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Sydney Avitia-Jacques

Staff Collective

Syd is a mixed race Chicano organizer from Los Angeles. 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 ...more Syd is a mixed race Chicano organizer from Los Angeles. 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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Ronny Flannery

Staff Collective

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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Lili-Ririko Joseph

Staff Collective

Lili-Ririko is a Black-American & Ainu Disabled organizer, ...more

Lili-Ririko is a Black-American & Ainu Disabled organizer, transplanted to Maine in 2021. Throughout high-school, Lili was a teen organizer with Black Lives Matter Detroit, leading support groups with other Black teens that had personal and/or familial experiences with police violence. Lili was also an organizer with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helping to create educational materials about the Black Autistic experience and develop advocacy tools for autistic adults. Lili is now on the leadership collective for Jewish Voice for Peace Maine and a steering member of the Maine Coalition For Palestine, working closely with the anti-Zionist Jewish population of Maine and various organizations engaging in the fight for Palestinian liberation - the BIJOCSM leader (Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardi, Mizrahi) of Jewish Action Maine, creating community spaces for marginalized Jews - a board member of QueerlyME with excitement around centering visibility of BIPOC & Disabled Queer people in the outdoors - and the History Room volunteer at Lili’s local library. Lili loves learning, listening, and creating. Chat with Lili at lili@maineworkers.org

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Shelby Leighton

Personnel Committee Chair

Shelby is an attorney at Public Justice, 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 ...more Shelby is an attorney at Public Justice, 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, as well as serving on the Personnel Committee and the Work with Dignity Committee. Shelby lives in South Portland with her terrier mix Jackie.

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Veronica A. Pérez

Political Leadership Team, Radical Nourishment

Veronica is an artist, administrative assistant, and community organizer. They joined SMWC in 2022 through their involvement with Tender Table - an organization uplifting Black and Brown folks in Maine through storytelling and food. Pérez is also an artist who focuses on uplifting people through community art making. They also work at Indigo Arts ...more Veronica is an artist, administrative assistant, and community organizer. They joined SMWC in 2022 through their involvement with Tender Table - an organization uplifting Black and Brown folks in Maine through storytelling and food. Pérez is also an artist who focuses on uplifting people through community art making. They also work at Indigo Arts Alliance - a Black-led arts nonprofit. Throughout all of their work, they seek to uplift hidden and marginalized people. They want to join SMWC on their board to create new systems of living that can benefit all people - alongside folks who are committed and supportive of this. Interdependency and empathy are at the core of everything they do.

she/they

Dania Bowie

Political Leadership Team, Political Education Committee

Dania joined SMWC in 2020 during the pandemic. She has worked a variety of jobs and has lived experience with worker's rights violations and bad bosses. Now she is a facilitator, artist, resource ...more Dania joined SMWC in 2020 during the pandemic. She has worked a variety of jobs and has lived experience with worker's rights violations and bad bosses. Now she is a facilitator, artist, resource organizer and communications professional in the non profit world. She works to ensure that resources go to people and communities effectively with values aligned practices for community centric fundraising. She is the daughter of Filipino immigrants and writes poetry and short stories celebrating underrepresented communities and complicating narratives of immigrant family life.

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Phillip Joseph

Political Leadership Team, Work With Dignity Committee

Phill is a Union electrician and grassroots labor organizer. He believes the defense and expansion of workers' rights is indispensable to the pursuit of social justice. Serving as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Vice-chair of IBEW L.U. 567's young workers committee, a collaborator with the Frontline Climate ...more Phill is a Union electrician and grassroots labor organizer. He believes the defense and expansion of workers' rights is indispensable to the pursuit of social justice. Serving as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Vice-chair of IBEW L.U. 567's young workers committee, a collaborator with the Frontline Climate Formation, and a steering member of JVP Maine, Phillip is committed to fostering equity in the building trades and advocating for individuals with marginalized identities.

