LT Alumni White Caucus Conversation: Solidarity Organizing for African American Reparations
Are you an ally interested in taking action to support African American reparations? Have you participated in past LT caucusing or have experience in racial equity work and are interested in next steps? Join us May 4 for an evening of meaningful conversation and action.
The event will feature panelists from the Civil Reparations Project and the Social Justice Fund NW. We will also have small group facilitated discussions. This is an opportunity to connect with other LT alumni, share learnings, and commit to meaningful action. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Free parking is available.
COVID-19 Notice: Please note that pursuant to the policies of the host venue, all visitors must be registered attendees of the event. Visitors are required to show proof of vaccination with boosters or must take a COVID test on site with negative result. Detailed instructions will be sent following your registration.
This event is organized by LT alumni involved in a cross-class white caucus: Chrystie Hill, LT’18, Jen Estroff, LT’14, Josh Walker, LT’18, and Rebeca Rivera, LT Staff
Event Details:
When: May 4, 2023, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (500 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109)
Who this event is for: White LT alumni, current class members, and guests
Cost: Free (opportunity to donate to support LT alumni programming)
Parking: Parking in the Seattle Center lot adjacent to the foundation will be validated
Public Transportation: You can reach the Gates Foundation on Metro Buses 3 and 4, and via the Seattle Center Monorail
Registration Deadline: May 1st by 3pm to comply with Gates Foundation security requirements.
Suggested Pre-Work: We ask that attendees take two actions before attending the workshop: (1) Visit the Leadership Tomorrow racial equity resource page and familiarize yourself with current reparations recommendations; (2) Take at least one action related to reparations in preparation for the event. For example:
Talk to your place of work about the impact your organization may have on Black people, and the manner in which you are gaining from the legacy of slavery.
Talk to a relative about whether they support reparations.
Reach out to a legislator (particularly a white legislator) in Washington about their support for reparations.
Panelists and Moderator:
Burke Stansbury is the Development Director at Social Justice Fund NW. He grew up in Seattle and got involved in activism after spending time in Mexico and Central America. He learned to organize as part of groups like the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) and Resource Generation, worked as a national campaign organizer at Community Change, and is currently on the boards of Got Green and the Institute for Policy Studies. He sees donor organizing, anti-racism, fundshifting, and wealth redistribution as key to building movements. Burke also enjoys jumping in freezing cold water and hopes to start a polar bear club someday. He lives in Seattle with his partner Krista, their son Lucas and daughter Ida.
Caitlin Lombardi was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest with my two sisters on the land of the Suquamish and Duwamish People. I am currently the Director of Development and Communications for Columbia Legal Services, a legal aid organization focused on systemic change alongside people who are incarcerated or undocumented. I have spent 15 years in development, DEI, and community engagement at organizations including The ACLU of Washington, The Riveter and The Post-Prison Education Program. These roles, along with growing up in an interracial family, many years working in restaurants, and numerous mentors – mostly women of color – have helped shape my commitment to race equity and community leadership in justice work. In addition to work, I lead presentations for the Civil Reparations Project, clean stalls at a barn near my house, and have three daughters who keep me pretty tired, happy and humble.
Jen Estroff (she/her), LT’14, is the Senior Liaison with Coordinated Care’s Apple Health Core Connections program for children and youth in Washington’s child welfare system. In this role she focuses on health equity, Tribal sovereignty and the Indian Child Welfare Act, and LGBTQIA+ health access. Her previous work includes serving in legislative session aide, political consultant, Government Relations Director, and Planned Parenthood community health educator roles. She is entering this space as a white, cisgender straight, Ashkenazi Jewish daughter, spouse, and parent. Jen has a partner who likes dirt biking and a four-year-old who enjoys not napping. She is an aspiring intersectional antiracist co-conspirator whose superpower is learning from getting called out and doing a bit better the next time.
Chrystie Hill (she/her) is a Leadership Tomorrow alumni class of 2018 and Senior Advisor in the U.S. Program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to her current role, Chrystie was Deputy Director in Postsecondary Success, leading a team managing an annual portfolio around $25M designed to dramatically improve higher education to focus on success for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students, and students from low-income backgrounds. A former librarian and cultural historian, with background in life and social science, Chrystie volunteers with organizations working for race, gender, queer, and economic justice, with a focus on arts, culture, and indigenous sovereignty. In all of this she works to be a good ancestor to the planet and future generations by taking actions to reverse and heal from oppressive systems. Chrystie will moderate our panel of civic leaders discussing their experiences in solidarity organizing and taking a reparations lens to their work.