POD - People of Determination

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Fabrizio Shao

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Not Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Disability is not an inability! A decentralized community focused on minorities and the international disability community—an open and inclusive innovation ecosystem for underrepresented communities.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG rating:

Disability is referenced in various parts of the SDGs and specifically in parts related to education, growth and employment, inequality, accessibility of human settlements, as well as data collection and monitoring of the SDGs, for instance:

• Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all focus on eliminating gender disparities in education and ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. In addition, the proposal calls for building and upgrading education facilities that are child, disability, and gender-sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all.

• In Goal 8: to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all, the international community aims to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

• Closely linked is Goal 10, which strives to reduce inequality within and among countries by empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities.

• Goal 11 would work to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, and sustainable. To realize this goal, Member States are called upon to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, such as persons with disabilities. In addition, the proposal calls for providing universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces, particularly for persons with disabilities.

• Goal 17 stresses that to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development, data collection, monitoring, and accountability of the SDGs are crucial. Member States are called upon to enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), which would significantly increase the availability of high-quality, timely, and reliable data disaggregated by disability.

https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs-and-disability#:~:text=Closely%20linked%20is%20Goal%2010,settlements%20inclusive%2C%20safe%20and%20sustainable.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

This project is supported and backed by Sustainable ADA. Two of the founding members of POD are the founding members of Sustainable ADA; their experience and dedication to the Cardano community will help with the overall success of our proposal.

Problem:

Cardano is meant to be a financial and social infrastructure for all. An infrastructure that improves upon the decaying legacy systems that have led to our world's growing disparities and inequities. 

Technology can help accelerate building a better world for all. Education, diversity, and inclusion must be at the heart of this movement, where technology is designed with a human-centric approach and values of sustainability and equity. 

However, there is a digital skills gap for people with disabilities. If digital tools aren’t accessible, people with disabilities will not benefit from digital opportunities and, therefore at risk of being left behind. Racial and socioeconomic biases worsen disability discrimination. 

Our goal is to develop the POD DAO. The decentralized community for you focuses on enabling, empowering, and inspiring the international disability community. The People of Determination.

What is POD?

An alliance for all, with a core focus on being conscious of the needs, considerations, and approaches necessary to include and enable disabled community members so that they can unlock their full potential.

The founding team includes Fabrizio Shao, Cole Bartlett, and Razali Samsudin. We have begun this movement with diversity, equality, and inclusion at the heart of this DAO committee. 

This project plans to provide a long-term opportunity for community members to be onboard through POD and interact with our Cardano and wider web3 ecosystem. Through various ecosystem projects, we will develop an open, decentralized community that focuses on empowering the international disability community. This project will have multiple stages and expand in various shapes and forms. 

We will be focusing on stage #1 of the project:

Stage 1 focuses on three elements to help us launch and maintain a decentralized ecosystem. 

DAO Creation:

We will partner with ecosystem partners and community projects to provide a good experience when stakeholders interact or support DAO activities. Some examples of partners would be Clarity DAO, Summon Platform, ADAO, and Token Allies.

• We will be launching a member token and one-time affordable initial fee (open to considering SPO partnerships/ISPO models)
• Launching governance tools
• Creating onboarding material 
• Creating community roles 
• Onboarding Mods
• Configuring community discord 

Onboarding:

Through the POD DAO, we will act as an open doorway into Cardano, reaching out and welcoming a community that was either unreachable or not spoken to before. The POD Association is a DAO focused on the international disabled community but also encourages everyone to join to help strengthen the bond and relationships as allies. This bridge will help create an inclusive and uplifting community reflective of a world where we can all thrive, flourish, and prosper.

• Onboarding materials 
• Roles
• Voting integration 
• Incentives 

POD Incubator POC:

Create an incubator to fund projects from members of POD (People of Determination Allies). This first version will be a proof of concept to help share, illustrate, and evidence our impact with people building in this community. After we display a successful proof of concept and integrate the research for a revenue-sharing model, we will pitch our program to funding communities and investors to help fund more projects from the international disability community and create a vibrant incubation ecosystem.

