“Are we here for change or are we here for transformation?” It’s an important question, says  Julie Quiroz — strategist, longtime collaborator of MSC, and founder of MSN partner New Moon Collaborations. “If we’re here for transformation, we need to find ways beyond just our head space to feel and experience what that means.” 

Julie is talking about her early days at MSC, and how she and the MSC team were establishing that one of the key tenets of their work, and of Transformative Movement Building, was somatic, physical practice — breathing, centering, stretching. These actions felt “beautifully centered in movement work,” an “understanding of our physical wisdom, and the physical and emotional trauma and insight that we bring to anything that we’re doing.” 

Quiroz found MSC through Taj James, a co-founder and current board member. The two were active in movement circles, and he and Kristen Zimmerman, another co-founder of MSC and MSN partner project Root. Rise. Pollinate!, invited her to work on an early MSC report that led to other projects with past partners including Climate Justice Alliance and Movement Generation. Quiroz formally joined MSC as a fellow in 2009.

Quiroz is quick to share the story — one of her “deepest learning experiences” — of her first day at MSC. She was expecting “a regular work day.” Instead, “my new coworkers and I met at a dance studio where Zen teacher and strategist Norma Wong taught us how to breathe.” “I remember thinking how odd it all felt;” says Quiroz. “I was pretty skeptical and resistant.” 

Wong, a mentor at MSC in its earliest days, elevated the connection of mind and body, past and future — a lens that “assesses present conditions, awakens ancestral wisdom, and generates radical hope and courageous love.” Recounting that session, Quiroz shares that “each time we did an exercise, Wong asked us to describe our experience. If we started to analyze, Wong gently stopped us, inviting us to try again with simple descriptions of what we felt and saw.” 

“Slowly, each of us began sharing observations that surprised us with their insight. We began to connect our observations to our stories: of coalitions unable to execute plans, of surprise attacks from opponents that we didn’t see coming, of frustration in trying to think up a new analysis that would finally work.”

She could feel her “skepticism was wearing down.”

Ultimately, “it took a year for me to truly embrace the learning that began that day, to accept Wong’s invitation to practice breath and awareness as core to our responsibility in bringing forth systems grounded in our deepest collective humanity.” 

Wong invited the MSC team “to tap into what deep down feels true,” and inspired her to “pursue purposeful action” by: being aware “of somatic and cultural factors that shape” what’s “possible and desirable;” “maintaining a daily embodied practice;” and “insisting on strategy development” informed by “narrative and story.” She was also told to prioritize “space to reflect,” observing over analyzing, community atmosphere, and ways to “immediately apply” learnings.

Practicing a ten-step form of applied tai ji shared by Wong was also imperative to her transformation. Quiroz found tai chi as she was processing “some very difficult moments in [her] life.” It helped her begin “to feel a source of power that [she] had never experienced before” and feel “transformation happening” within. Soon enough, she “became a great champion” of this work — “it changes everything.”   

At that time, MSC staffers were asked to have a personal physical practice as well as a team practice. The aim was “to bring physical practice into everything we’re doing.” But even as they collectively embraced these actions, it could feel awkward outside of safe spaces. Quiroz recalls a meeting with funders. The colleague going to the meeting was nervous — “wait, I’m gonna bring physical practice to this funder meeting in New York? People in suits and heels and stuff?” Collectively, the team felt it was important to practice what they believed, so they supported the colleague as she prepared to fly out.

The meeting went well and, years later, what was once felt “so weird” isn’t anymore. “It is not that unusual for movement meetings to start with breath.” Quiroz believes the Transitions Initiative was one part of a larger movement shift that changed how people came into space together.

Quiroz says “at this point in my life and work I focus on lovingly supporting, amplifying, and expanding on the vision of women of color leaders who are guided by spiritual practice and deeply trusted in their communities.” Her work draws from her three decades of turning creative vision into reality, including 11 years as a part of MSC’s leadership team, where she created and implemented the aforementioned Transitions Initiative, and played a key role in the design, facilitation, and narrative strategy of the affiliated Transitions Labs. 

As she tells it, “MSC, as an organization, had become a little less centralized” with a “network approach” of infrastructure, incubation, and intermediary support. As MSC evolved, her work was the first of several “to spin off in that model” as New Moon Collaborations in 2020. That cluster of people and projects ultimately formed the MSN — a collective of fiscally sponsored projects and grantees that continue to hold and share the Transformative Movement work MSC was founded on over 20 years ago. 

“I really appreciate that MSC [was still able to support my work as] I had moved to another part of the country and I was doing new work that was not necessarily on some linear work plan. And I really appreciate that MSC supported the emergence of that new work.”

That current work is focused on nurturing leaps in culture that transform systems and structures for future generations through collaboration and storytelling. To do this, Quiroz collaborates with communities to develop strategy grounded in embodied wisdom and story. 

It began with Quiroz relocating and wanting to bring the Transformative Movement Building concept to her new homebase in Michigan. She “saw the need for Transitions Lab type gatherings that weren’t common there.” Working with an organically organized team of women of color in Michigan, Quiroz wondered, “who’s ready and open and thirsty for transformation?”

Quiroz and others co-founded Untold Stories of Liberation & Love, a Michigan-based women of color poetry collective, and she edited the Love & Other Futures: Poetry of Untold Stories of Liberation & Love anthology. She says “poetry is the practice of seeing, naming, and valuing what oppression and violence has taught us to ignore — our tingles, intuition, dreams, magic, grief, and joy.”

They went on to pull together a statewide gathering of women of color leaders, to create space for more vision, creativity, and connection among them. Occurring just before COVID-19 lockdowns, Quiroz later learned from those who took part that the gathering was a source of energy and inspiration through those hard times.

Through these gatherings Quiroz also connected with Leseliey Welch, co-founder of both Birth Detroit and Birth Center Equity, where Quiroz is now a core team member. During COVID-19, as Welch and Birth Detroit were envisioning the possibility of owning a building, Quiroz connected Welch with James and his organizations Full Spectrum Capital Partners and Full Spectrum Labs, which helped guide in the creation of Birth Center Equity.

This journey reflects a sentiment Quiroz comes back to again and again. She believes that in “every moment” in her life she is “called to the right place with the right people at the right time.” “I’m just incredibly lucky.”

Quiroz now serves as Narrative Strategy Director for Birth Center Equity, while continuing to steward the work of New Moon Collaborations. In 2022, Quiroz relocated to Puerto Rico, where New Moon Collaborations now supports local Puerto Rican leadership as they reclaim the practices and power of ancestral agriculture to grow a vibrant culture and economy. They are the core partner for Regenerating Ancestral Puerto Rican Agriculture (RAPA) led by farmer, medicinal plant expert, and activist Susimar Gonzalez Martinez.

Key to the program is “a deep well of knowledge” within the community; something “young farmers are hungry for.” In addition, the program hopes to quell “the exploitative practices of seizing [government-owned] land by external investors;” connect young farmers to the land; and, crucially, do it “at a scale and a pace that succeeds in preserving” land and culture. Ultimately, the program hopes to “create more possibilities for young people who love their culture” to stay in Puerto Rico, slowing a “huge outflux” who are pushed out due to economic hardship.

Quiroz is deeply inspired by Puerto Rico and is deeply grateful for the centrality of dance in the culture. She recalls growing up in Ecuador, where people would wrap up dinner and “just dance.” “It wasn’t something that you knew how to do … It was just part of who you were as a human being.” It was so different from her American experience — where “U.S. capitalist culture separates creativity from daily life.”

Quiroz pays close attention to the phases of the moon, a practice she began years ago, and discovered is also central to ancestral agricultural practices in Puerto Rico. “Every new moon reminds me that whole worlds exist before we can see them.” She explains, “before each new moon I take a moment to write down an intention.” She believes that as opposed to goals, “intentions are more like commitments — ways we seek to be.” She always seeks out “a glimpse of the moon,” and, as it “waxes, I look for ways to infuse my intention into my thoughts and actions.” 

