Libra Philanthropies Announces Inaugural Democracy Cohort to Empower Next-Generation Global Leaders

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Libra Philanthropies, established in 2023 by the Logothetis family as an independent 501(c)(3) foundation, dedicated to perpetuating and scaling the legacy of social responsibility initiatives carried out by our sister organization, Libra Group, over the past decade, is proud to announce the selection of its inaugural Changemakers: Democracy Cohort under its flagship program Rising Global Leaders. This specialized 9-month program is dedicated to supporting young leaders who are championing innovative solutions to strengthen democratic values and civic engagement worldwide.

The Democracy Cohort: A Multi-Dimensional Journey

This inaugural cohort brings together exceptional young leaders from all over the world who are operating at the intersection of social impact and democratic innovation. Over the next nine months, these changemakers will engage in a hybrid curriculum of expert-led workshops, 1:1 mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning designed to scale their initiatives and deepen their systemic impact.
The program is anchored by three core themes essential to modern democratic resilience:

Civic Education & Youth Empowerment: Encouraging active participation and leadership among the next generation of citizens.
Cross-Cultural Learning & Dialogue: Building bridges and fostering social cohesion in increasingly polarized environments.
Media Literacy & Addressing Misinformation: Equipping communities with the tools to navigate the digital landscape and combat harmful narratives.
Global Perspective, Local Impact

The members selected for the 2026 cohort represent diverse geographies and a wide variety of democratic contexts. Each leader is at the helm of a grassroots or community-rooted initiative:

Olamide Adekoya, Progressive Leadership Initiative Education Fund (PLIEF) | USA –
As a current college freshman, Olamide is dedicated to continuing the fight for equity and justice that she'd begun in high school. From leading initiatives that prioritized including the voices of minorities and advancing academic literacy gaps to being a Congressional intern, she has worked to ensure that administrators and other leaders work with young adults in supporting their ideas. Olamide now supports the Progressive Leadership Initiative Education Fund (PLIEF) which empowers diverse young people to become effective social justice leaders through immersive training and individualized coaching.

Petros Apostolakis, Youth Initiative Greece (Protovoulia Neon) | Greece – Petros has been among the youngest people to work in the Hellenic Parliament, gaining early experience in national policy processes. As a civic organizer and policy professional, his work centers on strengthening democratic institutions and empowering young people to actively shape public life. Petros is the CoFounder and Executive CoDirector of Youth Initiative Greece, one of the country’s largest non-partisan youth organizations, focused on democratic participation, social inclusion, and equal access to education.

Isabela Archbold Cardenas, Pragma | Colombia – Isabela is a Colombian social entrepreneur whose work sits at the intersection of technology, public policy, and community-led development. She founded Granitos de Arena Colombia to support locally driven solutions that strengthen civic engagement and expand access to nutrition, education, and clean water in vulnerable communities. Her latest initiative, Pragma, leverages AI to drive informed dialogue and increase transparency in government.

Siddhi Joshi, Citizens | India – Siddhi is a cultural exchange and social-impact activist from India whose work brings together youth leadership, gender justice, and creative advocacy, with a strong focus on amplifying Global South–centered narratives. Over the past nine years, Siddhi has worked across grassroots and international spaces, supporting young people to build skills, confidence, and agency through programs centered on empathy, inclusion, and social change. Siddhi currently supports Citizens, a youth-led movement that empowers global young leaders to drive positive change and collaborate to improve the state of the world.

Christian Loredo-Duran, Legacy Foundation | USA – Christian Loredo-Duran was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by his parents who immigrated to the United States from Guanajuato, México. As a first-generation college student, he recognizes the importance of creating spaces that welcome all stories and cultures. Driven to empower the next generation, he is the co-founder of the Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit that guides and supports high school students in Wyoming, Michigan, as they build their path to higher education and engage meaningfully in civic and community life.

Isabela Rivas Cardenas, Leading Roots | Colombia – Isabella is a Colombian lawyer and youth advisor leader elected through popular vote from Buenaventura, with a strong commitment to democracy, human rights, and social justice. She has represented youth voices at local and national levels, leading initiatives focused on civic participation, leadership development, and community empowerment. As a young Afro-Colombian woman, and the founder of Leading Roots, her work centers on amplifying historically marginalized voices and strengthening democratic leadership rooted in local realities.

Immersive Convenings

A cornerstone of the program is its series of in-person experiential learning sessions, taking the cohort to centers of historical and contemporary democratic significance:

Athens, Greece: A kickoff convening exploring the origins of democracy and future innovations.
Washington, D.C., USA: Strategic engagement with policy leaders, think tanks, and civic institutions.
New York City, USA: Participation in the Concordia Annual Summit, where members will connect with global heads of state and private-sector leaders.

As a strategic supporter and convener, Libra Philanthropies will take an active role in the journey. "Our role is to be more than a funder; we are partners in this mission," said Gina Crivelli, Director of Programs and Impact at Libra Philanthropies. "By learning alongside these six remarkable leaders, we gain the insights necessary to help defend and reimagine democratic values for a new era."

Eva Soulia
Libra Philanthropies
evangelia.soulia@libraphilanthropies.org
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