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Online Event: Mutual Aid Fund Round Table

Events. At The Root Social Justice Center , 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT. United states.

Wednesday January 19 2022, 6:30pm

weareoutintheopen.orgOnline Event: Mutual Aid Fund Round Table

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 - 6:30PM to 8:30PM EST

Join us on Wednesday, January 19th from 6:30-8:30PM EST for our Mutual Aid Fund Round Table Discussion! 
 
Out in the Open is hosting a community-wide Mutual Aid Fund Round Table for organizers of 6 organizations to share their learnings, experiences, and reflections on opening and running mutual aid funds within their communities. For us, our mutual aid fund has been a place of continuous learning and experimentation. In opening our own Rural QTBIPOC/LGBTQ+ Mutual Aid Fund in the summer of 2020 we were inspired and learned from the mutual aid funds other groups and organizations were starting at the same time. We know we have a lot to learn from each other, and hope by sharing our experiences others building mutual aid funds will find reflections helpful in their process, and that we all can learn in building deeper mutual aid projects in our communities.
 
 
On January 19th from 6:30-8:30 EST organizations will share about their mutual aid funds, their processes in creating the fund, financial and legal structures, joyous moments, struggles, and what's next for their work and mutual aid funds! There will be space for community questions and discussion as well.
 
Join us along with The Root Social Justice Center, Migrant Justice, The Woven Collective, The Pioneer Valley Workers Center, and Youth Seen to hear an open conversation and reflections on running a mutual aid fund throughout the pandemic.
 
Please register to attend, register here: bit.ly/mutualaidroundtable
 
There will be ASL and Spanish/English Interpretation and closed captions for this panel.
Organizational bios below.
 
Email email eva@weareoutintheopen.org with any questions.
 
- Shela Linton, Executive Director, The Root Social Justice Center:
 
The Root Social Justice Center is a Vermont-based, BIPOC-led nonprofit organization focused on racial justice organizing, community advocacy, and relationship-building through our programming, actions, and local initiatives. 
 
In response to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have organized a BIPOC-centered Mutual Aid Support Network (MASN). This was largely the result of the feedback we received from our members and program participants and is outside of our formal programming and day to day operations.
 
- Jas Wheeler, The Woven Collective: bio coming soon. 
 
- Migrant Justice: 
Our mission is to build the voice, capacity, and power of the farmworker community and engage community partners to organize for economic justice and human rights. We gather the farmworker community to discuss and analyze shared problems and to envision collective solutions. Through this ongoing investment in leadership development, members deepen their skills in community education and organizing for long-term systemic change. From this basis our members have defined community problems as a denial of rights and dignity and have prioritized building a movement to secure these fundamental human rights to: 1) Dignified Work and Quality Housing; 2) Freedom of Movement and Access to Transportation; 3) Freedom from discrimination; 4) Access to Health Care.
 
- Leninn Torres, Mutual Aid Organizer, The Pioneer Valley Workers’ Center: 
After immigrating from Tlaxcala, Mexico and working for more than a decade in the restaurant industry, Leninn began as a volunteer with PVWC’s mutual aid program in 2020. Growing up, Leninn saw his mother struggle to provide her children with consistent healthy meals. His upbringing, immigration journey, and experience in the restaurant industry have led to a deep, personal understanding of food insecurity and the myriad challenges, facing the undocumented immigrant and low-income community in the US. Leninn became a member of PVWC’s staff in the early 2021 and is proud to help to keep the Mutual Aid food distribution program running and growing to serve communities in need in the Pioneer Valley in collaboration with Riquezas del Campo. (full bio in Spanish on facebook event page, and when you register) The Pioneer Valley Workers’ Center (PVWC) builds the collective power of workers and immigrants in Western Massachusetts and beyond.
 
Después de emigrar de Tlaxcala, México y trabajar durante más de una década en la industria de restaurantes, Leninn comenzó como voluntaria en el programa de ayuda mutua de PVWC en 2020. Al crecer, Leninn vio a su madre luchar para brindarles a sus hijos comidas saludables consistentes. Su crianza, viaje de inmigración y experiencia en la industria de los restaurantes le han llevado a una comprensión profunda y personal de la inseguridad alimentaria y los innumerables desafíos que enfrenta la comunidad de inmigrantes indocumentados y de bajos ingresos en los EE. UU. Leninn se convirtió en miembro del personal de PVWC a principios de 2021 y se enorgullece de ayudar a mantener el programa de distribución de alimentos de Mutual Aid funcionando y creciendo para servir a las comunidades necesitadas en Pioneer Valley in colaboración con Riquezas del Campo.
 
- Dr tara jae (they/them/their), founder and Executive Director, Youth Seen: 
Dr tara jae founder and Executive Director of Youth Seen, an organization that concentrates on QTBIPOC mental health and wellness in Colorado. In this role, they serve as an advocate to decolonize mental health and wellness by providing greater access to resources for our QTBIPoC community. In 2021, Dr. jae co-founded and c0-created Black Pride Colorado. Beyond their role as executive director, advocate and co-creator, Dr. jae also consults with a range of nonprofits on the work of acknowledging, deconstructing and rebuilding systems from an equitable perspective. Dr. jae also serves as an executive coach, a DEI curriculum developer and as a consultant for public media organizations to provide better representation and perspective of our QTBIPoC community in storytelling.
 
- Eva Westheimer, Organizing and Programs Director, Out in the Open:
Out in the Open connects rural LGBTQ people to build community, visibility, knowledge and power. 
Rural QTBIPOC/LGBTQ+ Mutual Aid Fund- A Pandemic Relief Fund of Out in the Open- A mutual aid relief fund for rural QTBIPOC/LGBTQ+ folks (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color/Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer+) living in rural northern New England (Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine). Prioritizing those who live at the intersections of these identities, additional priority will be given to those who live at the intersections of systematically oppressed experiences & identities.
 
Eva has a background in community organizing and facilitation. Eva has been committed to social justice Movement work for over 10 years. A Vermont transplant by way of Pittsburgh, PA- she has organized on issues ranging from environmental and climate justice work, to working to end the Israeli occupation in Palestine and prison abolition work. Working with organizations such as the Center for Coalfield Justice, Mountain Justice, and IfNotNow Pittsburgh. In creating a balanced life she enjoys playing board games, singing, dancing, adventuring outside, hanging out with friends, and spending time being an auntie.