“In ten years of practice, remembering my intention has never failed to guide me to renewed energy and possibility.” The act of “returning to my intention always grounds me in purpose.”

Quiroz’s blog shines with personal stories of work, culture, history, food, and family. And, each new moon she adds an often intimate post. One, from February, 2021, speaks to her background as an “assimilationist baby” — a product of cultural assimilation. Her father was born in rural Ecuador and eventually came to the United States on scholarship; her mother was a child of the Great Depression in Kansas. Likewise, a scholarship brought her out of poverty.

Quiroz writes: “I have never experienced poverty. But assimilation has its price … We become disconnected from the wisdom and lessons of our true past, freezing ourselves into a rootless present and an irreverent future.”

She has had to rediscover her lineage, which isn’t without complications. She acknowledges: “I am only a few generations away from my Indigenous Andean ancestors … And I am that same genealogical distance from the displaced European immigrants whose survival led them to the North American prairie and the violent displacement of Native nations there.”

“Learning to welcome [her] ancestors into [her] daily life” now informs her work. But, she says “it was a big leap for me to begin understanding my life in relation to all that came before me and all that lies ahead.” She recalls hearing Wong say “we are the descendants of our ancestors and the ancestors of descendants yet to come,” and getting “goosebumps.”

She says she’s “not sure you ever really know” when everything is right — but those goosebumps are an indication of something clicking. Quiroz also “listens through patterns of story and poetry,” something she used to think was a sign of being “weird or not very smart.” 

Quiroz says she came to poetry “a 1,000 years ago” at Windcall Institute where residencies are “not a retreat, there’s no programming.” She remembers apologizing for sleeping through the first day. Her hosts responded, “sleep the whole time if you want, we’re just glad you’re here.” The experience was of radical love and trust, and it was a “touchstone moment” that carried into the ethos of the Transitions Initiative — “space for unconditional love, for people to find themselves.” 

It was there, “where nothing was expected of” her, that she started. “One night I woke up and grabbed an envelope from the side of my bed and I wrote.” She “never set out to be a poet” but says “it was the first time I had space to process things that had been traumatic in my life;” that she “was trying to find ways to metabolize [her] experience.”

Then and now, it all comes down to “how we bring our deepest power to the transformation that the world needs” — and how her practices unlock that power. During her earliest days at MSC, Quiroz admired Zimmerman for her steadfast devotion to her practice — no matter who showed up. In Michigan, she found that “the genesis of [her] friendship and connection to others was their commitment to some form of practice.” “Wherever we go, whether we’re the only person in the room, I know my core people are gonna bring in practice in some way.”

As Women’s History Month draws to a close and we approach the anniversary of the pivotal end of the sanitation workers’ strike on April 16, we seek to honor new chapters written in the legacy of this historical event by MSC’s board member Anasa Troutman and her work at Historic Clayborn Temple.

Nestled in the heart of Memphis, a city where the echoes of the past meet the momentum of the future, Historic Clayborn Temple stands as a beacon of resilience and hope, deeply rooted in the Civil Rights Movement’s legacy. Together with the dedicated women of the Big We and BIG We Foundation, Troutman is helping transform the temple and seed profound change in the city, championing a future where history’s lessons pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.

Troutman, the founder of BIG We Foundation, a Movement Strategy Network (MSN) partner, has been instrumental in the $25 million renovation of Historic Clayborn Temple, a site deeply entrenched in social justice history. With her multifaceted expertise as a music producer, cultural strategist, writer, and director, Troutman is not merely renovating a building; she’s reimagining a beacon for civil rights advocacy, artistic exploration, and meaningful community engagement in celebration of the temple’s legacy as a cultural and spiritual sanctuary.

Last year, Carla Dartis, MSC’s executive director, visited Memphis. In a chat on the Big We Podcast’s fifth season, Dartis described the site “as a living archive, a tangible reminder of the struggles and sacrifices that have shaped our collective journey toward justice.” Her words remind us of the temple’s deep significance as a symbol of resilience and community spirit, and a beacon in the ongoing quest for civil rights.

Located in downtown Memphis, the temple played a starring role in the sanitation workers’ strike of 1968 — a significant chapter in the struggle for civil rights. The strike began after a tragic incident in February of that year, when two African American sanitation workers lost their lives due to a malfunctioning garbage truck. As a result, city workers demanded better pay, safer working conditions, and the right to unionize. The strike would draw national attention and the involvement of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Clayborn Temple served as the epicenter of the strike, offering not just a meeting place but a symbol of communal strength and unity. It was here that strategies were devised, spirits were lifted, and the community came together to support the cause. The temple’s significance was further underscored by its close proximity to notable events and locations tied to the civil rights struggle in Memphis, including Mason Temple Church of God and Christ, where Dr. King delivered his prophetic “Mountaintop” speech the night before his tragic assassination at the Lorraine Motel.

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On March 28, 1968, thousands congregated at the steps of Clayborn Temple A.M.E. Church in Memphis.

One march, led from the temple to city hall, was violently interrupted by police. When protesters retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas into the sanctuary — a sacred space turned into a scene of panic where attendees had to break stained glass windows to escape.

Clayborn Temple closed its doors in 1999. A significant revival effort began in 2015 under Clayborn Reborn (now Historic Clayborn Temple), as spearheaded by Frank Smith, and supported by Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. In 2018, the National Park Service contributed a significant grant to continue work. Now, under Troutman’s guidance, the new Clayborn Temple will honor its history and support future activism as a hub for community, education, and civil rights advocacy.

The national recognition and revitalization of landmarks like Clayborn Temple — which are already imbued with historical significance — play a crucial role in propelling social movements forward by fostering a sense of collective identity. That significance is detailed in a timeline across the tiles outside of the temple at I Am A Man Plaza — named for the strike’s “I AM A MAN” mantra, which underscored the humanity of these workers and the racial and economic disparities they faced. 

Being there amplifies the temple’s significance. Dartis admits she “did not fully realize the significance of [Clayborn Temple] to the Civil Rights Movement and the partnership that was forged between local movement leaders and Dr. King in championing employment protections for African Americans. The strategic interplay of that partnership and Dr. King’s untimely death played a pivotal role in bolstering the unionization of Black sanitation workers and securing federal support for the advancement of civil rights for African Americans.”

The blueprint for Clayborn Temple isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s a holistic approach that taps into restorative economics, aiming to weave joy, sustainability, and fair access to resources into the fabric of the neighborhood. The temple is nestled just behind the bustling FedEx Forum and a stone’s throw from the lively Beale Street, which, per Dartis, “is now a tourist trap filled with souvenir stores and entertainment spots not fully reflective of the cultural richness and movement heritage of Memphis.” 

The area — wedged between the Mississippi River and the arteries of major interstates and dominated by expansive parking lots for the FedEx Forum — faces the harsh realities of gentrification and poor land use. With the National Civil Rights Museum just a few blocks away, “the location and its proximity to Beale Street hammers in the need for [the temple] to anchor a civil rights district in Memphis.” All said, the neighborhood’s history and present development challenges highlight the fine line between progress and preservation. 

Troutman, in collaboration with the local Chamber of Commerce, rolled out a series of events and programming designed to invigorate the neighborhood’s economy. This collaboration, made in the spirit of true abundance, seeks to enhance the temple’s cultural and historical significance, spark economic vitality, and create an ecosystem where the community can come together and flourish. “With healing arts and culture programming, a museum that honors the history of the building, and community outreach initiatives that support economic justice,” Troutman told Archinect News that “we’re committed to reclaiming a sacred space for the community, and ensuring that the resilient spirit of this iconic landmark continues to inspire generations yet to come.”

In a conversation with Steve Dubb of Nonprofit Quarterly, Troutman said “true abundance is about recognizing and honoring everyone’s right to joy, fulfillment, and the opportunity to thrive.” This vision was shaped by transformative relationships that developed during her tenure at the Highlander Research and Education Center and while serving as a fellow at MSC. 

