RVC
In these times of persisting pandemic and systemic racism, Audre Lorde’s powerful words on self-care are more important than ever; the health and wellbeing of our staff and partner communities, who work, live, and are part of marginalized communities, are of utmost priority.
To support self-care and community care, we provided a series of wellness workshops for our staff and partner organizations. RVC Interim Executive Director Ananda Valenzuela has been a part of a local executive directors of color gathering, which recently formed to amplify the voices of communities of color and to demand justice collectively. We are highlighting a couple of our fantastic partner organizations in the updates section, including a new micro-documentary about Nurturing Roots and its founder Nyema Clark! And check out the jobs section: RVC is hiring an Operations Associate. Please spread the word! We also have a list of new jobs in our network.
RVC updates
Wellness workshops for staff
RVC recently partnered with a local art therapist, Dalisha Phillips, LMHCA, ATR-P, to provide a series of wellness workshops for RVC staff. The workshops explored coping with change and oppression through art-making and creativity.
RVC Capacity Building Associate Regina Dove, who attended a session for Black identified staff shared a few words about her experience with the workshops.
It is always helpful to take time in our day to pause and tend to our inner selves. Dalisha’s art therapy session was helpful in providing a therapeutic approach in combination with creativity and mindfulness to bring me back to myself. Also, just having a space for us as a black caucus to focus on wellness is so valuable! I highly recommend continued work with Dalisha!”
Regina Dove
Wellness workshops for our partners and communities
RVC has heard feedback from many of our partners who are looking for spaces for their teams to focus on connection and wellbeing in these challenging times. We partnered with Communities Rise to provide a series of free virtual wellness workshops to our partners and communities.The workshops use different modalities from art, dance, mindfulness, written reflection, and altar- building.
The next workshop, ADEFUA Cultural Education Workshop with Afua Kouyate, will be on Wednesday, July 9, 6-7:30. For full workshops schedule and to learn more about the facilitators, please see the link below: https://bit.ly/2UYyDK6
Executive directors of color gathering
A group of executive directors who are people of color, including our Interim Executive Director Ananda Valenzuela, Andrea Caupain, Victoria Santos, and Jodi Nishioka, recently organized an emergency gathering by and for executive directors of color. Ananda highlighted the importance of this gathering and group’s vision.
150 BIPOC Executive Directors came together on short notice because we need to change the way our sector operates fundamentally, and we need to do it now. The top advocacy priority for the group was clear: move more funding to BIPOC-led and serving nonprofits. No one nonprofit can “fix” institutional racism; we need a healthy, well-funded ecosystem of leaders of color to tackle the complex systemic inequities we face today. Now is the time to fundamentally change the fabric of our society.”
Ananda Valenzuela
We want to give a big shoutout to Washington Nonprofits for providing admin support for this important gathering. Follow us on social media and stay tuned for updates from the EDs of color gathering!
RVC Partner Updates
RVC strengthens the power of communities of color in order to create a more equitable society through capacity-building, leadership development, and operations support. We accomplish this through our core programs and services as well as through leading partnerships with community members and organizations of color. These members and organizations provide support services tailored to the strengths and needs of the communities they serve.
Below are this month’s highlights of some of our partners’ amazing work.
Nyema Clark shares her story and journey, creating Nurturing Roots
Nurturing Roots is an RVC Operations Support Partner Organization based in Beacon Hill and focused on providing effective models for food equity and environmental justice.
In a new documentary, Nyema Clark shares her journey creating Nurturing Roots and her personal story of transformation and finding strength through service to her communities. The documentary premiered on June 20th and is a partnership with Thriving Communities. Check out the trailer at the following link: https://bit.ly/31J5nej
Nyema reflected on the process of creating the documentary and of navigating the current pandemic.
Many emotions went through my head sharing my story in the documentary, being able to be vulnerable and still strong is often a juggling act, just like being a black woman. No matter our struggle, I wanted to show we can also rise and get things poppin! COVID-19 was a wakeup call to many and so devastating to friends and family in many ways. For Nurturing Roots, it was wind to carry even more seeds across our community.”
