CV
Education and learning experiences
Purdue University, Bachelor of Science Graduated 2008
Major: Political Science, Focus: International Relations & Public Policy
Minor: History
Certifications
Google Foundations of Program Management
UC-Davis The Strategy of Content Marketing
UC-Davis Introduction to Google SEO
Poynter Fundamentals of Investigative Reporting
Daily Kos Emerging Writer Fellow February 2022-Present
A new fellowship from the Daily Kos. The Daily Kos Emerging Fellows Program is designed to introduce and integrate new voices to the Daily Kos Community and help amplify and develop passionate progressive writers.
New Leadership Council Fellow January 2015- May 2015
Completed courses and trainings on fundraising, public speaking, campaigning, and media. We also completed a small group capstone project. The capstone we created was Madison Allies, which reached for and accomplished the goal of presenting resources to parts of Madison’s population that is willing to learn more about our racial disparities but are at the beginning part of their learning.
Writing Samples:
Published Writings
Daily Kos
COWS
Isthmus
Cowboyswire.usatoday.com, Writer/Contributor Remote January 2017-September 2017
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A writer and contributor to Cowboyswire.usatoday.com, a website that covers the Dallas Cowboys.
Madison365.com, Writer/Contributor Madison, WI August 2015- Present
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Writer and contributor to Madison365 which “uses excellent journalism to start conversations, find real and lasting solutions, build community, invite action and encourage emerging leaders in Greater Madison’s communities of color, and to foster dialog between members of diverse communities.”
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My writing has touched on international events such as the Paris attacks and how United States foreign policy has impacted the war on terror. I’ve also written about racism and white supremacy in its many forms, from the classroom to police forces, universities, in the media, and the impact it has on Black Americans and people of color.
Skill Summary:
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Communications experience
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Policy research
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Policy, report, memo, and copywriting
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Organizing diverse coalitions
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Community outreach
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Public speaking
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Working with coalitions, community, and grassroots partners
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Familiar with AP style
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Skilled in Office & G-Suite
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Website content development
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Use and management of database
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Working experience with communications tools such as, SurveyMonkey, and Mailchimp
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Familiar with WiX
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Experience with Canva
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Experience managing social media accounts
Speaking and Instruction engagements:
Cap Times Idea Fest Madison, WI October 2020
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Madison and the nation are seeing some of the most intensive protests since the 1960s, centered this time around racial disparities and policing in particular. Two longtime Madison activists and a university researcher discuss the role of protests in changing policy and culture and look at what is likely to happen this time.
Finding the Warmth of Our Sun- podcast host Madison, WI August 2020-present
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I host a weekly podcast focusing on race, class, and imperialism within the context of US history, talking people through complex thoughts and ideas.
New Leaders Council Madison, WI May 22nd, 2016
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Led a half-day diversity training of New Leaders Council fellows on racism, power, privilege, and oppression, and on micro and macro aggressions.
UW-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics Conference, Questions of Justice: Crime, Inequality, and News Media Panel Madison, WI April 29th, 2016
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Talked on a panel with UW-Madison Journalism Professor Culver, Jaweed Kaleem of the LA-Times, and the Madison Police Chief about the role of journalism in social justice, how print & news media can improve coverage concerning issues of diversity, as well as the importance of citizen journalists in social justice.
UW- Madison School of Social Work: Confronting Racial Injustice: One Year Later March 15th, 2016
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I gave a lunch plenary at UW-Madison’s School of Social Work annual Racial Justice Summit where I covered how racism and white supremacy is more than just the KKK and hate crimes and how it impacts the work they do and how they engage with service populations. I urged members to take a look at themselves.
UW-Madison School of Social Work Grad Field Class: Social Work Practice in Community Agencies class Madison, WI March 9th, 2016
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Spoke in social work graduate class about the current movement for Black Lives, bias in social work, structural racism and how it impacts their jobs, and how they can fight through their work.
Edgewood College, ED 635 guest lecture Madison, WI September 23rd, 2015
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Spoke about racism and how it impacts students in schools and how teachers help perpetuate racial oppression through racial bias in their classrooms, as well as how they could avoid it.
UW-Madison School of Education Pre-Service Secondary Teachers Madison, WI June 26, 2015
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Spoke about racism in education and how teachers, many times unknowingly, perpetuate racism and racial disparities within the classroom.
