LaRED TIG Week: Popular Education Facilitation by Eva Maria Chavez

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026

¡Hola hola! I’m Eva Maria Chavez (She/Ella), and my consulting practice is Convivio Learning Solutions. I love partnering with value-driven nonprofit organizations, philanthropic partners, and coalitions to make their thinking visible and turn data, stories, and reflection into practical decisions. Convivio in Spanish means a “get-together,” where everyone is welcomed to share stories, break bread, and be curious with one another. That spirit shapes how I build trust and facilitate honest learning. 

I’ve worked with inspiring Latine/a/o organizers in Los Angeles and Santa Ana who show me that real change takes a village, consistent effort, and shared stories. Funding is important, too. My favorite part of this work is creating an environment where people feel safe and seen, so they’re comfortable sharing their stories, even among strangers. These stories shape the themes that guide our reports and future work.

I take this extremely seriously, especially when working with intergenerational, diverse, and non-English speakers. It’s important to think not only about the day of facilitation, but also from the start of the invitation through to after the events end. One of the clients I worked with requested a non-traditional focus group, which I appreciated. Instead of a traditional focus group, I developed a facilitation guide that emphasized having a good time while engaging in community conversations. I did this through using popular education techniques.

I created a game called “Roll with Resilience” that used a deck of cards featuring local places and inflatable jumbo dice. Participants rolled the dice, received a disaster scenario, and shared if they had experienced something similar. If not, they discussed what they would do and what resources they wished were available in their community. The cards, spread out on the table or floor, represented places people currently use or would want access to during a disaster. We played mainly in Spanish. As people played, they opened up about their real-life experiences, having fun while also engaging in meaningful conversations.

Hot Tips

1. Start the sessions with connection, as Priya Parker says don’t start with logistics. In popular education, a dinamica (group movement activity) is a great way to begin and break bread together.
2. From the invitation, I wish I had designed the flyer with “Get to meet your neighbors and play some games together! Gift card prizes will be shared with everyone who shows up” because that is ultimately what we did: we played games and had a good time!
3. Card sorting is one of my favorite activities to include when designing with international residents.
4. I test most of my ideas with my mother first, since she reflects the communities I work with. Her feedback helps me refine my approaches and better understand my audience. I’ve learned so much from her, and I encourage you to seek advice from people you trust in your own circle.
5. Remember, if you worked with one community, you have worked with one community. So get to know the people first and see if this approach works for you!

The American Evaluation Association is hosting Latina/o Responsive Evaluation Discourse TIG Week. The contributions all this week to AEA365 come from LaRED Topical Interest Group members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.