In the same piece, she added that inclusivity is core to the project’s governance model and its deliberate focus on valuing and magnifying the voices tied to its rich history. This thoughtful approach aims to ensure the temple’s revival resonates with authenticity, collective stewardship, and community involvement.

Clayborn Temple continues to stand as a beacon of empathy, understanding, and collective action. On October 4, 2023, Little Amal, a 12-foot-tall puppet symbolizing a young Syrian refugee, made a significant arrival at the temple. The parade, starting at the temple, was a vibrant fusion of local and international support and marked a key moment in Amal’s extensive 6,000-mile journey across over 35 U.S. cities.

Little Amal’s trek symbolizes global solidarity and aims to spark discussions on identity and heritage. To enrich the narrative, Memphis Girl — an eight-foot companion puppet crafted by the esteemed puppeteer Jeghetto — joined the Little Amal. Collaborating with a number of organizations, including Shelby County Schools and Memphis Youth Arts Initiative, Clayborn Temple facilitated workshops for kids to create additional puppets that were used in the parade. Troutman explains that the goal was to encourage “1,000 children from all over Memphis” making “puppets in their own image to be able to say things like, ‘I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am the future’.” 

The parade continued to the Orpheum Theatre, a site chosen for its storytelling significance, where students from the Refugee Empowerment Program warmly welcomed Little Amal with personal messages. Troutman emphasized, “instead of trying to go and recruit all these young people to our organization, it felt really juicy and exciting to go to places where children already were because we want to support organizations that are already supporting young people, and we want to become part of their community and have them become part of our community. So, the message of our local work has amounted to building a culture of love. This project has really brought us closer to the Memphis community and I love that.”

As we stand at the threshold of a new era for Historic Clayborn Temple, we are reminded of the profound interplay between honoring our history and sculpting our future. This sacred space is set to emerge as a vibrant crucible for storytelling, dialogue, and active community engagement. Guided by the collective vision of Troutman and the broader community, the revival of this piece of history symbolizes a commitment to a community-led renaissance, inspiring both present and future generations to forge spaces that celebrate our shared narrative. The temple’s role as a cornerstone for healing, intersectional dialogue, and the nurturing of collective agency, pays homage to the rich tapestry of legacies that have resonated within these walls.

“In this rebirth, we aspire to be more than a historical monument,” reflects Troutman. Dartis echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of reimagining historical sites not merely as relics but as living testaments to our journey toward justice and equity. “I was truly inspired and awestruck. It truly is a grand facility and the care and attention that Anasa’s team is bringing to the restoration is absolutely stunning — it brings history into the present and future!” 

What do you think of when you hear the word conflict? Maybe it’s that tense moment in a scary movie — spooky music and squeaking doors. Maybe it’s on the news — clashing heads of state and political unrest. Or, maybe it’s the shocking twist in that prestige drama you’re watching. Conflict is everywhere — headlines, your TV, and, of course, in your daily life.

But is conflict inherent in our nature, or is it a byproduct of our upbringing and experiences? 

Defined simply, conflict implies a clash — the tangible blows of war or the intangible strains of opposing ideals or desires. It’s the internal battle of conflicting needs and it’s the exhilarating face-offs in our favorite stories and at our kitchen tables.

Conflict can feel like a constant in our lives. And perhaps it is. While some might dismiss a particular disagreement without a thought, for many, a conflict can hold deep meaning. Every day, whether we move on quickly or dwell, we are navigating through a series of conflicts. 

The world of philanthropy is no different: passionate discussions about which projects to support, differing opinions on how best to allocate resources, strategic dilemmas around mission statements or five year plans, and the internal and interpersonal battles of balancing idealism with practicality. These conflicts, big or small, overt or subtle, systemic or relational, shape our daily experiences and mirror the personal and societal struggles depicted in those movies and television shows. Conflict propels every narrative forward, breathing life and movement into the story.

For over two decades, MSC has been dedicated to fostering an equitable intermediary model that nurtures an ecosystem for effective activism in support of a Just Transition. In our work — movement support for racial, social, and climate justice — we witness the myriad ways communities come together, for better or worse. That knowledge offers a basis for the conflict we discuss in this essay. First, it’s crucial to delineate between two distinct types of confrontations, or conflicts, that arise. On one hand, we have healthy conflict — where community members stand on opposing sides of an issue or resolution, challenging one another in constructive ways to bring about growth, change, or compromise. On the other, there’s violence — deeply rooted in the traumatic legacies of brutal colonization, enslavement, heteropatriarchy, and abuse. This type of violence is bigger than a disagreement and can result in profound, lasting harm. Though it is important to remember that conflict is a natural aspect of any relationship, our ultimate goal is to understand and navigate without causing harm.

Philanthropy at large has the opportunity to shift practices away from habits that cause harm toward behaviors that shape a regenerative world. MSC’s Chief Advancement Officer, Mohini Tadikonda, explains that various philanthropic models, including traditional and participatory grantmaking, intermediaries, donor advised funds, and special interest funds, can set the stage for reshaping the dynamics of power and control in wealth distribution. Still, these can miss the mark. Tadikonda observes, “there’s a current trend in philanthropy leaning towards what’s termed ‘participatory grantmaking.’ However, this often comes with a contradiction, as funders are still imposing their own expectations and dictating terms.” This approach can force grantees into collaborations — and conflicts — with unfamiliar partners and into unfamiliar waters. This approach, like a sailor imposing a course without regard for the weather, leads to strained partnerships and missed opportunities for genuine collaboration.

Like navigating a sailboat, managing conflict or crisis demands adaptability. At sea, one adjusts their sails to suit the wind and rain. Likewise, navigating conflict requires dynamism and an understanding of individual players and surroundings. The same applies to philanthropy — consider sudden shifts in funding priorities and entrenched power dynamics. This highlights the need for philanthropy to adopt a more balanced and responsive approach — the way a seasoned sea captain is attuned to the ocean’s moods.

Insights published by MSC’s 2015 Transitions Labs served as a foundation for our organizational identity by asking the questions of who we want to be and how we navigate toward a regenerative world. Julie Quiroz, before founding Movement Strategy Network partner New Moon Collaborations, offered her insights during one such Transitions Lab. She reflected, “we faced the realities of our movements — the habits that hamper our effectiveness and the immense challenges before us. However, we weren’t confined by these realities. The lab propelled us towards a vision of exponential and irreversible transformation, a new ‘destiny’ that we have the power to forge and embody.” 

This vision, years later, still ignites our dedication to transformative thinking, an essential tool in guiding us towards solutions that are both regenerative and healing. We draw inspiration from the Polynesian story of the Hōkūleʻa and the ethos of wayfinding — a millennia-old seafaring tradition devoid of modern navigational instruments. Instead, wayfinding relies on celestial bodies, oceanic patterns, and wildlife to carve pathways across the seas. It’s a practice that teaches us that “everyone can be the navigator our earth needs. Every person on earth can help navigate us to a healthy future where our Island Earth is safe and thriving again.”

“Stories of hope and local solutions that blend Indigenous wisdom with other best practices can be found all over the world. If we find and share those stories with each other, we can help chart a positive course for our planet.” Sahana Chattopadhyay, a writer and organizational development consultant, suggests that wayfinders are born “in response to the pluri-crises of our times and embody a world that moves from artificial growth and scarcity to the paradigms of abundance and enough-ness.” These ways of thinking encourage us to recognize our inner wayfinder and embrace an ethos of navigating conflict that fosters regeneration. Similarly, philanthropy at large, and especially equitable intermediaries, should advocate for and fund frontline “wayfinders” while pointing out risks like replicating dominance models or enabling inefficiencies.

MSC has always been an organization of wayfinders. And, in the context of our own organizational journey, we’ve navigated the fluctuating tides of change — be it through staff transitions, shifting priorities, new initiatives and programs, or environmental changes. Our lore is rooted in the Practices of Transformative Movement Building (TMB), which means we are committed to weaving connections and fostering resilience within our communities, thereby growing our “capacity to generate collective action in complexity and uncertainty.” This commitment is a compass point, the Strategic Navigation pillar of TMB, and it guides us through both calm and stormy seas with purpose and adaptability.

