How do we remain energized about our work?
How do we look at the persistent pandemic in the face every day and tell it we will use the moment to build, believe, and protect?
For us at RVC, we get so much energy and hope from our fellows and partner organizations–It’s the promise of their collective work to shift our sector and help realize our communities’ dreams for a better world.
A good reason for optimism, indeed.
On the topic of our fellows and how much their leadership journey inspires us, we have an exciting fellows celebration event coming up! Join us for the current fellow cohort’s first Turn Up for Transformation event! See the details below.
Curious about how our fellows and partners are finding sector-shifting success in their work? Check out our annual report from the last fiscal year. And as always, we have insightful updates from our partner organizations.
Know someone who wants to join our team?
Know someone with a passion for eliminating racial and economic barriers to quality music education? Do they also have an interest in developing as a leader alongside our current Community Impact Fellows? We want to hear from them!
Please encourage them to become an RVC fellow changemaker. RVC Community Impact Fellowship and our partner organization Seattle Music Partners are recruiting for a Development Manager-RVC Fellow.
We are also still accepting applications for the Operations Associate position. Check it out!
TURN UP for Transformation: Join us on September 24th 6-8 (Virtual)
Five 2019-2021 RVC Fellows will share their leadership journey thus far!
RVC Fellowship places talented leaders of color in a two-year fellowship program with host grassroots organizations led by communities of color. The programs provide the fellows with training and mentorship to develop their leadership skills and knowledge in nonprofit management, capacity-building, civic engagement, and working with diverse and dynamic communities.
These emerging leaders create a lasting, positive impact in communities of color throughout the two-year fellowship and beyond!
It’s always our greatest pleasure to witness the leadership journey of our fellows. Turn Up for Transformation events are one of the ways we celebrate the fellows’ leadership.
RVC is proud to be bringing back our Turn up for Transformation series. Each quarter, fellows from our Green Pathways and Community Impact programs will showcase their brilliance and offer wisdom they’ve gained through this experience.
The next Turn up event is on Thursday, September 24th, 6 pm-8 pm. The event is put on and led by our Fellows. Show up for the next generation of leaders! Support the leadership journey of the next generation of leaders in our sector!
Stay tuned for more event details soon. Register at the following link: https://bit.ly/2QT7MwA
Check out RVC 2019 Annual Report
This has been a year of transformation for all of us. Between the pandemic and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, our lives have shifted, and so has our work here at RVC. We continue to be inspired by the passion and brilliance of our partners.
We want to share some of the amazing work we’ve been doing together. At the link below, check out our annual report from the past year. The report includes case studies about how our fellows and partners are finding success in their work and shifting our sector.
Read the report at the link below: https://bit.ly/321DUo
RVC Partner Updates
RVC is powered by our partners, who tailor their work to the strengths and needs of the communities they serve. Every month, we highlight their amazing work.
Somali Health Board Selects RVC Fellow Alumnus Mohamed Shidane Deputy Director
Mohamed Shidane was a 2017-2019 RVC Community Impact Fellow
Mohamed Shidane was part of RVC’s Community Impact Fellowship second cohort. He was based at our partner organization, Somali Health Board (SHB), a local grassroots organization, founded and led by Somali health professionals and volunteers, dedicated to eliminating health disparities among new immigrant communities in King County.
During his fellowship term, Mohammed helped build SHB’s development and policy engagement capacity and has also been active in community outreach and advocacy.
Since his graduation from the fellowship last year, Mohamed stayed on with SHB and was recently promoted to deputy director!
A heartfelt congratulations to Mohamed Shidane and SHB! We love seeing our brightest stars leading our communities.
Want to congratulate him? Here is a link to his linkedIn profile!
You may read some of Mohamed’s work as a fellow on the RVC ChangeMakers blog at the link below: https://bit.ly/2DvBWmx
Serving Community During the Pandemic
An update by Totem Star Communications Manager- RVC CI Fellow Tracey Wong
Totem Star is a community-based organization that supports a diverse community of young recording artists learning music and life skills through mentorship and meaningful relationships. Totem Star’s work in the studio and on the stage fosters growth in collaboration, leadership, and self-identity.
I’ve been working with Totem Star since last summer. At the beginning of the pandemic, we have brought our programming online. We create opportunities for youth to still be in community with other young people, work one-on-one with their Artist Mentors, and perform and share their art with the community.
It is so important for the youth to continue to have access to mentorship, community, and resources to create art to heal and express themselves.
We all have so much power to cultivate the positive change that we want to see. To see a society that better serves our Black communities better helps our young people, and that better serves our humanity with true equity and justice for all. Often, change starts with our young people. It begins with us listening to our young people.
Ongoing wellness series offering for womxn and non-binary artists in our community
Totem Star is offering a series of wellness workshops for womxn and non-binary artists in our community. The sessions happen every 4th Friday of each month from 6-8 PM (PST). Check out our Facebook page for more info and DM us for the Zoom link!
Totem Star in the media
Want to learn more about our work? Check out the recent articles below showcasing Totem Star’s community-centered work.
Totem Star shines for youth artists during COVID-19
Totem Star music flourishes over digital airwaves and across generations
Totem Star offers online music programs to youth in response to COVID-19
Content Creation for Community-based organizations
RVC Partner Org Multicultural Community Coalition (MCC) is featured in a UW Communications Leadership workshop exploring content creation strategy for community-based organizations
Our partner org Multicultural Community Coalition (MCC) recently participated in a content strategy workshop hosted by UW Communications Leadership. The conversation explored content creation strategies for community-based organizations.
It’s important to practice grace… it can be hard when you have all of these things you want to execute, but you don’t have the capacity to do so. Take care of yourselves.”
RVC Community Impact Fellow Shiku Wainaina
Check out the conversation at the link below: https://bit.ly/320rzAI
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
- Washington State Opportunity Scholarship is hiring a Communications Officer
- Lavender Rights Project is hiring for a director of development
- Nature Conservancy is hiring for multiple positions
- Voices of Tomorrow is hiring a Mental Health Director
- Rainier Beach Action Coalition is hiring for multiple positions
- Oxfam America is hiring a Director of Public Policy and Government Relations
- The Management Center is hiring for a Vice President, Content & Communications
- Intiman Theatre is recruiting for a Managing Director
- Literacy Sources is hiring a Development and Communications Manager
- Seattle JazzED is hiring a part-time Finance Director
- Progress Alliance of Washington is hiring for an Executive Director
- Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hiring for an Accountant
- Casa Latina is hiring multiple positions
- Solid Ground is hiring for multiple positions
- United Way of King County is hiring for multiple positions.
Community Events
- Communities Rise is offering COVID-19 Small Business and Nonprofit Legal Clinic. Register at the link below: https://bit.ly/2CezVtH
- 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 testing is available in King County regardless of immigration status. Find a testing site near you at the link below: https://bit.ly/3faKlcA
RVC Stuff To Read
Community Care During the Pandemic: We Are in This Together, written by RVC
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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