April De Simone Explores the Impact of the "Practice of Democracy" and "Democracy is.."

Everything Co-op with Vernon Oakes

July 24, 2024 Vernon interviews April De Simone, founder of the Practice of Democracy (PoD). Vernon and April explore how her initiatives, particularly in affordable cooperative-mutualist housing, have expanded and influenced the broader objectives of PoD. April De Simone, the founder of the Practice of Democracy, and curator of Democracy is..., is a transdisciplinary designer who operates at the nexus of social dynamics and spatial design. She explores the interplay between built environments and the communities that inhabit them. Her work fosters a profound comprehension of how inequity and dehumanization are manifested and perpetuated within spaces. Collaborating with a variety of stakeholders, she reshapes spatial practice opportunities to embed democratic values into the environments and systems we create. An esteemed speaker, facilitator, and board member, April's influence extends across equity and design matters. Recognized by Enterprise Community Partners as one of their Impactful 40, she is also a Dean Merit Scholar and holds a Master of Science in Design and Urban Ecologies from Parsons School of Design. The Practice of Democracy (PoD) is prototyping an immersive online experience. PoD strongly believes the more we expose and educate one another to build shared-value understanding, the more we can collectively advance democratic rights and values. These stories located within a neighborhood can be represented both digitally and physically. Democracy is… is a public engagement campaign calling for our collective attention and action in understanding how democratic values are represented through the environments and systems we plan and design.