Julie Kennis

When I first heard Charles Hoskinson mention the term "on-chain governance" earlier this year, I instantly nodded in delight. I had first become passionate about politics during the Bush-era voter recounts. Nothing mattered more to me than verifiable votes. That was exactly what brought me to San Diego for the Cardano Constitutional Workshop. Contributing to the constitution felt very 1776, and I wanted to be a part of history.

The workshop was held with DRMZ Stake Pool at the Edge Wallet office, located in a prime spot near the waterfront. Approximately 30 people attended the day-long workshop, where a portion of the constitution was printed and distributed to participants for active input. The governing body to be elected consisted of Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), Delegated Representatives (DReps), and the Constitutional Committee. However, on that day, we focused solely on discussing the types of parameters and guardrails that should be established as checks and balances for these elected officials.

The format was moderated so that each line item was read aloud, with a description provided for our consideration. After a few minutes, we paired up to discuss the topic openly. Our ideas and considerations came from different points of view, and from there we grouped into fours to discuss the topics further. After the room finished discussing each line item, we moved to a voting process. We were also able to submit additional comments or concerns we had about it.

Everyone in attendance was knowledgeable and passionate about protecting the integrity of the constitution. Limiting excessive power, ensuring checks and balances, and maintaining the ability to issue a vote of no confidence were key points that stood out to me. Discussions about the treasury, protecting funds, and acting swiftly against bad actors were also hot topics.

If you were familiar with Cardano, you might have known that $ADA faced a lot of backlash online. The price had remained relatively low compared to other Layer 1s, and it had lagged despite what had already been delivered. Cardano operated many tools and protocols, including Book.io (print-on-demand books on the blockchain), Stuff.io for on-chain multimedia, and the highly anticipated "Midnight." Midnight was a blockchain registry that would enable a public-private ledger for organizations operating on-chain.

Zooming out, the need for a constitution was clear. For those who believed in decentralization and building a decentralized future, this was the first step in the right direction. Participating in decisions about how the treasury would be spent, who would receive funds, and for how long deserved special consideration.

At the end of the workshop, two members were selected by the attendees to represent and assist in drafting the constitution in Argentina. Never one to miss an opportunity to work on my public speaking, I was one of seven to stand and give a nomination speech—the only woman to do so.

We ended the evening by the water, enjoying a social hour, where we realized that many of us had been together in Las Vegas for Rare Evo just two weeks earlier. It reminded me of the importance of being involved in smaller breakout sessions. If you wanted to get involved and participate in a Constitution Workshop, it wasn’t too late to find one in your area.