May Newsletter: This issue is dedicated to the amazing people who contribute to the work of Social Justice Synergy.
A WORD FROM IRIS
This issue is dedicated to the amazing people who contribute to the work of Social Justice Synergy. Each person on our team offers their skills, knowledge, time, and insight to pursue justice alongside and within our partner organizations, and throughout the small worlds we occupy. Liberation work is only possible with collective power; so when you see me, you see them too.
Alix Andal (she/her)
design & web manager
Credit for SJS’s website, user experience, and the polished, accessible documents and data graphics we create goes to Alix. She also assists partners and clients in navigating the resources on our site (such as the Toolkit), and oversees our digital presence. Alix is a designer and web developer who helps organizations and entrepreneurs solidify their branding materials. See her work at alixandal.com.
“There is a large amount of time and talent that goes into making Social Justice Synergy successful. I’m really proud of the work I do here that supports the education SJS provides.”
blair franklin (they/she)
facilitator
blair supports our partner organizations’ BIPOC staff affinity groups in working through conflict, strategizing for self-advocacy, and carving safety and equity within the workplace. With her support, these groups become self-sufficient in holding space for themselves and other BIPOC, both internally and in their external work. In addition to their facilitation with SJS, blair is a healer, operations/development consultant, and advocate for LGBTQ youth and homeless youth. Learn more about her development services at alightalchemy.com; you can also access blair and other Black LGBTQ wellness practitioners/healing spaces at bemorerooted.org.
“There’s a lot of trust between Iris and all of us who work with her. It’s really valuable to work in an organization so dedicated to creating liberated communities, and with people who really trust the expertise in the room.”
Chris Tinson, Ph.D. (he/him)
educator
Chris brings history, scholarship, and the legacy of Black and brown liberation work to the center by designing and teaching SJS’s Critical Race Studies course for organizational leaders. The workshops present the broad historical context that links U.S. justice movements past and present, together on a continuum. Chris is a historian and educator, specializing in 20th century social justice movements, politics, panafricanism, Black internationalism, radical feminism, progressivism, and the history of reparations. Outside of SJS he is an author, speaker, associate professor of Black Studies and Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Saint Louis University. Connect with him on Twitter or Instagram, and via his SLU faculty page.
“It’s really about putting justice at the center of organizational life…and positioning workers for continued learning, especially those in leadership. You can have an organization that does really great work, but internally they have policies that limit Black people, or they have a culture of microaggressions and harm. Social Justice Synergy is trying to root that out so these organizations can do this work better and more efficiently.”
Jazelle Hunt (she/her)
communications consultant
Jazelle is a writer and editor who has been instrumental in relaunching and publishing this newsletter. She also assists with our partners’ major communication needs, such as reports, policy overhauls, and equity tools. Jazelle’s journalism training, extensive experience in justice spaces, and critical eye allow us to make ourselves clear. You can learn more about her via LinkedIn at bit.ly/jazelle.
“Social Justice Synergy is such an impressive organization, as is each person working within it – Iris included. Pushing individuals to grow in their anti-racism and helping justice organizations stay true to their work makes wide-reaching ripples. It’s hard to capture the full impact.”
Kal Landstra (they/them)
finance manager & organizational consultant
Kal makes sure Social Justice Synergy’s internal systems run effectively. They not only manage our compliance and financial health and consult on strategic/business goals, but also offer insight to our partners – often reviewing processes, pay policies, and organizational structure with an equity lens. Kal serves as a strategic thought-partner with Iris to keep SJS growing, and smooths all the things that make running a company stressful. Contact and learn more about Kal here.
“We provide a unique set of services that not a lot of other organizations are able to offer in one place. Iris has super clarity with her worldview and her thought processes, and together our team is able to provide [partners] with way more than I have seen in other [organizations].”
Mica Standing Soldier (she/her)
administrative manager & legal assistant
Mica is the bridge that takes folks from prospective to partnership. She manages intake, communication, and scheduling for SJS partners and clients, and also provides on-the-ground support for in-person trainings and legal research where needed. Mica is a law student who has previously worked as a community organizer, paralegal, and legal assistant, and currently works on youth justice initiatives at a legal defense fund. Contact her here.
“Social Justice Synergy isn’t a DEI firm. It’s so specifically tailored to each organization’s needs in ways that extend beyond just consulting or trainings. There’s a real connection we make, and we all work so that each organization gets exactly what they want and need to be better.”
Safire DeJong, Ed.D. (she/her)
facilitator
Safire guides our partner organizations’ white staff affinity groups (particularly those with intersecting marginalized identities) in building their understanding of the ways they participate in racism. She also strengthens these groups' capacity for interrupting inequitable dynamics within their organizations, and their confidence in becoming change agents and co-conspirators outside the organization. Safire works at the Collaborative for Educational Services as the program director of Social Justice and Equity in Schools, working with school leaders, students, families, and educators on anti-racism, equity, and liberation in schools. She encourages folks to check out the Transforming Education for Social Justice Conference, held in Massachusetts each spring.
“People tend to come to SJS when they are stuck, or there’s conflict. We have been engaged with this work in a deep and genuine way for a long time, so there’s a deep network to help identify the needs of the [partner] organization, and figure out who to bring in to create the vision for change that the organization wants.”
Sahara Pradhan (she/her)
researcher
Sahara specializes in turning theory, strategy, and statistics into practical processes that carry organizations toward their equity and justice goals. Thanks to her research and analysis, our partners’ equity audits have included not only an assessment of policies and norms, but also a sincere and knowledge-based look at both interpersonal dynamics between staff, and the relationship between the organization and the communities it serves. Sahara is from Nepal and is currently a doctoral student at UMass-Amherst studying education research. Contact her here.
“Many groups have one focus on legal justice, or feeding the hungry, or education, but Social Justice Synergy works across systems. Part of the reason SJS works so well is because of our extensive network. It makes our expertise quite broad, and adaptable, and it’s unique in that way.”
Whit Washington, Esq. (they/them)
facilitator & legal researcher
Whit provides nuanced support with equity audits, especially for our partners who work to end white supremacy and other forms of oppression within government, law enforcement, and the criminal legal system. In addition to anti-racist analysis of partners’ contracts, policies, hiring processes, and other areas involving legal standards, Whit also trains our partners on protecting and honoring trans people’s experience in the workplace. They currently work as a development and fundraising consultant, with focus on decolonization and the dismantling of the carceral state, as well as advocating for incarcerated trans people. Connect with Whit at whitwashingtonesquire.com.
“I have been part of many different attempts at addressing equity in offices and Social Justice Synergy’s services are really far and beyond what a lot of people are doing out here. I recommend us because the work this organization does is actually about making a difference, not just checking the [anti-racism training] box.”