. Ms. Thach is currently an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Fellow at the school, where she is building a mentorship program to support UCSD’s underrepresented student population. Before pursuing her Masters degree, May was in the Peace Corps in Zambia for 3.5 years.

We are honored to have the opportunity to discuss such timely topics with these three individuals. Stonestreet and Soler and Thach have the experience to provide us with a wealth of knowledge, situate the global situation in our local San Diegan climate, and be an excellent sounding board for all your insights and questions.

Register Here