• Create incubator onboarding material
• Create an evaluation framework for the proposal 
• Launch first POD incubation fund POC 
• Fund 1-3 projects based on budget and score
• Develop a repeatable model for future funding rounds

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Currently, no DAOs on Cardano have a core vision and mission to include disabled people in this movement to build a sustainable and equitable world.

People may argue that web3 is for everyone, so creating such spaces and DAOs would be exclusionary. That POD doesn’t need to exist. If only this were true. On the contrary, Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor. -- Ginetta Sagan.

We, as humans, learn from each other through copying and storytelling. We must speak out against injustice and discrimination; people who face discrimination and experience prejudice need safe spaces. Spaces where they can be understood and are designed to fit their needs; spaces filled with people they can trust who share lived experiences and have the means, skill, and willingness to help others that need support to unlock their full potential.

Despite 90% of companies having a plan for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI), only 4% of them focus on disability.

• https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7084203530814705664/

 

Building off of research carried out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the EU (European Union), titled “Building an inclusive digital economy for people with disabilities,” https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/inspiration/research/inclusive-digital-economy-people-disabilities, we have identified that the following goals achieved will bring immense value to the Cardano ecosystem and showcase to the world what sets Cardano apart in the industry:

1. Ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities 

2. Promoting digital skills amongst people with disabilities 

3. Promoting the digital employment of people with disabilities

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Fabrizio Shao, Razali Samsudin, and Cole Bartlett are partnering up to create POD to help create a decentralized community for anyone and to make Cardano a home base for people from all backgrounds.

Fabrizio Shao:

I am reaching out to you to share an exciting vision and invite you to join me on a transformative journey. As an award-winning adaptive athlete, visionary brand ambassador, and resilient disability rights advocate, I am on a mission to build a minority and marginalized communities DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) that champions inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment on a global scale.

Throughout my career, I have been recognized for my ability to inspire others, spread an inspirational and personal narrative, and eliminate discrimination in all its forms. I possess unique skills, including brand management, market research, social media strategies, and public speaking, that have allowed me to connect with diverse audiences and foster engagement.

Why am I fit to build a minority and marginalized community DAO?

My extensive experience as a brand ambassador for Cardano, a deep understanding of blockchain technology, and a passion for creating change make me well-equipped for this mission.

I am eager to leverage the power of social media and blockchain to render inclusivity and diversity as prominent aspects within the folds of a global society.

My story as an adaptive athlete and disability rights advocate inspired many to overcome challenges and embrace diversity. As the only professional wheelchair wallball player in the world, I have demonstrated that perseverance, determination, and willpower can be used to achieve any goal. Moreover, my national championship wins in wheelchair basketball highlight the importance of diversity in sports and contribute to a positive shift where inclusion and equity are core elements of athletic competition.

I believe that a DAO built on the principles of representation of minorities, diversity and inclusion can be a force for positive change. By leveraging the potential of the blockchain and web3 industries, we can advocate for cost-conscious support services for athletes with disabilities and create a platform that amplifies marginalized voices and experiences.

Together, we can build a DAO that fosters equity, empowers individuals, and creates a lasting impact. I invite you to join me as we shape a future where diversity is celebrated, and inclusion is the foundation of every endeavor.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Together, we can make a difference.

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Cole and Razali have been a part of the Cardano ecosystem since 2020, helping educate community members on the connections Cardano has to sustainability and social and environmental impact.

The Cardano Impact Report 2023 is a testament to how dedicated the Sustainable ADA team is to helping grow and expand the Cardano ecosystem.

https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report

Sustainable ADA is a registered LLP in the USA.

Sustainable ADA is expanding under the framework of Impact Web3. Sustainable ADA will be an educational partner and key part of the Impact Web3 ecosystem.

Pre-funding activities: 

We have successfully grown Sustainable ADA over the last few years. We have been closely connected to the Cardano community through our Project Catalyst proposing experience. 

Learn more about all of our past funded projects here: https://sustainableada.com/catalyst/

Sustainable ADA has created 48 individual stories on projects building in the Cardano community and making the world better.