People may encounter challenges with peers or colleagues even amid the most well intentioned community-building and social movement work. But conflict is not a failure. We must recognize that conflict is a natural part of any group dynamic and a group without conflict may actually be dysfunctional, unbalanced, or cultish. Conflict shouldn’t be avoided, and it isn’t necessarily an opportunity to achieve deep alignment. As Autumn Brown said during an Instagram Live session, “you can’t meaningfully agree until you meaningfully disagree.” 

Communities have answered the call to resolve conflicts in transformative and regenerative ways — organizations like the Karuna Peacebuilding Center have invested in long term partnerships with conflicting partners to help those parties discover their shared capacity for building peace through freely offered training guides on reconciliation and healing. Turning Towards Each Other: A Conflict Workbook, by Jovida Ross and Weyam Ghadbian of Weyam Healing Conflict and Transformation, a Movement Strategy Network partner, also provides a set of activities for both individual and group reflection, focused on enhancing self-awareness and the best practices for navigating interpersonal conflicts.

At MSC, we understand movement building is relational work, and not merely a series of one off interactions. Conflict can arise when a party does not feel considered. True power, as we see it, emerges from sustained collaboration and a sense of shared community. Evolving from monthly gatherings to quarterly town halls, the Movement Infrastructure Innovation Center (MIIC) at MSC — which manages our fiscal sponsorship services — has crafted a dedicated forum for projects to come together. These meetings will serve as a conduit for addressing concerns, disseminating updates, and enhancing transparency between our core team and the project directors of each fiscally sponsored project (FSP).

Each of these gatherings can serve as a nexus of incubation and acceleration, inviting every project into a dynamic arena where feedback loops, networking opportunities, and adaptive improvements thrive. This iterative design ensures every voice is heard, each concern is addressed, and helps determine priorities, making each individual within our community a key player in the evolution of our collective work.

In December 2022, we formulated a strategy to bolster fundraising support for our FSPs after being awarded the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation’s Environment & Health program grant. This generous funding enabled us to provide enhanced capacity building services, align funding strategies more effectively within the ecosystem, and offer specialized technical assistance — a direct response to the recurring and often systemic challenges and conflicts faced by the projects we support. Through an interactive and collaborative design process, we centered on building a fundraising initiative that meets the needs of our projects by addressing strategies and overcoming hurdles stemming from philanthropy’s long history of maintaining structural oppression. Our approach is relational and solutions-focused, redesigning and redefining philanthropic systems to provide accessible workarounds and eliminate red tape that so often keeps communities from accessing the support they need.

Naturally, these relationships — not just with FSPs but among core staff — have encountered their share of conflicts. This doesn’t mean we aren’t good people or are intending to cause harm. It does mean we are all capable of inflicting harm. Reflecting on how we’ve moved forward (or sometimes stagnated) through conflict, there’s a consensus among staffers that there’s room for improvement. Weyam Healing & Conflict Transformation has been a helpful tool for navigating such conflict within our organization. Ross and Ghadbian write: “when we avoid conflict or move through it carelessly, we end up acting out those structural patterns unconsciously, even if we are from an identity harmed by those systems. Whether or not we have formal power, we can enact subtle and gross forms of anti-Blackness, White supremacy, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, and other structural oppressions. This can end relationships, organizations, and movements.” 

 

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Social change leaders face a daunting balancing act: orchestrating operations, securing funding, staffing up, and, crucially, working to stand out and build relationships among their peers and philanthropy — when their true calling is to support communities and reform inequitable systems. These often conflicting priorities can make leadership roles feel unsustainable and stir conflict. While transactional duties threaten to deplete a leader’s vitality, transformational support mechanisms such as peer circles, coaching, and advocacy work offer vital sustenance. These nurturing supports not only help sustain leaders but also foster relationships that propel initiatives forward. Equitable Intermediaries are pivotal in this, providing a spectrum of support from fiscal sponsorship and personnel management to coaching and training.

RVC Seattle embodies a liberatory and leaderful approach to social justice through BIPOC-led collaborations and equitable power sharing. They serve as a key player in the Equitable Intermediary Fund cohort at MSC, which supports intermediaries that provide financial and technical support to grassroots leaders and are working to equitably redefine intermediary services with best practices, tools, and resources that intend to help more intermediaries move toward this paradigm shifting model. But supporting staff is also crucial. Like RVC, MSC is dedicated to the professional growth among core staffers, which includes enhancing our approaches to managing conflict. As beneficiaries of a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant, our team engaged in professional development and wellness workshops including those aimed at expanding our conflict resolution skills — a boon that can last only as long as the funding does. 

Staffers are encouraged to participate in courses and learnings that resonate with them personally. Karmella Green, a MIIC team project advisor at MSC, took part in a community session called Organizational and Interpersonal Conflict. Hosted by Dana Silverman, the session offered valuable insights into the transformative potential of conflict management. She reflects, “when faced with conflict, how do we call awareness to our body’s response? Where is that tension physically felt?” This meditation, she explained, led to an understanding of how internal conflict manifests physically and, consequently, affects our interactions. Green underscores the importance of recognizing bodily responses — knots in the stomach, jaw tension, tight muscles — and the practice of verbally acknowledging these sensations during conflicts. She advocates for creating a container for conflict, a dedicated space to address disagreements with consent from all parties, and she uses mindfulness techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation to reset before re-engaging. “By building this container and seeking consent for dialogue, we can harness conflict as a regenerative rather than a destructive force.”

For more practical wisdom on collaboration and conflict resolution, we suggest the Management Center, worker-owned cooperative principles, and union organizers including Jane Mcalevey.

Understanding the distinction between a habit and a practice is vital in both personal growth and movement building. A habit, Norma Wong astutely observes, is “any unconscious repetitive act” that often operates beneath our awareness, thus robbing us of the power inherent in the action. Because habits are not consciously controlled, they can inadvertently dictate our behavior, sometimes to our detriment. This is particularly true in movement building, where unexamined habits can constrain our strategies, limit impact, and cause conflict. As Wong points out, even “good habits” can fail to serve us if they remain unconscious, acting as unseen threads weaving a pattern of thought and behavior we may not intentionally choose.

Conflicts can escalate from our unexamined habits, particularly in how we react or respond to challenges. These reactions are not just mental or emotional; they are also somatic, rooted in the body’s unconscious patterns and reinforced over time. When faced with tension or disagreement, our habitual responses — a quickened pulse, tensed muscles, or a rush of adrenaline — can dictate our actions before we’re even fully aware of them. These somatic underpinnings can escalate conflict rather than resolve it.

In contrast, a stance, breathing, or other wellness practice can allow for a more mindful and measured approach to conflict. This regenerative approach is not innate; it requires the conscious practice of stepping back from the brink of habitual reaction to consider the potential for positive change. Just as a weightlifter increases capacity with each lift, each conflict presents a unique opportunity to hone our ability to respond with patience, empathy, and a focus on mutual growth. Over time, what begins as a deliberate practice can evolve into a more natural response — each conflict becoming a set of metaphorical weights, with lifting either reinforcing our habitual reactions or building muscles of resolution and understanding. 

Through practice, we can replace unhelpful habits with conscious, deliberate, and strategic actions, fostering deep and respectful awareness. In the aforementioned Turning Towards Each Other: A Conflict Workbook, Ghadbian reminds us, “conflict is neutral. It is neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad,’ it just is.” By utilizing resources like their workbook, individuals can effectively address tensions within their group and collaborate more effectively toward dismantling oppressive structures and establishing sustainable alternatives.  

That’s not to say we have absolved our organization from conflict. Since our first all staff retreat in September of 2023, our team has acknowledged sources of conflict and begun to discuss and commit to transforming counterproductive habits into intentional actions. Green captured the essence: “even when it gets rocky, we really do have some solid, compassionate folks that work here.”

