Betsy (she/her)
My belief is that the opposite of oppressive structures is not the dissolution of them, but rather, the intentional creation of living and growing anti-oppressive structures that become truly just work spaces, specifically for BIPOC and folks beyond the gender binary.
As a white queer cis woman I do not, and should not, do this work alone. I work in a community of vast knowledge and skills with many Black and Brown consultants. We rely on our individual and specialized skill sets to bring wholeness to clients needs, working in tandem on many contracts.
Internal operational work is where I thrive, which includes but is not limited to:
Innovative HR work through policy and procedure analysis and revision
Strategic planning
Executive coaching and development
I work collaboratively by first diligently listening to clients' needs and goals, then helping with tangible planning to get to a desired outcome. I do not shy away from having hard conversations, whether it is calling out a power dynamic - including race, gender, class, hierarchy - or grounding in the fiscal reality of a project.
My ability to see the spider web of inner workings in nonprofits has come from over 15 years of experience in many different levels of power at a broad scope of justice lead organizations. Starting in nonprofits with entry level bookkeeping and administration support, I moved up to working at director-levels, as both associate- and executive-director. These experiences allow me to have a unique view of the inner workings of nonprofits and equips me to help align organizational values with tangible outcomes.
In addition to structural work, I am an Oregon Certified Equity Based Mediator, and also certified in circle facilitation for healing, specifically curated to be able to support the changes needed for a pro-Black and anti-oppressive organization. Systemic organizational harm has occurred, and it must be opened up and healed to move forward.