More info here: https://sustainableada.com/news/

Sustainable ADA also created the Cardano Impact Report, highlighting over 65+ Impact Project buildings on Cardano to make the world more sustainable and equitable for all. 

The free Version can be found here: https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report/

More impact work we have conducted:

Impact Measurements Research: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFC7zRNrdg/em1s_yQDnNU6sPW6KJ8hnA/view?utm_content=DAFC7zRNrdg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

PositiveBlockchain Cardano Integration and Project Catalyst Support:

Partners, advisors, and supporters:

Dr. Mihaela Ulieru - Chief AI Alchemist SingularityNET | Former Head of Strategic Impact at IOG

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihaelaulieru/

Alex Ross - Talk to Loop Lead | Former International Director of Programs and Partnerships at British Red Cross

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-ross-61453a3b/

https://talktoloop.org/

Sunny Basra - CEO of SoundRig

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnybasra/

https://linktr.ee/soundrig

Affendi Samsudin - Co-Founder at Streets of ADA - A Samsudin Brothers Projek team

https://twitter.com/TR1PL7

https://asamsudinbrothersprojek.gitbook.io/streets-of-ada/

Alain "Fusion" Clapham - FRSA | Curator | Educator | Public Speaker | Facilitator

The self-professed ‘Transformative Storyteller’ has presented shows for MTV and Sky, hosted events at Wembley Arena, interviewed the likes of Beyoncé, Dr. Dre, and Marvel mastermind Stan Lee, and shared his story on the TED stage.

An experienced public speaker, educator, and creative producer, he is now a lead facilitator for YouTube, empowering thousands of young people to become better Internet Citizens and helping award-winning CEOs discover their own stories of transformation.

The driving force behind creative currency initiative #IITSPIRATION and founder of BMT and BWT – an immersive live experience celebrating the ‘awesome everyday’ stories of black men and women - Alain takes on all challenges with irrepressible energy, curiosity, and a desire to get to the heart of the matter.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alain-fusion-clapham-b8824b29/

https://www.instagram.com/iitstagram/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/bmtstories/?hl=en

Sarah Margono-Samsudin | International Development Practitioner - Education for Sustainable Development Section@UNESCO and Secretariat Member of Mission 4.7 Organisation -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-margono-samsudin-a1b41b99/

We will be measuring the following KPIs by tracking the number of:

• onboarded members 
• onboarded members with a disclosed disability
• DAO NFT Contribution Tokens
• board members 
• marketing promotions
• projects for incubation proof of concept 
• followers on social media platforms

We will capture qualitative data through surveys, social media post-engagement, and interviews.

We plan to share the outputs and results of our project through various channels, including social media platforms, community forums, the Sustainable ADA website, and the POD website and social media channels. 

We will publish regular updates through our socials and discord. We also will share updates on our milestones and develop a strong marketing plan to onboard as many community members to POD as possible.

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestones #1: 

• Start White paper research 
• Create a pitch deck for onboarding IDA community projects and supporters 
• Promote roles 
• Create a DAO Board 
• Research DAO Handbook
• Research & Create DAO Member Token 

Deliverables:

• Begin White Paper research and outline the important sections.
• Share posts on socials about new roles.
• Create DAO NFT

Milestone #2:

• Research DAO tool to integrate (Ex Clarity, Summon, ADAO)
• Develop a Discord
• Onboard role members 
• Get Discord ready for Onboarding
• Research incubation plan for the POD community

Deliverables: 

• Begin development of a Discord and onboard mods.
• Look at other DAOs handbooks and integrate one into the POD DAO model.
• Begin research for Founder NFT DAO token and add info to white paper.
• Begin research on incubation plans and how we can best create a decentralized section process for our first POC.