UW-Madison Afro-Am 151 guest lecture Madison, WI December 14th, 2015
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Guest lectured about the criminal justice system and its historic and modern role in the oppression of Black America.
Fighting Bob Fest Madison, WI September 19th, 2015
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Spoke on a panel about the historical and semi-colonial relationship of Black Americans with the United States of America, with co-YGB member Brandi Grayson, and Kevin Alexander Gray.
UW-Madison School of Social Work Confronting Racial Injustice Conference Madison, WI April 13th, 2015
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On a panel of community social justice leaders at UW-Madison’s School of Social Work annual racial justice summit. We talked about different ways to make an impact and to move from an understanding of racism into action.
UW-Madison, WUD Films Selma Panel Madison, WI March 15th, 2015
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The University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Union Movie people panel after a screening of Selma.
Edgewood College, Tap Dance & Multi-cultural Perspectives Madison WI December 5th, 2014
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Spoke to the class about the ideas behind the Movement for Black Lives and the structural oppression of Black America.
Other Media:
Professional Experiences:
Deputy Digital Organizing Director, A Better Wisconsin Together, Sept 2022- Present
Here I’m building out an organic social media project where we are training volunteers on how to spread progressive framing and messaging. We are doing this by creating a network of volunteers, training them on progressive messaging best practices, and training them on how to create their own content within their preferred social media platform(s). A Better Wisconsin Together, is part of the Progress Now Network; this program we're building is currently the best performing program of all Progress Now affiliates building a digital organizing program, that is called Megaphone.
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Assist in managing a team of eight organizers, and directly supervising three.
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Lead in the development and training of organizers
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Lead workshop trainings.
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Assist in the coaching volunteers.
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Lead weekly volunteer calls that include issue education and messaging guidence.
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Manage partnerships with partner organizations.
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Develop training materials for organizers and volunteers.
Comms Director Hong 4 Assembly, Madison WI February 2022-Sept 2022
Hong 4 Assembly is Wisconsin legislator Francesca Hong’s re-election campaign.
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Created 2022 communications plan
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Creation of talking points
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Communications work includes emails and social media copy, talking points,
and audio/video scripts.
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Policy writing and copy
Copy examples
Contractor for Urban Assets LLC Madison, WI November 2021- Present
Urban Assets delivers strategic project management and drives community engagement processes.
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With Urban Assets, I am assisting in analyzing their community engagement data and taking that data to write their report outs to the City of Madison.
Communications and Policy Consultant for EQT by Design Madison, WI May 2021- Present
EQT By Design exists to bring diverse voices into the center of decision-making. Diverse voices in decision-making build the pathway to overall happiness, health, and well-being.
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Working to evolve EQT by Designs communication strategy as it grows into its 5th year.
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Developing in-house content
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Creation of a monthly newsletter
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Developing ways to better market and communicate the work of EQT by Design
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Facilitating partner outreach and engagement.
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Engaging community liaisons.
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Research on how other cities have engaged the voices of those most marginalized during initiatives centering on transportation, such as Minneapolis.
Independent Contracting for Progressive Affordable Development LLC Madison, WI March 2020-October 2021
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Researched new construction techniques to help lower the cost of development to make housing more affordable.
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Researched post-COVID living, and how to include public health in a housing development.
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Researching cities that are ripe for mixed-use development with an eye toward building and sustaining community. Specifically for populations that tend to be left behind in our economy.
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Built wire-frame for a platform to help creatives engage and build relationships with their local community while creating multiple points of monetization for the individual or group of creatives/collective.
Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS), Senior Associate Madison, WI September 2017-March 2020
A think and do tank, focused on high road policy solutions- equity, sustainability, and democracy.
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Grant management and writing- led and assisted in the writing of multiple grant renewals and took part in tracking progress for the grants.
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Project management, we worked with re:Power, formally Wellstone Action on developing a training program for first-term mayors to help them transition from running progressively to governing progressively. After the first cohort, we evaluated the program and improved upon it by bringing in a facilitator with more experience working in cities. The program is now up and running with a second cohort having gone through.
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Meeting planning, I took the lead in planning a meeting on water affordability held in Philadelphia on Penn campus with partners, this involved project leading with multiple partners. I also worked to plan four panels a year on policy topics and issues cities are facing, with the goal of giving mayors concrete steps to enact these solutions as they go back to their cities.
