Another Journey Around the Sun

media release: WI: The nINA Collective is celebrating their two-year anniversary this Sat., July 16, at 3:30 pm Robinia Courtyard (829 E Washington Ave, Madison). This is a major milestone for the nINA Collective in support of its mission: Through modeling that another way is possible, we transform, support, and create systems and structures that are built around racial equity.

The nINA Collective is a multiracial consulting cooperative that supports organizations, institutions, and individuals committed to equity and inclusion as they advance their own internal change process and racial equity initiatives through capacity building, assessment, advising & coaching. Their initial launch was scheduled for the night before the state of Wisconsin shut down as a response to COVID 19 in March 2020.

nINA Collective Member-Director, ananda mirilli, stated: “when we were first set to launch, we imagined that we would be doing primarily in-person, relationship-based work. The onset of the pandemic led us to question whether we could launch a viable racial equity cooperative at that time. The murder of George Floyd, and the subsequent local, national and international response, made us realize that the work could not stop. In fact, racial equity work was essential for us to navigate a global pandemic and racial reckoning. We pivoted our strategy and approach to virtual and have partnered with over 60 organizations in the last two years.”

This celebration comes in the wake of many recent initiatives of the cooperative, including:

● The launch of a bi-annual virtual co-learning community

● Upcoming facilitated Reading & Reflection opportunity featuring Go Big Read selection, How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

● Inaugural Facilitation Cohort to train new facilitators

● Exploration of a land tax partnership with the Great Lakes Intertribal Council (GLITC)

There will be a brief program at the celebration on Saturday between 4:30 - 5:30 PM to share more about these initiatives. The program will also feature guest speakers, WI Supreme Court Candidate, Judge Everett Mitchell, as well as Bryan Bainbridge, CEO of the Great Lakes Intertribal Council. The program will be emceed by Angela Russell, host of the Black Oxygen podcast and Chief Diversity Officer of CUNA Mutual Group.

To learn more or to RSVP, please visit: https://www.ninacollective.com/event-registration