As a part of the Grassroots Speaker Series, community leader Anh Vu Sawyer spoke in late January at the NonProfit Center in Boston.
Watch this recording of the event:
During the event, she talked about the work and accomplishments of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Eastern Massachusetts (SEAC), where she is the executive director. She also shared her personal story as a Vietnamese refugee and immigrant, and how her narrative has been embedded in her work at SEAC. We are so proud that Ms. Sawyer came to speak and shared her powerful story, and answered questions with her insightful, honest perspective of our shared history as people living in America, and our current political moment.
Grassroots Speaker Series: Learning and Action with Local Organizers
In the midst of today’s hostile political climate, grassroots organizers remind us that the struggles of oppressed people are not new. TSNE, with our long history of nonprofit capacity building, seeks to use our platform to lift up the voices of grassroots community organizers working on some of our society’s most pressing issues.
The Grassroots Speaker Series highlights the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of local community organizers. Our speakers will share how their lived experiences shape their organizing and the difficulties they face leading grassroots organizations.
Our speakers will explain how audience members can get involved in supporting their work, and may include a facilitated action step during their talks. We hope that attendees will leave with ideas about how to continue to support these important organizations and causes in their own lives—as nonprofit workers, funders, students, or community members.
See Our Upcoming Speakers
The next event in the Grassroots Speaker Series features Douglas Rogers from Black & Pink on February 20, from 12-1pm at the NonProfit Center. Douglas Rogers is a formerly incarcerated individual dedicated to the work of Black & Pink for the LGBTQ community of every race, ethnicity, creed and color in Boston and around the country. Douglas cared for and advocated on behalf of other prisoners while incarcerated. He was locked in solitary confinement after reporting being sexually assaulted by a prison guard. He will share his story and talk about how his experience in solitary has shaped his advocacy after his release from prison. Lunch will be provided. Register to attend in person or to watch a livestream of the event.
We will also have ​Gloria Namugaya from Women Encouraging Empowerment, Inc (WEE) speaking on February 28 at 11am, and Priscilla Flint-Banks from Black Economic Justice Institute at the end of March.