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Policy research and writing on various subject areas, ranging from water utility efficiency, funding water utilities, Divestment & Investment, managing water utility basics, paid parental leave, voting enfranchisement, reducing plastic use, post-secondary education disparities in the state of Wisconsin, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through transportation policies.
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Relationship building with government officials and mayors across the country.
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Relationship building with partners to fully execute our programming and to assist in technical assistance we provide cities.
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Communications of emails to cities on good ideas and writing webpage content.
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Managed and produced online copy content.
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Technical assistance to South Bend, Indiana on the development of a water affordability program.
Middleton-Cross Plains School District, Student Engagement Specialist Middleton, WI August 2016-September 2018
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Consulted teachers on integrating curriculum with historically informed multicultural material.
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Coached teachers to better interact with students of color through learning and understanding different cultural norms.
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Providing direct support to students of color to learn how to navigate a predominantly white institution through building a historical understanding of the United States and skills of code-switching.
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Co-led teacher and staff professional development on Black history and with racial equity workshops.
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Provided support to teachers on engaging in sensitive topics around race, sexuality, gender and social justice.
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Developing initiatives to bring more equitable educational practices to the school district.
UW-Madison PEOPLE Program, Interim Prep & Middle School Coordinator Madison, WI February 2015-July, 2016
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Communication, outreach, and building partnerships with schools and community partners.
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Coordinate efforts between program and partner schools in the Madison Metropolitan School district and surrounding areas.
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Managed program budget.
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Hiring, supervision, and evaluation of full-time staff, graduate students, and student hourly.
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Track student progress on database.
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Full-time and part-time staff supervision and evaluation.
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Managed data for our Middle School and Prep Program.
UW-Madison PEOPLE Program, Student Services Specialist Madison, WI November 2008- January 2015
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Recruited and trained UW-Madison undergraduate students to mentor and tutor underrepresented middle school students in the Madison area.
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Managed and coordinated staff of 40 undergraduate students and five graduate students to serve urban youth for six years.
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First cohort of students I worked with have now entered UW-Madison as the largest PEOPLE cohort to gain acceptance to the university. UW accepted about 60% of those that applied.
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Attendee, participant, and presenter at the 2014 International Black Males in Education Colloquium.
Obama For America Presidential Campaign, Field Organizer Dane County, WI August-November 2008
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Managed multidimensional campaign, including fundraising, new media, outreach and training.
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Responsible for securing 70% of votes for Obama in my geographical region.
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Directly recruited, trained and managed 2 interns and 40 “Obama Team” members.
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Assisted in managing, training, and recruiting over 100 “Obama Team” members.
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Produced among the most calls and face-to-face contacts with voters of all 100 Wisconsin organizers.
Community Organizing, Outreach, & Engagement Experience
Wisconsin Leadership Development Project (WILD) Core Team Member Madison, WI September 2015- August 2017
Led by Dane Grandone, WILD has the goal of raising new leaders within diverse Wisconsin communities to build power through leadership/community organizing trainings, creating a culture of intentional, sustained relationships for the common good. We use an organizing model developed by Marshall Ganz from the Hauser Center, Harvard Kennedy School that was adopted by the 2008 Obama Presidential Campaign.
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Participated in intensive two-and-a-half-day training. We learned how to articulate the story of self, us, and now. Learned how to build intentional relationships and coaching those going through organizing or work crisis. Learned how to strategize in turning resources into power to achieve clear goals. And we learned how to translate strategy to measurable, motivational, and effective action.
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We will be training at least 200 organizers around the state of Wisconsin to help them build capacity for effective community leadership through intensive two-and-a-half-day training. I helped finish training 100 individuals from around the state of Wisconsin and over the course of the next three months, hoping to train 100 more.
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We are planning a Wisconsin Peoples Assembly to help give voices to people disenfranchised by the current political order in Wisconsin.
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Helped facilitate one of four different workshops around the state of Wisconsin to train people on how to advocate for themselves and their organizations around the Wisconsin state budget
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Working within a small team to launch a communications and outreach plan for those who have gone through the workshop and any potential trainees.
Young Gifted and Black Coalition, Co-founder & Co-organizer Madison, WI November 2014-September 2016
A Black lead grassroots organization that is dedicated to creating long-lasting social change in our community. We have heightened the discussion on the massive racial disparities in Madison, WI and Dane County and challenged the city to take action
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Led communication strategy for coalition, including writing press releases, op-eds, radio, and TV interviews.
