Any consultant knows that good client relationships can be the difference between loving our work or wanting to take a permanent vacation. When a relationship isn’t working how we hoped it would, it’s easy to point the finger—the client may think “the consultant doesn’t understand us” while the consultant complains “the client isn’t giving us…
The Goddess Speaks
Sara Veltkamp “All people share the wish for peace and comfort, to spend our days in happiness,” explained Her Holiness Shinso Ito, addressing the endless crowd of people gathered on Ala Moana Beach in Honolulu, Hawai’i. I was among this solemn yet hopeful crowd, holding onto my young daughter as she stared up at the illuminated stage…
Kayla McMenamin Minerva is pleased to welcome our new intern, Falisha Hola (she/her)! Her identity as a Pasifika woman has allowed her to understand firsthand the misrepresentation and the erasure of indigenous and BIPOC voices from the conversations around social issues. I was privileged to speak with Falisha to learn more about her Tongan community in Seattle,…
Gaby España I visited Italy for the first time when I was 14. I was very fortunate that my parents, after many years vacationing exclusively at the Jersey Shore, had finally saved up enough money to travel internationally. As the much younger of three kids—the “oops baby” you might say—they decided to take me with them. The…
Joy Portella When I graduated from the University of Washington one year ago, I had no idea where I was headed. I had earned a meaningful, well-rounded education having studied anthropology, international studies, and English. I didn’t doubt the value of my knowledge; I just didn’t know where it would lead me. Compared to my peers in…
Caroline Hall We have all seen the power of a gripping news story—one where the journalist has a firm grasp on the subject and the people impacted are given an opportunity to speak about the issue. But often, the most compelling story comes directly from someone given the space to tell their story in their own way.…
Dori Valerio Rozella Kennedy is the Director of Impact and Equity at Camber Collective. Affectionately called Rozie, she has founded three nonprofits and has worked across the arts, environmental, and social service sectors. She is also the creator of Brave Sis Project, a lifestyle brand using wellness and history to build an inclusive sisterhood among Black, Indigenous,…
For far too long, grantmaking has been a top-down process, with funders wielding the power to decide which organizations receive funding and which do not. However, there is a growing recognition that this approach is flawed, and that true social change requires a shift in power towards those most impacted by social challenges. Shifting power…
Elise McGlothian Minerva Strategies is in its tenth year of collaborating with social good organizations to bring their stories to life. But the initial impetus for Minerva was much more straightforward: “I just wanted to do good work with good people,” said Minerva’s Founding Partner and President Joy Portella. Good work, in her mind, meant strategizing and…
For the past decade, Minerva has been evolving and becoming a stronger and better company. I was thrilled to celebrate our 10th anniversary together with our team in Seattle this past fall. Minerva is now at the next step of that evolution: improving our leadership structure. I am pleased to announce that, as of January…