In the same vein, MSC’s executive director, Carla Dartis shared an experience during her appearance on the BIG We Podcast. Facing challenges as a leader of color, she said she “needed to hang in there,” but could only “stay quiet or just adapt” for so long. “There comes a point where I need to balance grace with mindfulness because I realize we’re in this for the long haul.” Dartis’ words highlight the essence of mindful resilience — striking a balance, adapting when necessary, but also speaking up and maintaining composure. Keeping our eyes on the prize — a Just Transition towards a world beyond extraction and domination — requires this kind of mindful perseverance.

This approach is reflected in the role of Director of Community Fund Design, a new position at MSC. Stephanie Imah joined MSC in 2023 and works to apply learnings from past regranting experiences where we witnessed or experienced harm, to pilot new models through innovative special interest fund work. This includes a Health Equity Fund made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s health model. The fund, still in its design phase, will support health equity with a participatory grantmaking model shaped by diverse perspectives including BIPOC, low income residents, and others impacted by systemic health inequities, along with individuals knowledgeable in public health, healthcare, and social services. Additionally, the fund’s grantees will be offered a comprehensive range of capacity-building tools, training, and technical assistance to support their health and social service initiatives. Crucially, this programs’ participatory grantmaking model will serve as a pilot for future participatory models at MSC. 

At the heart of building power through conflict is recognizing that we’re not perfect — nor do we want to be. The key is to be in relationship with each other, even when it means confronting failure. And we should not fear failure, as it is simply an opportunity to learn and grow. Consider the fifth principle of Emergent Strategy: “never a failure, always a lesson.” We must take the time to understand the lessons that failure presents, and identify what hurts and what practices we need to develop to navigate similar situations in the future. It’s also important to consider how forgiveness plays a role, and whether we are willing to show up and do the work necessary to move forward. By embracing imperfections and learning from failures, we can build stronger relationships at work and in our communities, ultimately fostering a more just and equitable society at large.

Conflict is an inescapable part of our existence, with others and within ourselves. As we navigate the nuanced world of philanthropy, it’s important that we not only acknowledge these conflicts but actively engage with them, rather than shying away. By doing so, we nurture and strengthen the very relationships fundamental to our collective wellbeing and progress. When we approach conflict as an opportunity for growth, our interactions evolve into productive encounters that strengthen relationships rather than strain them.

As philanthropy evolves to embrace conflict, so must the sector relinquish its control of wealth, its stronghold on decision making, and how it dictates who receives resources and how those resources are used. These dated models must be replaced with trust-based and relational partnerships and unrestricted funding, so the grassroots can drive real change and improve real lives. These are big, sweeping shifts and tensions are bound to arise. That’s okay — perfection is not the goal. Instead, we must listen, learn, and adjust.

It’s hard work, and, in philanthropy, there is no single, one-size-fits-all model or solution. Each situation and community requires unique modifications tailored to specific needs and objectives. What is required is a willingness to adapt, confront the status quo, and embrace both change and conflict in support of movement leaders and communities.  

Strategists and thinkers who are shifting philanthropy are not merely intent on healing past wounds; they view conflict as a natural and recurring element of movement building, like the ebb and flow of the tides. As we steer — or wayfind — through complex human connections, we seek a safe harbor of Beloved Community. Doing this requires us to ask ourselves — both on a personal level and within the collective helm of the organizations we navigate: what does our purpose lead us to? What will best take us towards the vision for the world we want? How do we practice our values in this choice? Standing in relationship with our grantees and partners, we remember the guiding star in Audre Lorde’s words: “without community, there is no liberation.”

It’s time we respect conflict, welcoming something so many of us dread to its rightful seat at the table. Don’t see it as a pitfall but as a powerful tool to build a movement rooted in genuine interdependence, resilience, and enduring change.

As the political climate around libraries and books becomes more contentious — a school district in North Florida banned nearly 2,000 books, including the dictionary — it’s crucial to remember the importance of diverse and impactful literature. Last year, during Banned Book Week, Read a Book Day, and International Literacy Day, Movement Strategy Center’s core staff highlighted books that faced censorship and offered thought-sparking perspectives across our various social media channels. As this trend of censorship continues, we’re resharing these powerful reads.

Here’s a glimpse into the diverse and thought provoking selections from our staff:

David Malinowski, our Advancement Coordinator, selected books that shed light on the intersection of racial justice and health equity. The riveting the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is bigger than the story of Lacks’ cells revolutionizing modern medicine. It’s a story of struggle and demand for acknowledgment against institutions like John Hopkins University⁣ and a reminder that while we laud scientific advancements, we must never forget the individuals who make discoveries possible. He also recommended Pageboy by Elliot Page, an honest, unapologetic memoir from childhood to adulthood and his journey as a trans man. Page’s story helped him better understand what it means to be transgender and the consequences of a society built to delegitimize a person’s very existence from childhood and is a testament to the power of love and acceptance.

Daniel Parada, Director of Fiscal Sponsorship, champions So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo, a must read for anyone eager to understand and engage in meaningful dialogues on race. Oluo offers insights on apologizing, fostering meaningful dialogues, and urging societal introspection; the book supports readers in deepening their understanding and sparking compassionate conversations on race.

Similarly, How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, educates and inspires people to accept, embrace, and celebrate differences. Our Chief Advancement Officer, Mohini Tadikonda, feels it should be a required curriculum for children and adults. Kendi uses relatable stories and references, explicitly drawing attention to conscious and unconscious bias and explicit racism towards Black people in America, and offers solutions for positive change. “Why anyone would find this book divisive or dangerous is beyond comprehension. It’s a guide to being a better person,” Tadikonda says. “I’ve used this book as an effective tool in DEI workplace training and encourage everyone to keep a copy handy and share this powerful manual with others.” 

Tadikonda also recommended the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass. The author’s powerful, inspiring, and rare 75-page autobiography should be mandatory reading for all humans. We know of the savagery of slavery as told by scholars, historians, and storytellers, but to have a first hand account written by a formerly enslaved person, in his own words, and with his own hands, is a precious gift. Despite the extreme brutality and hopelessness of his situation, he found a way to teach himself to read and write, free himself, become a scholar and abolitionist, and publish his incredible story. It is the ideal book to pick whenever we need a reminder of what it means to truly struggle, overcome adversity, and live a purposeful life.

Project Advisor Karmella Green suggests Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation by Sophie Lewis, a provocative examination of family structures and care in a capitalist world. Lewis asks how we view family in a world conditioned by capitalism and challenges us to reimagine what family and care look like for each of us collectively. Though small, it’s packed with sharp and engaging revelations. 

M Archive: After the End of the World, by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, is another of Green’s favorites. Gumbs, a trusted name within our ecosystem, challenges readers to contemplate: “how many breaths did you enjoy?” Green describes it as an enthralling and nuanced exploration of revolutionary love, asking, “in pursuit of revolutionary love, what does love mean beyond your own survival?” 

Do you remember Christian Cooper? Frank Gargione’s pick, Better Living Through Birding by Cooper, provides a unique perspective on birding, identity, and nature. Released in 2023, the book is as much a tribute to birds and birding as it is a travelog, a spiritual journey, and a reflection on growing up Black, queer, and nerdy. 

Gargione, MSC’s Communications Director, also suggests Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. This powerful narrative — a 2022 Pulitzer winner and Oprah pick — is set in Appalachia and is a contemporary retelling of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Another favorite of his is Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, which captures the essence of 1960s New York City — centering on the riots, the culture, race, class, and the often told tale of Manhattan strivers striving to be bigger and better in any way they know how. 

Our Communications Manager, Lidia Alvarez, shared her appreciation for ancestor Octavia Butler’s work. Kindred mixes sci-fi with raw, historical truths, giving a deep look into America’s brutal history of slavery. It tackles the past to shape our future through its unflinching examination of slavery and racial discrimination. “The ease. Us, the children … I never realized how easily people could be trained to accept slavery.” For Alvarez, Kindred isn’t just a story but a stark reminder that understanding our past is crucial in shaping a more equitable tomorrow.