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Stopped a proposed resolution of $130-$160 million for renovations or building of a new county jail. Worked with community allies and County Board members, the Dane County Board passed a resolution that will invest in mental health services and will create workgroups to investigate and find solutions to mental health, ending solitary confinement, and finding alternatives to arrests and incarceration.
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Organized over 60 actions, protests, and marches over a six-month period.
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Held over 20 community educational sessions to teach about racial disparities within Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, and the country. The curriculum covered structural racism in a historical and modern context.
Justice & Equity for Dane, Co-Founder & Lead Organizer Madison, WI August 2014- November 2014
A grassroots organization dedicated to addressing racial disparities within Dane County. Dane County is one of the worst offenders in the nation when it comes to racial disparities; we are here to put pressure on our political leaders to address these issues.
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Lead Organizer in a rally, on September 7th, to show solidarity with Ferguson, MO and to call for Justice in Dane County. There were 250+ people in attendance, covering the diversity of Madison Wisconsin. Our call to action is for a petition to call for law enforcement reform in Dane County.
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Once Young Gifted and Black was formed, we wrapped Justice & Equity efforts into YGB.
Organizing for America (OFA 2.0), Volunteer Wisconsin’s 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts May-August 2009
Organized the largest rally in support of health care reform in the upper Midwest, with over 2,000 people in attendance on July 25, 2009.
Committee, Board, and Volunteer Experience
Sustain Madison Committee, Madison, WI October 2019-February 2021
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A city committee focused on providing a path forward for Madison towards a sustainable and climate-adapted future.
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I resigned due to the nature of racist microaggressions prevalent through the committee, and a particular significant incident that demonstrated to me the committee was unable to produce policy for the City of Madison without perpetuating institutional racism. Within my resignation I made a series of suggestions to the city to implement, they are taking those recommendations up and looking to strengthen committees in their commitment to racial equity.
United Way of Dane County Law Enforcement leaders of Color Collaboration (LELCC) Dane County, WI February 2018- December 2021
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Committee put together and coordinated by United Way to build trust between law enforcement and leaders of color throughout Madison and Dane County.
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Work with law enforcement and other leaders of color to deepen understanding of wedge issues between each other.
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Helped support the efforts of Dane County law enforcement to support a diverse license for all, regardless of immigration status.
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I’m currently working on recruiting an expert on the current movement of white nationalism within the United States of America and globally. With the goal of educating the committee, especially local law enforcement leaders, on how to address infiltration into law enforcement, and how to prevent violence by white nationalists locally.
Madison Police Department Policy and Procedure Ad-Hoc Committee for City of Madison Madison, WI November 2015-December 2019
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Mayor appointed, and Common Council approved, a community committee that is charged to conduct a thorough review of the Madison Police Department. We are looking at ways that the Madison Police Department can close one of the largest arrest disparities between its Black and White citizens in the nation, use of force, training, approach to mental health crises, and more.
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We presented to the Common Council our 177 recommendations, with the entire report being accepted.
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In the summer of 2020, the City of Madison passed an ordinance creating our two central recommendations in the Community Oversight Board and Independent Auditor position. I worked behind the scenes to unite two political factions within the council, those further to the left and those more traditionally progressive, in finding a way forward for these recommendations when they were almost stripped of their teeth. I was able to do this by proposing an outside-the-box idea to two key legislative leaders to find a way for each side’s concerns to be addressed.
Satya For Madison Madison, WI August 2018- April 2019
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Assisted in advising a successful candidacy for Mayor of Madison. Here I focused on community engagement and outreach, and on developing policies on racial disparities, families, and economic opportunity.
Progressive Dane Madison, WI November 2017- November 2018
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A local political party involved in non-partisan city and county elections. Progressive Dane supports and organizes around Progressive candidates.
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Assisted in re-branding and communication strategies
New Leadership Council, National Diversity Committee Remote October 2016-February 2019
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The National Diversity Committee works on making sure the Fellowship curriculum speaks to the intersections of diversity and properly trains fellows on what it means to embrace diversity in all aspects
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Looks at ways that NLC could better serve and work with its diverse fellows and ways to engage in different ways around issues of diversity.
