TheBridge profile: Lucina Di Meco
Name: Lucina Di Meco
Current city: San Francisco, CA
Current job: Global Fellow at The Wilson Center and Director of Girls' Education at Room to Read
Past job: Senior Manager, Vital Voices
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting: The NewTree Café on California Street! It's where Shruthi Jarayam and I first started The Gender Breakfast!
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. I always push for the change I believe is necessary: it makes work a little harder sometimes, but much more fun.
Q. Job advice in three words? Pay it forward.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech / innovation and regulation? With the Wilson Center, I’m about to publish research on the relationship between women in politics and the digital space, with a set of recommendations for policy-makers and tech companies on regulations and the use of AI for good.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu:” technological innovations can have unintended consequences on the groups that aren’t involved in their design and roll-out.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? If we can imagine a better future, we can build it. The fact that something hasn’t worked before isn’t a good reason not to try again.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? I’ve long loved Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses for its power to explore what it means to be torn between two worlds and Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory for the courage and tenderness with which it explores the lives of women. My all time favorite podcast is This American Life, as it has made me want to become part of the American puzzle.
Q. What's one piece of advice you are still trying to master? Be fearless.
Q. Living person you admire? Melanne Verveer and Pat Mitchell for their pioneering work supporting women’s leadership and for being such generous and genuine mentors to other women.
Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? Washington, DC for the professional community or Rome, because it’s just an amazing place.
Q. Best advice you’ve received? Own your story.
Q. Which Member of Congress/local lawmaker is most tech savvy? AOC is a true role model for women wanting to engage politically on the digital space. She’s unapologetically herself, fierce, funny and great at connecting with her constituency!
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