Andrea Granda, MSC’s Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, is also a Butler fan. She recommends Parable of the Sower, a sci-fi story that unfolds through the diary entries of Lauren Olamina, a Black teenager, in 2024. Butler delves deep into humanity’s resilience amidst global climate change and the profound upheavals of capitalism. Granda joins other team members who have visited EARTHseed Farm in Sonoma County — a Black-owned regenerative haven. The farm is tangibly inspired by Butler’s visionary world, and serves as a poignant reminder of the novel’s relevance. 

As shared by project advisor Alejandra Lezma, Homo Irrealis by Andre Aciman, is a book that reflects a state of mind we often have as humans. The “irrealis” is a limbo between fantasy and reality, the longing for what could’ve been, didn’t, but could still be. Lezma was drawn to it because the author bases this feeling on his immigration journey, looking at the life that wasn’t and the conflict around that — Lezma’s perpetual state of mind. 

These books, along with others like Good Talk by Mira Jacob, Listening to Stone: The Art and Life of Isamu Noguchi by Hayden Herrer, and Breaking Out In Prison by Babita Patel, offer insights into diverse experiences and perspectives. They remind us that understanding our past and embracing different viewpoints is crucial in shaping a more equitable future.

The list of recommendations is long. Other honorable mentions include Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, the Vanishing Half  by Brit Bennett, and the Sixth Man by Andre Iguodala with Carvell Wallace. For the young adult in all of us, A Tale of Redwall by Brian Jacques. And last, but certainly not least, the classic, the Bluest Eye, by ancestor Toni Morrison. 

These selections illustrate the power and necessity of diverse voices. As the political climate around libraries intensifies, we encourage you to continue to support libraries and librarians as well as local bookstores and used booksellers. Most importantly, we urge you to join your local school boards and city councils. Ensure these and all reads remain accessible; and that diverse voices and stories are celebrated, not silenced. Your voice and actions can make a significant difference in preserving the freedom of literature and thought. Let’s stand together to keep our bookshelves diverse and our minds open.

It was a beautiful Wednesday morning in the Bay Area as MSC staffers made their way to MSC’s new, sun-filled downtown Oakland office. Tired from their travels the day before, they hugged, shared breakfast, and enjoyed each other’s company face to face — a first for some. For this first all staff experience, folks traveled from other parts of California, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas to join Bay Area locals to cultivate organizational culture, establish MSC’s strategic goals, and form strong relationships.

Among packed bookshelves, staff mingled, exchanged stories, and shared in their common vision of a Just Transition. They continued with productive conversations about building MSC’s culture: from icebreakers to setting group norms. After a long day spent culture-building, the team enjoyed an evening of bowling and snacks in Jack London Square.

Individual departments took the second day to reflect on the previous day’s discussion, prepare for activities to come, and have some fun. MSC’s Advancement team strategized over shared meals while the Operations team held space in the MSC office. Karmella Green, a Project Advisor on the Movement Infrastructure and Innovation Center (MIIC) team, visited EARTHseed Farm, a fiscally sponsored project of MSC, with the rest of the team. She noted “visiting EARTHseed and learning about the environmental practices of the farm as well as sampling the delicious pears, apples, and other fruits grown there really culminated in a unique experience for [us].”

As is common with all human interaction, staff encountered healthy conflict stemming from diverse perspectives and expectations. To address this conflict, the initial intentions of strategic planning for the third day were altered in favor of a continued focus on MSC’s culture with a conversation lead by Taj James, MSC’s co-founder. James spoke of MSC’s history, the staff’s shared vision of the future, and each person’s unique talents that aid in the journey to that vision. He reminded staff that not everyone you bring into a room will agree with each other; and that this isn’t a sign of the process not working but rather an anticipated experience to be overcome by open communication and honest facilitation. Staff left the conversation with a shared commitment to resolving the conflicts that had arisen and improving communication with one another.

In the final hours of the retreat, friends from within the MSC Ecosystem were invited to the office for an open house. MSC staff, board members, directors of fiscally sponsored projects, and Movement Strategy Network members mingled while sharing stories, drinks, and snacks. MSC staff left with stronger relationships, a better understanding of MSC’s culture, and an encouraging roadmap for further culture-building and strategic planning yet to be done.

All photos by Hewitt Photography.

Celebrating a decade of unwavering commitment to community health and healing, the Healing Clinic Collective (HCC) marks its tenth anniversary with a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Since its inception, HCC has been a beacon of hope and support for communities, offering accessible healing services that embody a deep respect for cultural traditions and holistic practices. 

As HCC commemorates this significant milestone, we not only celebrate their ten years of service and solidarity but also reflect on a journey characterized by learning, transition, and the relentless pursuit of health equity. Their upcoming anniversary event will not only be a celebration but a testament to HCC’s enduring mission of fostering healing, power building, and the wellbeing of all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status. 

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, the Humanist Hall in Oakland, CA will open its doors for an evening that mirrors the spirit and dynamism of the HCC community, offering a blend of the sacred and the political, epitomizing the organization’s values and journey. Situated at 411 28th Street, the Hall will welcome a vibrant congregation of HCC network volunteers, practitioners, and other invaluable members of the broader HCC community, along with collaborators and those dedicated to the cause of healing justice.

Emceeing the event is the dynamic Susana Cáceres, founder of CipotaVoz Strategies. With a 30-year legacy in nonprofits, Cáceres champions financial liberation for queer and trans BIPOC organizations in the U.S. and Latin America. From El Salvador, she’s not just a resource mobilizer but also a bruja singer and advocate of self love and abundance.

The evening will commence with an opening circle and libations to set the mood. Attendees will engage in herb bundle crafting, enjoy family friendly zones, and relax by an open fire. Energizing music will lead up to the highlight — a mesmerizing performance of Mexica danzantes, embodying collective gratitude and aspirations.

Entry is free, but generous donations to support HCC’s cause are welcome. The venue ensures accessibility and caters to diverse dietary needs. In these times, the health of attendees is paramount, hence, HCC has laid out clear COVID-19 guidelines for guests to follow.

The Healing Clinic Collective (HCC) has been a beacon of holistic wellbeing and community engagement since its inception. Holding the distinction of being one of the first healing clinics, HCC proudly paved the way but rejoices in not being the last. Over the years, they’ve closely watched and celebrated the birth of 25 similar projects inspired by their blueprint.

One such project is SanArte Healing & Cultura Clinic. Vanessa Quezada, Pharm.D., shares her congratulations to HCC: “thank you for providing the guidance, support, and care needed for us to create community clinics in Yanaguana (San Antonio, TX) that later became SanArte Healing & Cultura Clinic. The handbook you all created saved us countless hours of paperwork. We felt solid support for us to contextualize the work within our community. Your work ripples deep and wide, and we are so grateful for your corazones!”

This exemplifies a spirit of collaboration rather than competition. Carla María Pérez, a co-founder, core member, and lead coordinator at HCC, emphasizes, “competitiveness between projects is not healing at all.” Recognizing the diverse needs of individuals on their healing paths, Pérez noted, “HCC might not be the best starting point for some. They might feel more at home in an integrated clinic with both nurses and healers.”

HCC has always embodied respect and engagement with ancestral healing modalities — a collective vision where healers are deeply rooted in ancestral healing and anti-oppression principles, championing causes spanning from social justice to queer rights and disability justice. In Pérez’s words, it’s about fostering “awareness, reverence, and respect.”

Within its core, HCC is more than a mere healing initiative, it’s a vibrant drive to reignite a sacred, holistic relationship with oneself, fostering a space where over 130 dedicated healers and wellness practitioners thrive and contribute significantly. Anchored in commitments to ancestral healing, cultural love, interconnectedness, and diligent stewardship of the earth, HCC crafts a tapestry of healing that goes beyond the individual, weaving a resilient, loving community that honors the past while nurturing the future.

The spiritual backbone of HCC is prayer. Traditional prayer ceremonies are not mere rituals but essential foundations that guide and support every action taken by the collective. These prayers, imbued with depth and intention, span a range of emotions, aspirations, and hopes, often extending beyond set durations to envelop the organization’s endeavors in a protective, nurturing cocoon of spirituality. Pérez is “so grateful that our prayers were heard for what we intended this project to do and the impact we wanted to have. We planted a seed” and fostered healing. Through these solemn prayers, the collective connects, heals, and grows, ensuring that every step forward is rooted in sacred intention.

This is especially vital for traumatized communities in the Bay Area, where the effects of modern life can sometimes overshadow the grounding, healing practices of our ancestors. Through their consultations and offerings, HCC helps communities reconnect with practices that nourish the spirit and restore balance.

Looking back on a decade of dedication, the HCC journey is painted with lessons learned and countless achievements — including developing blueprints for healing circles and healing-centered political education and hosting and maintaining a network of ancestral and natural healers for herbal rapid crisis response including during the height of COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been a journey of community building, spiritual growth, and unyielding commitment to the sacred tenets of holistic wellbeing. As we reflect on the past, we also cast hopeful eyes towards the future, envisioning a world where HCC’s principles touch more lives, heal deeper wounds, and create stronger communal bonds.

We invite our Beloved Community to reflect with us: share your transformative tales and moments linked to HCC in the comments below. 

Support Healing Clinic Collective’s ongoing mission by donating, and delve deeper into the world of Healing Clinic Collective here. 

At the core of the environmental movement is a vision to reshape and align our communities toward a regenerative relationship with the earth. At Movement Strategy Center (MSC), we’re not just embracing this vision; we’re cultivating the leaders who are defining it. Meet Walter Hunt, an architectural designer and urbanist whose passion for reimagining the built environment led him to Movement Strategy Center via the Environmental Fellows Program (EFP) at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE). 

Hunt’s commitment to environmental justice is deeply rooted in his personal history and professional journey. He grew up in Akron’s inner city — where he was exposed to the toxic legacy of rubber production — and emerged as an advocate for community-centered approaches in the environmental field. He guides first generation students who aspire to careers in design and urban planning, and has worked to expose Detroit public high school students to the world of architecture. His projects, often in collaboration with grassroots organizations and sustainability initiatives, are a testament to his drive for meaningful change. His experience — and his empathy — resonates with MSC’s core values of equity, inclusivity, and collaboration.

We (virtually) chatted with Hunt about his 12-week experience with MSC, how strong mentors can open new opportunities, and the importance of designing “with” a community rather than “for” it. It’s a story not just about building structures but about building bridges to a more equitable and just world. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

MSC: How did growing up in inner city Akron, OH, shape you and inspire your interest in environmental justice and your work with Movement Strategy Center?

WH: Growing up in Akron, the home of Goodyear Rubber Company, I was surrounded by factories and rubber production. It’s a place with a lot of toxic waste, and many people got sick … This led me to do my thesis on environmental justice, to take off the architect hat and delve into the environment, urban planning, and environmental hazards.

[Thinking back, that] drew me to MSC. I saw that there was an environmental justice section on the website, and I thought I could apply my background — coming from Akron, a place riddled with toxins — as well as my interest in architecture and our planet …

During my last studio course for graduate school, we had to choose buzzwords … Some people picked community, some picked building materials … But the buzzword that stood out to me was grassroots organizations. [I was] remembering those times in Akron and thinking about the advocacy in my area … I did some research on grassroots organizations throughout the country, promoting sustainable infrastructure [in] New Orleans and Detroit … These were people advocating for a better quality of life.

MSC: Can you tell us about some of the organizations you worked with before coming to MSC?

WH: I’ve worked with the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) — and the student chapter, NOMAS. Right now, I’m also working with the Equity in Architecture Consortium, an organization that promotes more equitable professions, particularly in architecture and urban planning.

MSC: What has been your experience with the NOMA, and how do you see the role of minority architects in advancing environmental justice?

WH: [It was through] NOMAS that I noticed social change is possible … Representation is, in fact, important … It gave me the confidence to know that a bunch of other people who are just as passionate about what I’m doing looked like me as well! It gave me the confidence I needed, especially as I [entered the workforce] after undergrad. These experiences helped me a lot, informing my understanding of pedagogy within academia and preparing me to enter the profession.  

In an integrated design studio class we kind of played around with advocating for different policy changes and zoning regulations … Our professor was a city commissioner for urban planning, so we got a chance to [study] how zoning is detrimental to certain [minority] communities …  

[After graduation,] a lot of what I was doing pertained to sustainability and environment. I worked for a general contractor and engineer focused on creating sustainable design solutions for facades and adaptive reuse projects. [It was there] where I realized … [architects have an] impact on the environment … We [are responsible] for a large carbon footprint. [The built environment generates] 40 percent [of global emissions] — which is very high, almost half! 

MSC: In past conversations, you mentioned Professor Cory Henry, who seems to have been a mentor. How have your experiences working with him shaped your perspectives and actions in the field of environmental justice?

WH: I met Henry in my final year of graduate school. We worked with an organization called Delta Commons, which is a nonprofit based in the United Delta area of Mississippi. [The] project was centered around an old hospital in Clarksdale that had a history of refusing treatment to ethnic minorities … Black [folks were] dying in this hospital when they were admitted. [With that] history [in mind], our goal was to redevelop and reuse that hospital within that site context for the community. Being a part of that project scope with Henry drew me to equitable work for nonprofit organizations.

Because you are an architect, people think you should limit yourself to buildings, when that’s not the case at all. Henry decided to call himself an urbanist too, because he tackles a lot of [environmental justice] issues through his practice at Atelier Cory Henry. When we were doing this project for Delta Commons, it was important to recognize it as a food desert, with many food justice issues. We met wonderful people who had urban farms, and politicians, and we met with teachers too, and all [their experiences relate] to the built environment. We heard about the spaces they needed, created schematic designs, and presented them to the community.

MSC: What was the community’s reaction to your presentation?

WH: They liked it … The project focused on agriculture, technology, and economic development. It was also a cultural center. It was important for us to have economic development and create a self sustaining design for our community. I remember thinking it was “unapologetically Black,” as the area is primarily Black. And what made it more special to me [is that] my grandmother and great-grandmother are from Clarksdale … It was a full circle moment for me.

MSC: Can you tell us more about your intentional focus on the planet in your work? How do you believe this approach can inspire the younger generation?

WH: If you’re an architect, you don’t have to focus on being a traditional architect. It’s important to redefine whatever profession you choose to be in because that’s what keeps the evolution of [that profession] going. Don’t be scared to bring your own fresh take.  

MSC: During your time with MSC, how did you engage with organizations within our ecosystem, specifically those involved in architectural projects like Alliance for Felix Cove or the Community Development Corporations (CDCs)?

WH: It was really a great pleasure to engage with a lot of the projects. I just got done talking with Dr. Pamela Pugh [of Saginaw Just Transition Indaba] … I [spoke to] Theresa Harlan of Alliance for Felix Cove about the house that she is trying to preserve. [She shared progress] with the historical landscape architect doing the survey and coming up with solutions and ideas to make that area more beautiful … I like being around passionate people because it just makes me passionate as well. Hearing that each of them has a different cause and different intentions and ideas [helped me realize] that it’s all within the same realm … And in order to achieve these things, [community leaders and architects] have to be on the same page. 

MSC: Can you explain how conversations with folks like Pugh and Harlan — who are working on different projects and in different regions, but with overlapping missions — influence your research and work?

WH: Just hearing about their needs and being attentive to what they discuss helps me as an architect. Understanding these different spaces, how they can affect people, and knowing [the history] of these places, it’s all important information and relevant to think about from an architect’s point of view … Being empathetic can go a long way in design.

Even talking to Chris Lyric, of When Black + Brown Go Green, hearing about how passionate he was, hearing his story about how his life was changed when he got the chance to be in a green space. He was acknowledging that not a lot of kids have that opportunity … And it does make a difference.

MSC: As an architect, how do you balance the needs of communities or activists in spaces so influenced by the real estate industry and gentrification? Is every case different?

WH: It’s a lot. The path depends on the kind of route you decide to go down and what practice you want to pursue. Each architect practices differently; there are architects as developers and construction managers … Most see it as a paycheck.

I talked to a friend who reminded me to keep doing the work that I’m interested in … And to keep doing the types of work that inspire me. And that stood out to me because he didn’t just go after anything; he sought [out] adaptive reuse and historic preservation because, for certain projects, it was the morally right thing for him to do. 

[A lot of it] is just building relationships, like with anything, being in constant communication. [It’s] like that with MSC, especially when I talked to funders. Sometimes, funders don’t know if a project will be right to fund, especially if it doesn’t have a history. MSC serves as a bridge between projects and the funder. Unfortunately, many marginalized organizations may not get funding, and that’s when I realized MSC’s role is crucial.

MSC: Can you share a little bit more about what your next steps are in your professional journey?

WH: My next step is to keep listening and learning from conversations like the one I had with my friend. I’ll work for a firm for a little while to get my hours, [preferably one] that shares my [ethos and puts communities first]. No matter what stage we are in [in our careers], mentorship is important. With those values [in mind], I will start my own practice. 

Walter Hunt has a Bachelor’s from Kent State University and a Master’s from the Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning at the University of Michigan, both in Architecture. He will finish Yale’s Environmental Fellows Program in September and currently serves as an Equity in Architectural Education Mentor at the University of Michigan. To learn more about his work or to reach out, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Originally published on August 8, 2015.

One year after Michael Brown’s murder and the uprising in Ferguson, we need vision more than ever.

As a Black woman, I know that we must aggressively imagine what it looks like when we are free, that there must be a prize to set our eyes on, a promised land … A mountaintop.

Even as we resist the #WorldAsItIs we must envision the #WorldAsItShouldBe.

Our movement must become sophisticated enough to put up a fierce resistance in the streets while at the same time imagine a new economic paradigm that is based on racial equity and the empowerment of communities that have been disenfranchised for centuries. We must work to shift policy that chips away at the current system until it topples, while dreaming up a new system to take its place.

We need resistance and alternatives.

We need to practice and prototype alternatives in pockets of safety created by the breathing room that small wins afford us.

We must structure our movement so that direct action is holding the line while others are shifting narrative, others are prototyping prefigurative alternatives, others are shifting policy, others are providing the sweet relief of good, healthy food, dance, love, pleasure, massages, hugs, and smiles.

Our movement needs all of us and we need to come into it with an ever expansive love that sees the value in all our approaches.

More than ever we need to work on our personal spiritual development, ground ourselves in unshakable certainty and truth, develop our own discipline and sense of focus, know how and when to soften and harden our hearts: soldiers by day, monks by night.

More than ever we need to create perspective based on our movement’s past, our current context, and our future.

More than ever we need to read, learn, and teach.

More than ever we need to truly learn to love and support each other. Far beyond the rhetoric we need to know what love and support really, really means. What does it mean to love each other only because we are in this together and our liberation is tied up in each other’s? 

More than ever we need to know what changes in society after we win.

More than ever we must value simple, beautiful things that make life worth living. We must take it easy on each other, and practice radical forgiveness.

We must reimagine the value of labor and the role of the human in the economy, particularly the human of color.

We must re-articulate our purpose and put humanity at the center.

We must think about what is beyond mattering and beyond survival.

We must believe in what happens when #BlackLivesAreFree.

#SurvivalAndBeyond

#BlackRenaissance

Aisha Shillingford is the artistic director for Intelligent Mischief, a Movement Strategy Network member. Born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago, Shillingford is straddling worlds but is primarily situated in Brooklyn. She is an artist and social movement strategist. She works across artistic disciplines and across movement sectors to unleash Black imagination to shape the future.

It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of ibrahim abdul-matin, a bright, playful spirit who made a lasting impact as an environmental activist, urban strategist, and beloved friend. At 46, he leaves behind his devoted wife and children. abdul-matin’s untimely departure has left an indescribable void within our community. Now, we come together in our collective grief to honor his extraordinary contributions to the MSC ecosystem — from his participation in Transitions Labs and Beloved Communities Network events to his unwavering dedication to driving systemic change and fostering a more equitable and sustainable world. 

Thirteen describes abdul-matin as “a proud Muslim and New Yorker” and “a hardcore activist” who was both “humble and humorous.” From their tribute:

In recent years, he preferred to write his name in lowercase — ibrahim abdul-matin. He leaves a large, public legacy of deepening democracy, improving public engagement and advocating for the environmental health of our planet and cities. He authored the book Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Planet, was a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America and New Yorkers for Clean Power, and a NYS Advisory Board member of the Trust for Public Land.

In tribute to abdul-matin’s legacy, we wanted to share some of the heartfelt reactions and sentiments of those whose lives he touched.

“His smile brighter than a thousand stars beaming with God’s love. His laugh a warm embrace on a cold day. His genius and fierce fire for truth, a Holy Book of poetry in one word. One beat. One note. Brother, I recognize your divinity and know you will always be with us, and I am not ready to let you go. I want you here with us so we can hold onto you tight. I am nothing but broken. Not breathing. Only sobbing. The Brooklyn Bedouin. The Solstice Star. Brother, father, husband, friend. Rise in Peace. Rise in Power. Presente!”

– Taj James, co-founder of MSC (see his original post from Facebook) 

“How I admired you, respected you, and loved you. How grateful I am for you. How I already miss you so.” 

– Calvin Williams, founder of Wakanda Dream Lab, via Instagram

“We have suffered an unimaginable loss. But Jannah has gained an incredible soul. May Allah accept and reward you abundantly. You lived your life in devotion to Him. May your children always hear beautiful stories about you wherever they go. I cannot believe this. I cannot bear to see you like this, with these words beside you. May your resting place be spacious and adorned with greenery. May you find delight in all that is presented to you.”

– Aisha Shillingford, artistic director of Intelligent Mischief via Instagram

“ibrahim was a founding member of the National Association of Climate Resilience Planners (NACRP) who generously contributed to People’s Climate Innovation Center’s (PCIC) programming and community. He showed up for any opportunity to share his experience and learn from others, volunteered to lead peer calls and mentor others. He was the first NACRP member to reach out and ask how he could support our work with such an open heart and immense sense of humor. He will be greatly missed and always remembered.”

– Tamira Jones, Director of Capacity Building at Climate Innovation (now PCIC)

In honor of abdul-matin’s memory and impact, we invite you also to contribute to one of his beloved legacy projects, NuLeadership. MSC has made a contribution, and all donations are a way ensure that his work and vision will continue to positively shape our world. Donate here.

This spring, the MSC communications team had the opportunity to tour Felix Cove, an enchanting corner of the Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California. The visit was led by Theresa Harlan, visionary founder and executive director of the Alliance for Felix Cove — a fiscally sponsored project of MSC. The organization is fighting to protect, restore, and rematriate the ancestral homestead of the Coast Miwok/Támal-ko Felix Family — Harlan’s ancestors. 

You can read more about that visit and the site’s history here and more about the mission of the Alliance for Felix Cove at their website — but neither can do the fascinating plants and flowers of Felix Cove justice — especially after California’s wet winter and spring. Here, in honor of July’s Clean Beaches Week, we offer an unofficial field guide of our spring sightings along the mile-long trail down to this picturesque cove.

Alliance for Felix Cove is rewriting the narrative of Indigenous heritage and environmental advocacy and you have the power to make a difference by supporting their work through donations, volunteering your time, and by uplifting their mission online. 

Special thanks to Bryan and Vita Hewitt for capturing this unforgettable journey through their captivating photography and videography.