Milestone #3: 

• Create Community Partnerships 
• Launch Discord 
• Launch Handbook
• Create DAO onboarding material 
• Launch DAO Token for Founding community 
• Promote Founding Member Token Launch

Deliverables:

• Officially launch Discord and provide incentives for joining.
• Finalize research and development of the DAO handbook and share it with founding community members.
• Create DAO onboarding materials and research ways other community DAOs successfully onboard new members.
• Develop marketing material for DAO Member Token Launch
• Create DAO Token Launch Landing Page

Milestone #4

• Develop Incubation material
• Launch IDA incubation V1
• Launch White Paper V1
• Onboard 1-2 project 
• POC

Deliverables:

• Finalize research for Incubation V1
• Finalize the white paper and share it with the community
• Get prepared for the launch of the Incubation POC trial
• Launch Incubation Round 1

Final Milestone: 

• Launch DAO Onboarding For all
• Fund the first two Incubation projects using the POD governance process
• Finalize Board 
• Submit Closing Report

Deliverables:

• Create the closing report and add all documented info from the process
• Launch the official DAO board and share it with the community
• Set up and launch the quick and easy DAO onboarding process

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

In 2022, Fabrizio Shao, Cole Bartlett, and Razali Samsudin completed a marketing road trip with the Cardano Car from NYC to CNFT Con, then onwards to Rare Bloom, and back to NYC.

This was the first time they had all met. The journey together was a voyage of discovery on many levels. It brought to life the power of Cardano and how they were brought together for a common purpose. 

Dreams of building a better world that keep one up at night lead one to question, if not us, then who, and if not now, then when? 

A common thread revealed itself as they traveled thousands of miles across the USA, traversing landscapes and crossing paths with diverse people. A thread that bound not just the three of them together, but everyone they met, the realization that we are all interconnected and that if Cardano is to live up to its promise, then it will take the people to make it happen.

A tool has no soul and is only as effective as those who wield it. 

Team Info:

Fabrizio Shao:

An award-winning adaptive athlete, visionary brand ambassador, and resilient disability rights advocate on a mission to use social media and blockchain to make inclusivity and diversity prominent in the folds of global society.

Recognized by colleagues and peers as an enthusiastic and independent leader with a natural ability to influence others and spread an inspirational personal narrative focused on eliminating discrimination.

Driven to serve as an ambassador for change, inspire audiences, and bring recognition to brands and organizations that share a mutual vision for international diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace, athletics, education, and beyond.

Cardano Brand Ambassador 2021 - 2023

IOHK | New York, NY

• https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYHlrYXIEwC/ -Cardano Summit 2021
• Watch this inspiring Cardano Summit 2021 Keynote about building the Cardano community.
• What is it about Cardano that unites individuals from all around the world? Athlete Fabrizio Shao shares insights from his unique perspective as a Cardano Ambassador.

• https://www.focusonability.com/FOA/films/Best_of_Both_Worlds_979.html
• Justo Diaz - Best of Both Worlds- 2016 International Entrant - Focus on Ability Short Film Festival. www.focusonability.com

https://www.gq.com/story/nyc-athletic-crews

Impact Web3 & Sustainable ADA

Cole Bartlett and Razali Samsudin Co-founded Sustainable ADA and Impact Web 3 and have been shaping it into what it is today.

It all started with the initial idea for Sustainable ADA on April 20th of, 2021 (Sustainable ADA 2021). Together, we co-founded it in June of 2021. We have backgrounds, professional experiences, and knowledge in education, economics, sustainability, and how blockchain technologies can be harnessed for good.

Cole Bartlett:

• Co-Author of Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain Cardano Impact Report 2023 | Bachelor in Economics and Sustainability | Blockchain/Sustainability Researcher | Social Entrepreneur | Co-Founder of Impact Web 3 & Sustainable ADA | Positive Blockchain Contributor | Impact Measurement Expertise | US Director for Yagazie Foundation | Blockchain Learning Center Core Member | Co-Founder of Vermont Fishing | Decentralized Lead Generation | UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate | Photographer, Videographer, Editor | Content Creation 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-bartlett
• https://twitter.com/cole_vt

Additional Info: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14mOmk473KapciDHj6uiCrREkIwutIYrl6rNZhNp68Bk/edit

Razali Samsudin: 

Co-Author of Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain - Cardano Impact Report 2023 

Co-Founder of Sustainable ADA, Impact Web3, Streets of ADA - A Samsudin Brothers Projek

Cardano Summit 2023 Masterclass Speaker | Blockchain for Good Awards Nominee

17+ years of experience as an interdisciplinary Educator from early years settings to postgraduate level, with a background in social sciences, humanities, and sustainability. 

