From human-centered social networks to the Plentiverse with Meena Palaniappan
The future depends on our shared digital experiences creating cohesion and connection.
In this episode, Bill and Lauren engage in a conversation with Meena Palaniappan, the Founder, and CEO of Atma Connect, as she discusses her journey of building Atma Go, a tool for community change that operates on a hyperlocal level in Indonesia, Puerto Rico, and Ukraine.
Palaniappan introduces the concept of the ‘plentiverse,’ which contrasts the metaverse, and emphasizes the potential of technology in creating collective action and enabling every individual to become a change-maker in constructing a better world. This conversation showcases how Atma Connect is empowering individuals living in low income and vulnerable communities to take the lead in shaping their communities.
“What we really need is an algorithm for cohesion and connection - this is what needs to be built. AtmaGo has been an incredible hyperlocal tool for community change. And, now we are focused on building a new infrastructure for global collective action that creates real measurable change in communities, and new ways for money to flow to this real world impact.”
In this episode, we discuss:
[01:30] About Atma Connect
[05:00] How Atma Connect served communities in Indonesia and Puerto Rico during the pandemic
[08:29] How Atma Connect launched platform in Ukraine
[13:49] How Atma Connect is helping communities measure impact
[24:30] Meena introduces the concept of the ‘plentiverse’
[34:03] Meena unpacks the components of the ‘plentiverse’
Mentioned in this episode:
[Report] Ashoka ASPIRe: Leveraging Platforms for the Good of All
[Article] Thinking and Acting Like a Platform Will Help Social Entrepreneurs Create Impact at Scale
[Article] Can Twitter be “Nice”?
[Impact Report / Dashboard] Atma Connect
[Website] Atma Connect
[Facebook] Atma Connect
[Twitter] Atma Connect
About our guest:
Meena Palaniappan is the Founder and CEO of Atma Connect, an award-winning organization building the infrastructure for impact at scale. She is an Ashoka Fellow, Fulbright Fellow, named in Ideas that are Changing the World, and an awardee of the Million Lives Club.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenapalaniappan/
Atma Connect's goal is to connect over a billion people around the world living in vulnerable communities, so they might take collective action, advocate with governments and lead the way to the future we need.
Atma Connect is always looking for volunteers and advisors to work on product design and management challenges, as well as network business models.
Atma Connect is an international non-profit. You can make a donation to support their work here.
Call to Action(s):
If you liked this episode, check out: Building a Human-Centered Social Network with Meena Palaniappan and The Role of Friendship in Enhancing Virtual Experiences with Joi Podgorny
For more reflections about the intersection of community and human-centered design, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.
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