Panel: Participatory and Democratic Organizing
Meeting the Moment (9/22/2021) panel Participatory & Democratic Organizing
Participatory and Democratic Organizing: Case studies from membership-based organizations and participatory processes, and other shared and democratically organized group examples.
Panelists:
Elle Jennings (she/her) is an active members of the PNW BIPOC community and serves as several organizations, including Surge, Lavender Rights Project, and is a member of The Royal House of Noir (one of Seattle's premiere ballroom houses). A born and raised Texan, she moved to Washington after graduation from the University of North Texas. Upon landing in Seattle, Elle fell in love with the Black queer community, and its rich cultural solidarity. It's this solidarity that has aided shaping her into the Black trans woman she is today. Elle is our Decriminalize WA Organizer. She will be working with our policy table partners on building a powerful campaign to decriminalize sex work statewide. Elle thinks of herself as spontaneous, fun, and bright in social spaces. In her free time she can be found hunting for the next spectacular place to eat, or out supporting queer nightlife.
Arista Burwell-Chen is a mixed-race organizer, born and raised in Seattle’s Central District. Her experiences growing up in the Central District drive her desire to build power with communities of color for systemic change, particularly around more just and equitable school, food, and housing systems. Arista is passionate about organizing sustainably, and loves to bring a strong ethic of social generosity and light-heartedness to organizing spaces. She deeply believes in youth power and decision making, and feels lucky to get to support FEEST youth leaders’ creative brilliance and joyful movement building. Collective visioning and strategizing with FEEST youth, staff, board, and community members are some of her favorite parts of the job. Outside of her work with FEEST, you can find Arista learning new songs on the ukulele, Konmari-ing her friends’ closets, and listening to Prentis Hemphill’s podcast, Finding Our Way.
Moderator Matthew Hayashi (he/him) is the principal organization development and leadership consultant for Headwater People. He offers organizations a variety of strategic consulting services such as organization design, strategic planning, change management, process improvement, retreat planning and facilitation, and executive coaching. His passion is to help connect groups to the core mission of their work through collaborative and innovative learning and whole organizational health. Additionally, Matthew has significant experience in facilitating empowering and productive experiences in emotionally charged and relationally challenging circumstances. Relevant bodies of work include facilitating discussion between Seattle Public Schools and Seattle’s urban native community over failed efforts to close achievement gaps for Native learners; leading a project to partner IHS and a Montana Tribe to find equitable solutions over water disputes; and facilitating team-performance workshops for a physician partnership at Swedish hospitals. Very recent clients include the Environmental Protection Agency, Indian Health Services, UW College of Education, Washington State Department of Commerce, the Native Youth Alliance of Minnesota and the Urban Native Educational Alliance. Matthew has a particular interest in supporting community-led projects that improve systems in Native American organizations and agencies. Matthew grew up in indigenous communities in Kaneohe, Hawaii and continues to be grounded in the perspective and gifts of traditional cultures.
