Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that is based in Washington, D.C.

History

AIDemocracy was founded by a group of American students who studied abroad just after the September 11th attacks. The students were traumatized by 9-11, but they were met with intense sympathy and solidarity from people from around the world. When these young Americans came back to the US, they were often asked why some people from around the world disagreed with American values. These students set up Americans for Informed Democracy to bring the world home to Americans, and to launch student dialogue and action around what the US role in the world should look like.

Work

AIDemocracy's strategy has three pillars:

• Education: AIDemocracy helps students understand key issues in environment, development, peace and security, and health, as well as the global system that frames these issues. Specific tactics include: creating an annual Network Platform and Report Card, issue training (issue briefs, coaching, webinars, toolkits, videoconferences, film screenings, speaker tours, etc.), and issue monitoring (blogs, new media and student Issue Analysts).

• Cultivation: AIDemocracy builds student leaders and organizers who understand not only the issues, but also their own power, how to organize others, and how to access decision-makers. Specific tactics include: advocacy, organizing and leadership trainings, and building a community of student leaders (regional and annual summits, participation in meetings and parallel events, network “weaving”).

• Mobilization: AIDemocracy creates and connects students to opportunities to take action, from the campus to the national level. In addition to promoting opportunities to take action through AIDemocracy and partner campaigns, they also support student campaigns on these issues. Tactics include: policymaker education and lobby visits, using the media (op-eds, LTEs, etc.), blogs, new media (Facebook, video, etc.), days of action, strategic coaching, etc.

A distinguishing characteristic of AIDemocracy is its emphasis on the interconnectedness of global issues. We play a critical bridging function, connecting concerned youth with a wide range of pressing global issues. We engage youth who will fight for nuclear nonproliferation, or funding for climate adaptation, because they understand them also as a means to end poverty or to empower women.

The organization has worked hard to engage diverse constituencies in its mission and programming, including students from the Citadel to UC Berkeley and celebrities from Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander to Pakistani rock star Salman Ahmad. AID's work has been mentioned in more than 500 media outlets from sources that cover politics and global affairs such as the New York Times, C-SPAN

C-SPAN

C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...

, CNN

CNN

Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

, and The Washington Post

The Washington Post

The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...

 to more unexpected sources such as Marie Claire

Marie Claire

Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and...

 and the Montel Williams

Montel Williams

Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...

 Show.

Supporters

AIDemocracy is supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund

Rockefeller Brothers Fund

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund , , is an international philanthropic organisation created and run by members of the Rockefeller family. It was set up in New York City in 1940 as the primary philanthropic vehicle of the five famous Rockefeller brothers: John D...

, Open Society Institute

Open Society Institute

The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...

, DarMac Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Connect US and its many participating universities.