Nyema Clark
Nyema also shared Nurturing Roots has a website and more exciting content coming soon! Follow Nurturing Roots on Instagram at the link below: https://www.instagram.com/nurturingrootsfarm/
Families of Color Seattle builds connection and community for families of color
Families of Color Seattle (FOCS) is an RVC Operations Support Partner Organization that builds racially diverse and economically-just families of color. Through resource sharing and equitable parent programs, FOCS connects and empowers parents to build a strong community of families of color.
FOCs was featured in a recent article on ParentMap, a magazine for parents in the Puget Sound area. In a Facebook post, FOCs team shared the areas of their work discussed in the article. “We shape our programs to fit our communities’ needs, from parenting conversations where race and identity are always relevant, finding ways to connect as a community on and offline, and workshops for schools and organizations to learn more about making equitable structural change.”
Read the insightful article at the link below: https://bit.ly/2BDt7pD
Follow FOCS on their Facebook at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/familiesofcolorseattle
Be a Changemaker
RVC Changemakers are folks who believe that leadership development and capacity building in communities of color should be spearheaded by the individuals working within these communities. By committing to giving $80 or more a month, you will be making a pivotal impact in communities of color in the Greater Seattle area.
Changemakers will get a shoutout in our annual report, be invited to our special events, be invited to further engage in other ways, such as through volunteering, lunch and learns, or maybe even mentoring. Our Changemakers will also just be lavished with so much appreciation for their commitment to social justice at the grassroots level!
Job Opportunities In Our Network
- RVC is hiring an Operations Associate
- RVC & Seattle Music Partners are hiring Development Manager-RVC Fellow
- Voices of Tomorrow is hiring a Mental Health Director
- Rainier Beach Action Coalition is hiring for multiple positions
- OneWorldNow is hiring a part-time Leadership Workshop Facilitator
- Hunger Intervention Program is hiring for a Meal Program Coordinator
- Literacy Sources is hiring a Development and Communications Manager
- Seattle JazzED is hiring a part-time Finance Director
- Washington State Opportunity Scholarship is hiring for a Programs Director
- Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church is hiring for a part-time Social Justice Coordinator
- Imago Works is hiring a Strategic Administrative Role
- Progress Alliance of Washington is hiring for an Executive Director
- Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hiring for an Accountant
- Casa Latina is hiring a Homeless Employment Specialist
- Communities Rise is hiring a Deputy Director
- Fuse Washington is recruiting for their Civic Voices Fellowship
- Philanthropy Northwest is partnering with Bezos Family Foundation and hiring a Program Associate
- Solid Ground is hiring for multiple positions
- Ventures is hiring a Director of Development
- United Way of King County is hiring for multiple positions.
Community Events & Important Dates
- United Way of King County, Food Lifeline, the City of Seattle, and Metro Access are offering home delivery of emergency food boxes across Seattle, North King County, and East King County during COVID-19. To order a food box, fill out this online form, or call Toll-Free at 833-540-0800, Mondays to Fridays from 11am-4pm.
- Free DACA Legal Clinics in July: Free DACA Legal Clinics hosted by Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Find link to DACA clinic sign up sheet below: https://bit.ly/3fVx9Zc
- Summer Curbside Resource Fair on July 11th in Renton! RVC Partner organization Renton Innovation Zone Partnership is hosting a free resource fair. Check it out at the link below: https://bit.ly/2O0TUPo
- Free testing is available in King County regardless of immigration status. Find a testing site near you at the link below: https://bit.ly/3faKlcA
- Communities Rise is offering COVID-19 Small Business and Nonprofit Legal Clinic. Register at the link below: https://bit.ly/2CezVtH
RVC Stuff To Read
What my work at Got Green taught me about environmental justice, Written by Shaylea Pilarski, RVC Green Pathways Fellow
Reflection on Ramadan During Quarantine, by Anbar Mahar Sheikh, RVC Capacity Building Lead
How do we support ourselves and our communities during COVID-19?, written by Tracey Wong, 2019-2021 RVC Community Impact Fellow
We need to retain and invest in our staff during this crisis, Written by Ananda Valenzuela, Interim Executive Director of RVC
RVC Fellow has renewed sense to build and connect communities through music education after enduring hardship, written by RVC
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If you have job postings or events that you would like mentioned in our newsletter, please email the details to Saida. We do our best to fit everything in, but we may not always be able to.
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