Deep Community. Unshakable Allies. Relationships that Heal.
Radical Allies in Sisterhood (RAIS) is a small group of women with decades of combined experience and training in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) field. We have made life-long commitments to support one another as women, sisters, and racial justice warriors.
We know that in doing anti-racism work, we have been harmed and have done harm. Our desire is to dismantle approaches to organizational DEI work that are oppressive and perpetuate systems that reinforce racism, sexism, and harmful hierarchies. We are dedicated to finding new ways of advancing DEI that bring about healing, intimacy, personal growth, and collective change.
RAIS is offering Racial Affinity Groups to other DEI practitioners. These will be supportive and empowering refuges for women in the DEI/racial justice field, where you will be surrounded by others of your own racial background who experience similar personal and institutional challenges. This will be a place where we both support and challenge one another with the objective of personal and collective growth. We aim to create lifelong, supportive relationships and greater professional resilience -- a personal and professional network to support our collective long-term commitment to race equity and social justice. Queer and trans women are warmly welcomed.
Current Offerings, beginning January 2021:
Affinity Group for women DEI Practitioners who identify as Latina/Chicana, Facilitated by Veronica Bañuelos
Affinity Group for women DEI Practitioners who identify as Black, Facilitated by Velynn Brown
Affinity Group for white women DEI Practitioners, Facilitated by Katharine Quince
Affinity groups will meet twice a month for two hours, over 12 months. Cost to participate, per person: $2,400 (organizational rate); $2,200 (org rate, early bird); $1,800 (individual, out of pocket). Graduates of this program will be eligible for Part 2: Training the Trainers.
Want to learn more? Attend our informational session on 11/30/20 from 12-1pm via Zoom. Click here to RSVP.
You can also contact us directly: Veronica Bañuelos, Velynn Brown, Katharine Quince.
About Radical Allies in Sisterhood (RAIS)
As founders of RAIS, we meet regularly to support one another and stay grounded as sisters first and DEI practitioners second. We share resources and offer tools and guidance for our racial affinity practices.
Velynn Brown: I am a Black/Indigenous woman who is passionate about the liberation and healing of our BIPOC communities. I have spent 25 years in advocacy, education, non-profit, and for-profit sectors by calling out white supremacy and calling in love, restoration and resistance to the internalized wounds we each carry. I am a Racial Equity and Affinity Specialist with deep roots in community activism, racial affinity and radical self-care.
Veronica Bañuelos: I am a bilingual/bicultural Chicana. As a highly experienced organizational equity conflict resolution consultant, I understand that systemic institutional oppression results in systemic institutional conflict. I understand and see how we are setup to oppress and be oppressed. I focus and work towards a collective liberation, yours and mine. I am committed to healing and service to the world by supporting people and changing systems. My work is a reflection of my personal interest and life purpose. I am a trained Spiritual Director and a practitioner of organizational constellations. These practices ground my holistic personal approach to values of social justice and love. I step into this healing initiative as a response to a personal calling.
Katharine Quince: I am a white cis bisexual woman. It's my dream to bring race equity, gender equity, and mindfulness practices together through a heart-led partnership with women of color. I also feel especially driven to work with other white women to unravel our internalized racial superiority and gender oppression in ways that are healing and galvanizing. I am an experienced DEI consultant and facilitator, with a master’s degree rooted in liberatory pedagogies and critical race and feminist theories.