Author, Writer, Editor, Digital Economy, Blockchain, Sustainability and Impact Measurements, Researcher (Research Lead Connecting SDGs to Project Catalyst and lead on the SDG Proposer Tool and SDG Search Tool with Cardano AIM #Blockchain4Good, #Cardano4Good, #NFT4Good). Social Entrepreneur, Catalyst Proposal Mentor. Wada UN SDG and Education Coordinator, Contributor at Cardano AIM, PositiveBlockchain, Catalyst School, Adafilms.

Zinc VC Fellow | Aspen Institute

Live Twitter Space Host every Thursday at 4 pm UTC. Cardano For Good - We bring impact projects in the Cardano community to the stage and talk about all the good happening in the Cardano Community.

https://twitter.com/CardanoSpot/status/1679222635891400704?s=20

https://www.linkedin.com/in/razali-samsudin

https://twitter.com/Razlosophy 

Catalyst Journey:

We joined Project Catalyst, Cardano’s decentralized innovation fund, during fund 4. After applying and learning from funds 4 and 5, along with lots of support from Cardano community members and teams, we constructed a strong proposal together that focused on our goals and ambitions for Sustainable ADA and the Cardano community’s goals. We submitted a proposal focused on helping Grow Cardano and Grow Africa.

With this funding, we had more capacity to focus on researching and sharing stories from change-makers in Africa and the diaspora, who are engaging with Cardano, creating a better tomorrow today. 

Thanks to the Cardano community and the use of their voting power from holding and staking ADA, we successfully secured the funding we were seeking. This helped us to take significant steps towards fulfilling our vision and mission, having secured these crucial and helpful funds.

Through our time in the Project Catalyst ecosystem, we have been able to create a lot of strong and exciting partnerships with projects and businesses all across the world. This has led us to develop new ambitions for the work we do and to expand beyond education.

More about the projects we have been involved in: https://sustainableada.com/catalyst/

Experience and Expertise 

The Sustainable ADA team has experience working with Figma, Canva, Wix, Final Cut Pro, Da Vinci Resolve 17, Adobe CC, and Microsoft Products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.)

Sustainable ADA has experience and backgrounds in Sustainability, Economics, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Along with work with NGOs, Social Enterprises, Freelance journalism, and blogging. 

The team has been a part of the Cardano ecosystem since 2020 and is very dedicated to the Cardano ecosystem. We created Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain: Cardano Impact Report 2023”.

The team also has undertaken the first-of-its-kind Cardano Impact Report. 

The Cardano Impact Report is a comprehensive publication aiming to capture and showcase the positive impact of the Cardano community. It is designed as a book NFT (Non-Fungible Token) to leverage blockchain technology's unique features, ensuring the content's authenticity, transparency, and immutability.

https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report/

Sustainable ADA community partners:

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The ROI and value for money is high, given that there is a current absence of such a community DAO, run by and for people with disabilities and those looking to enable, empower and help such individuals unlock their full potential.

The disability and adjacent communities collectively have a global spending power of over $13T. 27% of the USA population experiences a disability, 61m Americans (2018), and 40% of American families have at least one disabled person within them. - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7084203530814705664/

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html

• Over 1 billion people have disabilities
• 386 working-age people worldwide have a disability
• People with disabilities are an emerging market the size of China
• In the UK, 75% of companies on the London Stock Exchange do not meet web accessibility, thus missing out on more than $147m of annual revenue
• 80% of people with disabilities are living in the developing world

https://disabilityin.org/resource/global-disability-employment-infographic/

Given these stats alone, this Catalyst Proposal should be seen as a sound impact investment rather than a cost, that aligns with the ethos of Cardano as a leading impact blockchain.

POD aims to build bridges within the Cardano community to support disabled people, and invite disabled people worldwide to a community that helps them achieve their goals, and helps to close the digital divide.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund Rules and also that data in the submission form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept