In this episode, Mariam sits down with Adwoa Agyepong (she/her) and Alejandro Ruizesparza (they/them), active organizers, activists and abolitionists in Chicago Activism comes in different forms and requires lots of tools, however, being able to set boundaries between work and personal life is critical to maintaining a healthy and long standing career as an activist doing important work. Adwoa comments on her work at Forward Together, a multi-racial, multi-issue organization whose mission is to transform culture and policy to work for all families; while Alejandro shares their work at Lucy Parsons Labs, a charitable collaboration between data scientists, transparency activists, artists, & technologists.

Adwoa Agyepong is a Ghanaian-American abolitionist living in Chicago. She works for Forward Together, where she supports the Cultural Strategy program as a Network Organizer focused on radical political education. A former student-organizer, Adwoa’s goal is to support the work of all marginalized peoples in both her personal and work life. She primarily organizes with Chicago AfroSocialists and Socialists of Color, and is a member of the Chicago based Cancel ShotSpotter Coalition. In her free-time, Adwoa obsesses over astrology and has vegan cook clubs with friends.

Alejandro Ruizesparza is a Mexican American abolitionist and anarchist born and raised in Chicago's South Side. They are currently a co-director in operations for Lucy Parsons Labs, a digital rights non-profit focused on challenging carceral power, carceral tech, surveillance and the harms they cause, especially for people of color and other historically marginalized communities, through education, investigation, and litigation. Alejandro, along with Adwoa, also is a member of the local and national #StopShotSpotter coalition. In their free time, Alejandro DJs and produces "spooky electronic music," binge watches horror movies, and reads way too many comic books for their own good. Alejandro uses they/them pronouns.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Timothy Dean (he/him) to talk about being an advocate for Black people and his career as a social activist, community organizer and teacher. Growing up as a Black person in New York, TJ was exposed to protests and police brutality at an early age. This sparked his interest in protest work in college and as his career took off, he became more involved in community organizing work, as well as campaigns to end police brutality and to free political prisoners. TJ also talks about the difference between the idea of burnout versus fulfillment and how creating a welcoming work culture that emphasizes different social and political realities is important in attracting young talent to the nonprofit world.

Timothy “TJ” Dean is an educator, organizer, abolitionist and budding graphic design artist based in Philadelphia. He is an Afrofuturist, which simply put, means he acts on the belief that Black people can and should create their own futures. In line with that belief he owns a brand called Dope Afrofuturist to promote visions of a Black future. He recently completed work on the Care, Not Control campaign to end youth incarceration in Pennsylvania and served as the Senior Manager of Youth Programs at the Village of Arts & Humanities. He has an abundance of experience working with young people from his years as a teacher and as a Dream Director. TJ has a heart for justice which propelled him into a lot of community organizing work, as well as campaigns to end police brutality and to free political prisoners like Mumia Abu Jamal. When he isn’t working to politically educate and empower youth around the city of Philadelphia, he is at home with his wife Lakeisha, raising three of their own free Black children.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Cristina Lara-Agudelo (she/her) to talk about her work as the Manager of Funder Learning & Investments at Common Future and what made her shift away from the traditional career narrative. Prior to Common Future, Cristina was the Program Manager for the Economic Inequality Initiative at Uncharted where she designed and executed a 6 month accelerator program for entrepreneurs working to close the wealth gaps in the United States. Join us as Cristina gives advice on how to live thoughtfully at the intersection of nonprofit and impact,  and why learning by doing and listening to your community are essential aspects of being a successful funder and making real profit and impact. Cristina’s inspiration comes from people who come alive in anything that they do, and we’re excited to share her wisdom with you.

Cristina Lara-Agudelo (she/her) is the Manager of Funder Learning & Investments at Common Future. She is passionate about ensuring that the economy serves all people equally. Cristina also co-led Uncharted’s hyperlocal collective impact and community engagement projects working with Denver food access leaders. Cristina began her career in social impact with an AmeriCorps service year teaching seventh grade math in Wilmington, DE. Cristina holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a concentration in Business Economics & Public Policy and Operations, Informations, & Decision Systems. In her spare time, you can find her latin dancing, climbing, hiking, camping, paddleboarding and cooking new recipes!

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Desiree Stolar (she/her) to talk about her work at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a national nonprofit and network whose mission is to help and support talented underrepresented minorities’ path to senior leadership. As a Black woman and strong advocate for her community, Desirée wanted to facilitate change not just on the surface but from within organizations, from hiring to leadership. She believes that diversity is not about filling seats and talks about how doing research on who is hiring you is just as important as choosing the company. Please tune in to learn about the rise of CDO positions, talent retention and how to navigate the job search process.

