Agents of Change
Agents of Change (AoC) was a cohort-based program that focused on incorporating anti-oppressive and antiracist practices in the nonprofit sector and beyond and was facilitated by Seattle Works staff with the support of occasional guest speakers. This space was for anyone ready to dismantle white supremacy norms, reimagine and challenge systems, and rebuild networks and work environments with a collective justice framework. AoC ran through eight virtual sessions on Thursdays 11 a.m.–1 p.m. PST in the Fall and Spring each year.
Program topics included:
- Implicit bias
- The nonprofit industrial complex
- Normalizing feedback
- Healing from racial trauma
- Shared leadership
- Creating culture change
Sessions activities included:
- Team-building
- In-depth discussions
- Unlearning norms and practices rooted in white supremacy within the nonprofit sector
Agents of Change topics and resources
Week 1: Orientation and Team-building
Week 2: Building Blocks: Intersectionality & Antiracism
- https://www.nationalequityproject.org/
- https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/
- https://crtandthebrain.com/book/
- https://www.yesmagazine.org/
Week 3: Hidden Biases (Internalized/Implicit Racial Bias)
- https://www.bu.edu/antiracism-center/files/2022/06/Anti-Black.pdf
- https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/our-role-as-non-black-people-of-color-in-disrupting-racism
- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BT9-VG_5rBgi6jLfIA19OP1FhQPlPX5Q
Week 4: White-dominant Norms, Normalizing Feedback, & Calling In/Out
- https://racetolead.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WOC_Executive-Summary.pdf
- https://racetolead.org/
- https://www.zippia.com/human-resources-lead-jobs/demographics/
- https://www.racialequityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GARE-Racial_Equity_Toolkit.pdf
- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BT9-VG_5rBgi6jLfIA19OP1FhQPlPX5Q
- https://reinventingorganizationswiki.com/en/
Week 5: Acknowledging our Privileges & Healing from Racial Trauma
- https://www.aclrc.com/
- https://www.artequity.org/
- https://psychologyofradicalhealing.com/
- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BT9-VG_5rBgi6jLfIA19OP1FhQPlPX5Q
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/117VPLyJd6MdE4-YtcqOirsUmwiH6xniq/view?usp=sharing
Week 6: Creating Culture Change & Changing Organization Structure
- https://nonprofitaf.com/2015/07/volunteers-and-the-banh-mi-of-social-justice/
- https://www.volunteercommons.com/2020/06/09/power-privilege-and-volunteerism/
- https://blogs.volunteermatch.org/8-strategies-for-creating-a-more-inclusive-volunteer-program
- https://boardsource.org/https://leadingwithintent.org/
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WXw8IO2mi7MC1swek59Gfhj8Wk0mst7R/edit
Week 7: How to Incorporate Antiracism into Volunteering & Nonprofit Boards
Week 8: Beyond AoC and Un-graduation!
aoc stories
Sunsetting Seattle Works
A Deep Dive into Agents of Change
AoC alumni spotlight: Emily Tomita
Creating a caring, needs-based workplace
Support our renewal!
The nonlinear, messy, beautiful evolution of Seattle Works
Learn about our other programs