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Grace Daphnia

Political Leadership Team, Political Education Committee

Grace became a member of SMWC in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic. They were involved in a campaign to expand Mainecare’s coverage of dental work. They wrote a testimonial about dental health experiences and how it’s affected their life. They were empowered by this and started to learn about community organizing. Having no experience, ...more Grace became a member of SMWC in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic. They were involved in a campaign to expand Mainecare’s coverage of dental work. They wrote a testimonial about dental health experiences and how it’s affected their life. They were empowered by this and started to learn about community organizing. Having no experience, they were nervous at first. Their friends at SMWC helped build their confidence. Since being a member Grace has done extensive tabling for various workers’ rights campaigns. They were on  a panel for a Maine Women’s Lobby event-their first public speaking gig.  They have been closely involved with both Political Education as well as Work With Dignity. They have done research on the gig economy for WWD and had a presentation at the Know Your Rights training. They have stood in solidarity with their friends many times. The milk with dignity march with through Migrant Justice, Stop the Sweeps protests and demonstrations, and sadly, too many for the liberation of Palestine. To name a few. Grace is a front line care worker, as a home health aide for an elder trans woman and they also work at Equality Community Center’s front desk. They are very well aware of the systems that seek to punish the elderly and disabled, having her own disability, they’re very much affected by the intersections and obstacles of a corrupt government. Community engagement is very important to them, as they’re also involved in mutual aid and organizing for bodily autonomy issues.

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Molly Kizer

Political Leadership Team, Work With Dignity Committee

Molly  started attending Political Education and Work With Dignity committee meetings last summer, officially becoming a SMWC member in September. She helped to facilitate a Wage Empowerment workshop in November and has been attending demonstrations in defense of Palestine. She is super excited about the possibility of being on the PLT, ...more Molly  started attending Political Education and Work With Dignity committee meetings last summer, officially becoming a SMWC member in September. She helped to facilitate a Wage Empowerment workshop in November and has been attending demonstrations in defense of Palestine. She is super excited about the possibility of being on the PLT, specifically looking forward to being a part of a non-hierarchical, cooperative decision-making process as the SMWC moves in a direction that we’d like to see the world move in as well. To pay the bills she currently works in IT for a seed company, but has also worked as a teacher, a farmer, and a case manager among lots of other jobs. Her interests include spoiling her dog Bodhi, talking to plants, permaculture, herbal medicine, and alternatives to capitalism.

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Kirk Robbins

Political Leadership Team, Membership Committee

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 ...more 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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Izzy Ostrowski

Political Leadership Team, Membership Committee

After being a longtime admirer of SMWC and on the periphery but feeling burnt out from various nonprofit jobs, Izzy is grateful to have become more involved last year and recently joined the Membership Committee. Izzy cares deeply about the interconnectedness of community care, harm ...more After being a longtime admirer of SMWC and on the periphery but feeling burnt out from various nonprofit jobs, Izzy is grateful to have become more involved last year and recently joined the Membership Committee. Izzy cares deeply about the interconnectedness of community care, harm reduction, storytelling, and collective liberation. Some of her previous experiences include direct care work, advocacy, community organizing, and theater. Last year, Izzy joined EqualityMaine where she currently builds community with queer older adults across Maine. When she's not cuddling with her cat, Josie, Izzy is writing snail mail, collecting vintage cards, watching horror movies, and learning with and from community.

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Kathy Kilrain del Rio

Finance Committee Chair

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 and later made Maine her home in 2006 where she volunteered with ...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 and later made Maine her home in 2006 where she volunteered with several social justice organizations. She eventually joined the staff of the Maine Women’s Lobby where she oversaw programs, outreach, fundraising, and communications efforts. In 2018 she joined Maine Equal Justice where she currently works as Advocacy and Programs Director helping to advance access to adequate health care, housing, transportation and childcare; food and income security; and higher education and training. Kathy 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.