Desirée Stolar (MBA 2015) is currently the managing director of alumni engagement and strategy at MLT, the nation's premier career advancement nonprofit for more than 9000 Black, Latinx, and Native American professionals. She designed and launched MLT's Senior Executive Leader Fellowship for senior leaders pursuing greater impact for their time, energy, and capital. Before MLT, Desirée co-founded, ran, and sold a Shark Tank-winning business that she started at business school, and she advised media and tech firms on brand strategy and market research programs. Desirée is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Harvard Business School. She serves on the advisory boards of a VC-backed e-commerce firm as well as early education, economic development, and tech equity organizations. She and her family reside in Arlington, VA.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kaitlin Koga (she/her) to talk about her work at The Bail Project, issues related to the criminal justice system and mass incarceration in the United States, and how her childhood led her to pursue this path. Kaitlin strongly believes in the idea of putting yourself out there as her beginnings started from simple conversations with people and making them curious about what she was doing. What kind of role did business school or graduate school play in her life? How did she use the knowledge learnt in school to directly serve low-income youth and incarcerated individuals, as well as other impact-focused consulting projects? All the answers can be found in this episode.

Kaitlin Koga (she/her/hers) is the Chief of Staff of the Bail Project where she coordinates the strategic, human capital and scaling priorities of the organization. Kaitlin brings a decade of experience working on social justice issues, including over seven years of direct service work with low-income youth and incarcerated individuals, as well as managing over a dozen impact-focused consulting projects with nonprofits and government organizations in the US and abroad. Prior to TBP, Kaitlin led strategy at a prison education non-profit, served as a college counselor in Boston Public Schools, developed criminal justice reform policy at the White House and worked as an associate consultant at a non-profit human capital management firm. Kaitlin has a B.A. in History and Literature from Harvard College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. She is currently a Board Member of United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Brittnie Knight (they/them) to talk about the underbelly of philanthropic foundations, burnout in social impact, and the power dynamics of trust-based funding. Brittnie doesn’t shy away from the existential in this interview and asks, should these foundations even exist? How does one navigate a flawed system of inherently linked capital and oppression, with justice as their guiding principle? 

Brittnie is a communications & engagement professional with 10 years of experience developing impactful, community-driven content, messaging, and programs for social impact and mission-driven organizations. Currently, Brittnie serves as the Communications Director for the Leeway Foundation, supporting women, trans*, and gender-nonconforming artists creating art for social change. Brittnie holds a Master of Science in Arts Administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Communication Arts from Gannon University in Erie, PA. Brittnie's previous experience includes the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Indego Bike Share of Greater Philadelphia, and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. 

Brittnie believes in the power of art and the people, always.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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This week Mariam sits down with Elena Fairley, the Programs Director at Mission Asset Fund who oversees MAF's award-winning programs that help people become visible, active, and successful in their financial lives. 

In this episode, Elena talks about how MAF’s programs are unique because they center a strengths-based approach that strives to find the good already happening in a community and amplify it. She brings up crucial topics such as the distinction between cultural competency and cultural humility, as well as the importance of recognizing who the true experts are in a given social situation.

Prior to MAF, Elena served as Director of Learning and Partnerships at Prospera, a nonprofit partnering with women to build cooperatively owned businesses. She has served as Co-Chair of the Lending Circles Partner Advisory Council and as a Board Member of Prospera. She graduated from Colorado College with a degree in International Political Economy and has an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected] 

~~

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In this week's episode, Mariam sits down with Andrea Osorio, a nonprofit program manager, grantmaker, and avid storyteller in philanthropy. Andrea delves into how she believes philanthropy can be reimagined to create systems that actively collaborate with the communities it aims to support, as well as her experience advocating for herself and her value in the workplace.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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This week we’re revisiting another one of our favorite episodes!

A few months back Mariam sat down with Elizabeth Park, a long-time partner and supporter of Second Day, to discuss the complexities and power of philanthropy, fundraising, and unpacking the “money is power” dynamic in the nonprofit world. Elizabeth is the Donor Engagement Associate at Brooklyn Community Foundation, the first and only public foundation dedicated to Brooklyn's vibrant nonprofit community. Through their strategic grant-making, the Foundation is prioritizing community-led, grassroots organizations often overlooked by larger philanthropic institutions. Elizabeth joined the team in April 2021 and provides core support to the Foundation's Development team, with a focus on guiding giving with a racial justice lens and growing an engaged network of partners and supporters.

Elizabeth previously worked as the Executive & Development Coordinator on the Strategic Partnerships team at Mission Capital, a capacity building nonprofit working to advance equity and opportunity in Central Texas.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

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Mariam is off this week so we wanted to bring back one of our favorite conversations!

Our first ever episode hosted Torey Brown, a Community Organizer at The Black Sheep Agency. The Black Sheep Agency is a brand strategy and creative agency in Houston, TX that specializes in social impact and works with nonprofits, civic entities, and for-profits with an impact-driven focus. Torey was put into her role as Community Organizer based on this mission. With clients like the Harris County Clerk’s Office to the White House, their mission is centered around activating people around things that matter. It’s rare for a marketing agency to have a resident organizer, and Torey’s special interest in bringing a sense of community together, regardless of values or interests, brought to light the opportunity for this differentiator.

Navigating a self-reflective journey in her personal life and in the workplace as a young, Black woman in a predominately white industry, she had a non-traditional path of interning at nonprofits, dropping out of college, and working her way up to her current role at the agency.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠ 

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