During nearly five years as HOBT's Executive Director, I led the organization through financial crisis, leadership transition, funding shifts and, most importantly, starting the work of dismantling the white supremacy culture that threatened along with these other factors to bring HOBT's beloved MayDay celebration to an end after 45 years.
I established a leadership team that flattened organizational decision making.
I worked with staff and consultants to center the voices of artists of color in re-imagining a truly community-rooted MayDay Celebration.
I cultivated the long, slow work among both board and staff teams to educate ourselves around what it means to be a culturally white organization and how that harms others.
I fostered processes that, while not complete when I left, will lead to an HOBT with majority-IBPOC Artists, staff and board of directors within two years.
When I stepped away from the work to make room for new leadership, the organization had clear strategic direction, strong board and staff teams with passion for the work, and six months of cash in the bank.
