(These ideas were co-written with a facilitator with whom I regularly partner, Mandisa Moore-O'Neal. I have intentionally left the ideas in the plural form of "we.")

◈ We believe in the importance of visioning our work from a place of imagining what it means to be fully and naturally human, with abundant availability of the resources needed to actualize our visions.

◈ When navigating conflict, we look beyond dichotomies of “good/bad”, “right/wrong” and make room for nuances (including opposing truths).

◈ It is essential to not pretend to be neutral.

◈ Leaders who are committed to transparent and accountable authority lean into bravely embracing tensions as spaces that can be generative rather than punitive.

◈ The transformative power of vulnerability becomes possible with principled boundaries.

◈ All groups function with an arrangement of power. To grow equity, it is necessary to assess how disparities show up in the ways power is distributed and "held."

◈ Healthy power-holding leans into imagination, including what we can learn from experimental models of leadership that have worked to subvert oppressive hierarchies.

◈ Healthy power-holding involves questioning how the needs and priorities of Black and Indigenous people of color, queer people, working-class and poor people, disabled people, immigrants, women, trans, and gender non-conforming people are impacted by decisions, policies, and ways of operating.

◈ Building strong systems of governance and infrastructure within movement organizations is essential to support our communities in gathering, strategizing, and organizing for our collective survival and capacity to thrive.

2019-2022 | Executive Board Member/ Secretary | United for a Fair Economy | Boston, MA.

Economic justice organization that utilizes popular education and creative communications to support social movements working for a sustainable and equitable economy.

2020 | Coordinator| Insight Center for Economic and Community Development | New Orleans, LA.

Organized focus groups to assess economic shifts in the lives of hourly wage workers in the time of COVID-19.

2017-2019 | Documentarian & Consultant Coordinator | Leveraging a Network for Equity (LANE) | New Orleans, LA.

National network addressing racial and geographic disparities in the arts & culture field.

2018 | Heart Team Coordinating Committee Member | New Orleans SING: Building a Vocal Community in the Tradition of Freedom Songs | New Orleans, LA.

Led by Wendi Moore-O’Neal and with Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, formerly of Sweet Honey in the Rock.

2012- 2018 | Co-Founder & General Manager | Black Swan Food Experience | New Orleans, LA.

Co-built and managed pop-up restaurant and catering business centering Southern Black culinary history and food justice in its practices. Worked with local craft artisans, visual artists, and musicians to produce cooperative economic-cultural events.

2013 | Facilitator | AIDS LAW| New Orleans, LA.

Facilitated staff in identifying needs and addressing conflicts resulting from an organizational merger.

2013 | Facilitator | Mennonite Central Committee | New Orleans, LA.

Worked with Program Directors of the MCC New Orleans program to shape decision making process as well as strategies that integrated story circles into their anti-racist, cultural work.

2009-2011 | Organizational Development Facilitator | Safe Streets/Strong Communities | New Orleans, LA.

Supported staff organizing for police accountability and prisoner’s human rights to craft leadership roles for members, project outlines, a board re-structuring strategy, and monthly work plans. Duties also included writing grant proposals and report backs.

2008-2011 | Lead Organizer| New Orleans Parent Organizing Network | New Orleans, LA

Worked with parents to build an organizing methodology and campaign strategies to increase parental inclusion in the shaping of New Orleans public school policies. Worked with Executive Director, staff, and members to develop Board of Directors, personnel policies, and a member-to-staff hiring structure.

2008-2009 | Trainer and Facilitator | Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA.

Provided training on community organizing strategies with staff who organized at the state level to change juvenile justice policies. Facilitated story circles for community residents to voice unjust experiences with New Orleans Police Department, which informed JJPL’s campaign work.

2007 | Facilitation Team Member | National Youth Organizing Training Institute | Knoxville, TN.

Worked with a national team organized by the School of Unity and Liberation to develop and facilitate curriculum to deepen analyses, skills and relationships among youth organizers.

2001-2007 | Founder and Co-Director| Reflect & Strengthen | Boston, MA

Organized with base of multi-racial, working-class young women to build, facilitate and evaluate political education workshops, organizing campaigns, cultural projects, and healing circles with membership as well as in high schools and juvenile detention facilities. Directed Street Theater Troupe, which emerged from the life experiences and creative visions of the membership. Led implementation of staff supervision, personnel policies, strategic visioning and leadership development. Responsible for grant-writing, donor-base development, budgeting, the creation of Board of Directors, obtaining 501c3 non-profit status, and representing the organization through media, networking and public speaking.

2001-2006 | Funding Board Member | Haymarket People’s Fund | Boston, MA.

Worked with committee to allocate funding to social justice organizations through an anti-racist lens.

2000-2001 | Program Manager | Dorchester House Multi-Service Center | Boston, MA

Crafted, facilitated and evaluated programming that fostered healthy growth and empowerment for girls ages 13- 17. Worked with peer groups of youthworkers from neighborhood-based centers to conduct trainings that sought to improve quality of services.

1998-2000 | Child Resource Specialist | Latinas Y Niños | Boston, MA

Supported mothers residing at substance abuse recovery home to meet the needs of their children including daycare/school placement, participating in parenting support programs, and obtaining services. Worked with Counselor team to develop child-parent reunification plans and advocated in family court.

To contact, email: info@communitysolstice.com