MACC Conversations

PVLI: Building Belonging Through Community

In this episode of Powerful Voices: Lasting Impact, Mya Corbin MACC's Communications Specialist talks with Maitzeng Chang about supporting immigrant and refugee communities. Maitzeng shares what it is like to work as an Asian woman in the nonprofit world and why smaller communities are often overlooked. She explains how important it is for nonprofits to learn about different cultures and make people feel welcome. They discuss the challenges many immigrant families face when coming to the United States and starting a new life. Maitzeng highlights the power of kindness, community, and making space for everyone to belong.

Leading with Cultural and Lived Experience

Tune in to hear from Sipra Jha, the Shelter Director at Asian Women United of Minnesota and Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager as they dive into the importance of cultural practices and supporting one another. Sipra shares her story of growing up in India and how her early experiences shaped her passion for helping others. She talks about her journey as an immigrant and how she found her purpose working with women and families facing domestic violence. Opening up about her background, she shares how her organization supports people from many different cultures and backgrounds. Sipra also shares what leadership means to her, including caring for her team and working together. They'll discuss the highlights and the challenges of nonprofit work, especially during difficult times for immigrant communities. Sipra helps us learn the importance of compassion, teamwork, and staying committed to helping others.

PVLI: Supporting Asian Communities: Equity and Voices

MACC is celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with our recurring series Powerful Voices, Lasting Impact! In this first episode Jennifer So, the Director of Community-based Evaluation and Impact from Neighborhood House, joins Mya Corbin, MACC's Communication's Specialist! Jennifer shares her story working with immigrant and refugee communities. Jennifer talks about how Asian communities are often seen as one group, even though they are very different. She explains how smaller communities can be overlooked and not get enough support. Listeners will also learn why language access and better data are important for fairness. This kickoff episode shows how nonprofits can listen, support, and stand up for all communities. By recognizing past and ongoing exclusion and truly listening to diverse Asian community voices, nonprofits can build fair systems that support all communities.

What Does Rest Have to Do with Culture, Equity, and Justice?

Tune in to hear from Sook Jin Ong, consultant and poet-storyteller and MACC's Program Director, Laurel Hansen. They discuss rest, equity, and caring for people who do hard work in their communities. Sook Jin Ong is a coach and storyteller who helps people think about rest in a deeper way. She explains that rest is not just sleep, but also feeling safe, seen, and at peace in your body and life. She says rest is also connected to fairness, because systems like racism and capitalism can make it harder for some people to rest. Sook Jin believes rest should be shared, and that communities can support each other like a network. Putting emphasis on creating workplaces where people feel valued and cared for gives leaders the opportunity to listen, be honest with their employees. Sook Jin suggests small ways to feel better, like using your hands for simple activities to calm your mind and body. It's important that we don't abandon our wellness so we can show up as our best selves in everything that we do.

Identifying Talent for Leadership Roles

Tune in to hear from Chief Program Officer at FamilyWise Services, Brittany Seidel, and MACC's Program Director, Laurel Hansen, as they discuss how to help employees grow and become strong leaders. They talk about how FamilyWise creates a positive and safe workplace where everyone feels supported and has a chance to learn new skills. They encourage and are committed to advancement and Brittany shares her story of moving up from an entry-level position to an executive leadership role and how teamwork and trust made that possible. She shares that mistakes should be treated as learning opportunities rather than punishment when it comes to employee development in the workplace. Seidel explains why it’s important for leaders to listen, encourage others, and help their staff reach their goals. At FamilyWise they prioritize that staff feel valued and supported so everyone can succeed.