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Sydney Avitia-Jacques

Political Education Director

Syd is a multiracial Chicanx organizer who grew up in Los Angeles straddling working class & middle class spaces. In 2014, they found themselves in Maine to study Sociology at Bowdoin College, where they organized with housekeepers to win a living wage. As a Portland tenant, Syd has organized with Maine People's Housing Coalition and Maine ...more Syd is a multiracial Chicanx organizer who grew up in Los Angeles straddling working class & middle class spaces. In 2014, they found themselves in Maine to study Sociology at Bowdoin College, where they organized with housekeepers to win a living wage. As a Portland tenant, Syd has organized with Maine People's Housing Coalition and Maine Renters United to create mutual aid networks and build power with tenants and unhoused people. Syd helped start a Maine Service Employees Association union chapter in 2022 as an Educator with Speak About It, a theater-based consent education company. They love learning, making zines, and talking about the political economy. Say hello (and send zines) at sydney@maineworkers.org

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Stacey Tran

Organizing Co-Director

Stacey is the founding organizer of Tender Table, a project celebrating Black and Brown community in Maine by connecting and honoring our identities, traditions, joy, resilience, and fight for collective liberation through storytelling and food. Stacey is passionate about building relationships, listening to ...more Stacey is the founding organizer of Tender Table, a project celebrating Black and Brown community in Maine by connecting and honoring our identities, traditions, joy, resilience, and fight for collective liberation through storytelling and food. Stacey is passionate about building relationships, listening to peoples’ stories, and imagining creative ways to take action to improve the conditions of our lives, which enrich and strengthen all of our communities. You can reach Stacey at stacey@maineworkers.org

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Ronny Flannery

Organizing Co-Director

Ronny is a mixed-race non-binary organizer of working class Vietnamese descent who grew up and lives in Lewiston, ME. They bring experience campaigning for the human rights to health and housing across Maine and California, and follow a transformative organizing practice that emphasizes relationship building beyond social differences and the ...more Ronny is a mixed-race non-binary organizer of working class Vietnamese descent who grew up and lives in Lewiston, ME. They bring experience campaigning for the human rights to health and housing across Maine and California, and follow a transformative organizing practice that emphasizes relationship building beyond social differences and the leadership development of those most impacted by structural violence. They studied English, Sociology, and Global Political Economy at the University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Kassel in central Germany. Ronny is also a board member of the Raise-Op Housing Cooperative. They see the interconnections between oppressive systems clearly, and believe an abundant world that meets our human needs is within our grasp. You can reach Ronny at ronny@maineworkers.org

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Heather Foran

Board Co-Chair

Heather is the co-founder and facilitator of The Field Academy and a long-time server in Greater Portland area restaurants.

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Ali Mann

Board of Directors

Ali joined the SMWC in 2008 and has been learning from its members and staff ever since. Ali comes to the organization from a background of class privilege, and is always asking how that identity can be enlisted to advance movements for Black, brown, indigenous and working class power. When she’s not thinking about the SMWC, she’s often ...more Ali joined the SMWC in 2008 and has been learning from its members and staff ever since. Ali comes to the organization from a background of class privilege, and is always asking how that identity can be enlisted to advance movements for Black, brown, indigenous and working class power. When she’s not thinking about the SMWC, she’s often dreaming about solidarity economies and the commons. She enjoys sewing stuff, biking, and serving as a jungle gym to her two young kids.

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Kirk Robbins

Board of Directors

Having a long term interest in social justice issues, Kirk was drawn to the SMWC after doing a Health Care is a Human Right survey, and became part of the Political Education Committee after the Annual Meeting in the spring of 2016. Kirk also joined the Membership Committee this year. Growing up in poverty in central Maine and living below the poverty line his entire adult life has impacted his political outlook.

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Doug Born

Board of Directors

Doug is a busy guy. He is a stagehand with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 114, Maine AFL-CIO delegate, President of the Southern Maine Labor Council, and a member of the Maine Fair Trade Campaign. Doug is a representative from the Southern Maine Labor Council.

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MJ Lacourse

Board of Directors

MJ got involved with the Worker Center’s Political Education committee at the tail end of 2016 and was drawn in by the committee's work on class and classism. MJ was born and raised in working class community and is passionate about building spaces, support, and power with working class people. MJ is currently on the board and the staff organizing committee.

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Kathy Kilrain del Rio

Board of Directors

Kathy is passionate about making organizations, advocacy, and government inclusive for all people and raising up the voices of the people who are most impacted by injustice and inequitable policies in our work toward a truly equitable future. She began her career as an educator—teaching people of all ages from preschool to middle school ...more Kathy is passionate about making organizations, advocacy, and government inclusive for all people and raising up the voices of the people who are most impacted by injustice and inequitable policies in our work toward a truly equitable future. She began her career as an educator—teaching people of all ages from preschool to middle school classrooms to pre-GED and GED programs. Kathy made Maine her home in 2006, working to improve literacy and language skills of adult learners both in local literacy and adult education programs and through systemic work at a statewide organization. In 2012 she joined the staff of the Maine Women’s Lobby where she oversaw programs, outreach, fundraising, and communications efforts. Kathy organized three Maine Women’s Summits on Economic Security and helped engage activists, media, and policymakers on a range of issues impacting women’s lives. In 2018 she joined Maine Equal Justice where she currently works as Director of Campaigns and Healthcare Advocacy, fighting for expanded and improved access to affordable health care for all Mainers. Kathy is finishing up service on the board of Emerge Maine and also serves on the board of Mabel Wadsworth Center. She is recharged by reading, music, and having fun adventures with her family and dear friends.

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Shelby Leighton

Board of Directors

Shelby is an attorney at a national public interest advocacy organization that fights against abusive corporate power and predatory practices, the assault on civil rights and liberties, and the destruction of the earth’s sustainability. Her work focuses on access to justice for workers and others who have been injured by corporate and government ...more Shelby is an attorney at a national public interest advocacy organization that fights against abusive corporate power and predatory practices, the assault on civil rights and liberties, and the destruction of the earth’s sustainability. Her work focuses on access to justice for workers and others who have been injured by corporate and government wrongdoing. Previously, she represented workers whose rights were violated at work, including in discrimination and wage theft cases. Shelby got involved with SMWC in 2018 as a volunteer for SMWC's Workers' Rights Legal Clinic, and she continues to volunteer with the Clinic and Hotline, as well as serving on the Board's Personnel Committee. Shelby lives in South Portland with partner Kris and terrier mix Jackie.

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Constant Kabuyenge

Board of Directors

Constant is a married man, father of one son. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Law from Burundi. Constant is a Core Certified Healthcare Interpreter, a Voting member of the American Translators Association, and works as a Medical/Court Interpreter/Translator with 19 years of experience in the translation field. Constant Kabuyenge is also a Client Representative Board Member at Pine Tree Legal Assistance.

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Dania Bowie

Board of Directors

Dania joined SMWC in 2020 during the pandemic. Although her big passions are art and political education, she leads fundraising and communications in the non profit world, facilitating discussions and implementation of community centric fundraising. She is the daughter of ...more Dania joined SMWC in 2020 during the pandemic. Although her big passions are art and political education, she leads fundraising and communications in the non profit world, facilitating discussions and implementation of community centric fundraising. She is the daughter of Filipino immigrants and survivor of family violence, which contributes to her abolitionist lens. Dania is also on the board of Maine Inside Out and is on the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women in Maine.